The Nielsen Family

Pregnancy Journal: Week 21

2012-01-27T10:58:00.001-07:00

Here I am at week 21 of this pregnancy. Now, before I go any further...let me clarify that a) I HATE taking pictures of myself, and b) I especially HATE taking pregnant pictures of myself. Except for the fact that I have now LOVED looking back on the pictures I took of myself while pregnant with the twins. Especially now, it's been super fun to compare and contrast - and let me tell you there is QUITE the contrast. My belly this week is about the size I was at 14-15 weeks with the twins. So, it's kind of like having a first pregnancy all over again...except I don't freak out about every little pain and discomfort. Kind of nice.

Now, I have seen pregnancy journals on others blogs, and every time I see them I enjoy reading them. But most of all, I think they are fun to look back on and remember the silly things that make up a pregnancy (that nobody else really cares about but yourself).

* My biggest craving is apples with nutella. Lots of nutella. This is especially funny because I'm not a huge fan of apples, but now LOVE them, and I hated nutella before, but now can't get enough of it. That's how I know it's a true pregnancy craving.
* My nausea has decreased a lot over the past week. I feel great in the mornings and afternoons, but still have the dreaded night sickness...which is sort of awful - but that's where apples and nutella come into play.
* Baby boy moves ALL night long. From 10pm-2am he's doing something crazy, and then I usually wake up again from 4-6am with the same somersault party. Hopefully his schedule gets on track before he makes his debut.
* We decided on a color for the new nursery - "Bippity Boppity blue" by Behr. I am in love with it, and it goes great with our PB Madras drapes. And works perfectly so we can use Andrew's old bedding with ease.
* This week I've started having a bit of anxiety over balancing three kids. I never did before, but I'm sure it's pregnancy hormone related. I just keep reminding myself of what my Mom always used to say to me - "just take it one day at a time." That will definitely come into play I'm sure.
* We have decided on a first name, but are still tossing around middle names. I've loved the name for years, and we both love how it fits in with our other kids. Once we have the middle name, we will probably share.
* I'm starting to get the question from others "are you pregnant?" so hopefully that means I've left the "I look like I ate too many cheeseburgers" stage and am now entering the pregnant stage.

The Backson

2012-01-25T19:44:00.004-07:00

Who's afraid of the Backson?

Winnie the Pooh is (nearly) a daily favorite in our home right now - especially on the part of Andrew. It's quite funny really, because when I splurged on this DVD for Christmas I sort of dreaded the fact that the kids would hate it. But no...
This tends to be the "mode" Andrew goes in every time we turn that movie on. The nice part about it is that it's short, sweet, and has plenty of music, so I tend to like it too.

The very best part of the movie however is this:
The Backson, as they call it in the movie. Rewind to two months ago when we were having trouble with the kids staying in bed at night. They would jump from bed to bed, peak out the window, nearly tear down the drapes, scale the dresser - the usual kid mumbo jumbo. Suddenly the kids feared the Backson more than any other living (or non-living) thing. So, one night as we were giving goodnight kisses and hugs, we gave the usual "stay in bed, be quiet" talk. Except Andrew interjected "if you don't, the Backson will get you." To which Steve and I quickly agreed, "yes, the Backson would indeed come and get you." It was the first night they stayed in those little beds in over three months. And it still continues to this day - every nap time and bed time the kids recite their theories on how the Backson will get them.

And every night Steve and I agree that "yes, the Backson WILL get you." Are we bad parents?

Steve told me tonight that our kids are going to hate us when they find that the Backson isn't real. Hmmm...they'll get over it.

A New Start

2012-01-23T21:33:00.006-07:00

It's been too long...yes? Yes. And more likely than not, nobody even reads our little blog life anymore. But, that's all beside the point. Moments come and go in our little family, and I continue to wish I was documenting them. Since a real journal is one of my most hated "chores" in life, a virtual one may have to suffice for now. I may not blog as frequently as I hope, but some little bit is better than nothing at all. Yes? Yes.

So, instead of trying to catch up on everything that has taken place over the past year...a new start may be in order. A bit of a "here we are now" kind of post. Roll call (from youngest to oldest):

Steve

Steve is still working for Intermountain Health Care as a Clinic Manager. He's changed locations to Provo, UT, which has come with a little bit more responsibility (or a lot, either way). He hates the commute, but loves the job and what he does. He's also attending the U of U to complete is MBA and MHA. He's sort of rarely seen at home, but luckily that's not a situation that will last forever. 2 1/2 more years (not that anyone is counting) is doable, and worth it.

Me (aka Mom)

...even Steve calls me Mom now. How does that happen? I do, however, call him Dad...so all is fair in love and war. I'm still my usual full-time stay at home Mom, except now I fill a lot of the Dad positions too. Although 99% of the time I feel like I'm in the movie "Groundhog Day" living the same day over, and over, and over, and over...well, you get the point. I love it though. I wouldn't have it any other way, and I know how fortunate I am to be able to see those same days over and over again. And the beauty of it is, there are amazingly rewarding moments packed into each day that make it so wonderful.

Andrew (aka Mister, Bubbers, Buddy)

Andrew is obsessed with all things that have to do with trains (however he pronounces it "crane" - leaving many confused). His favorite food is definitely Mac 'n Cheese, which we have a lot of with Dad in school. He is mildly obsessed with the Winnie the Pooh movie we got him for Christmas, and he may or may not watch that 3-4 times a week. He is the typical 2 year old with his tantrums, yelling, hitting, kicking, breaking any toy imaginable, and thinking he is a superhero. However, amongst all of his uncontrollable energy, he is the sweetest boy. He loves playing with Caroline, and is constantly asking for "loves" (hugs) and kisses. He is my sweet, independent, loving, and crazy Andrew.

Caroline (aka Cline, Girly, Gwirdy)
Caroline is in love with princesses. She is definitely a girly-girl - which I wouldn't have any other way. She spends her days playing dress-ups (one day it's Minnie, the next Rapunzel, the next Tinkerbell), playing with her dollhouse and princess castle, and bossing her older brother around. She absolutely loves it. She is attached to her blankie and all of her "Minnie" stuffed animals. She carts them around the house from place to place, but is always sure they are near by. She loves any movie that has to do with princesses, but Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are her tops right now. Her favorite food is yogurt, and any kind of fruit. She is so sweet, and has a tender little heart. Any time she gets in trouble or has "time out", she spends it crying and asking for hugs. She's my little woman - who definitely thinks she is the Mom half the time. And the best part, she is ALWAYS willing to tattle on Andrew...so I'm sure to know he's up to no good.

Baby #3
And last...but definitely not least...Baby #3. This little hand-sucking boy is due June 7th. After much surety that we were having a girl (on my part), it was surprisingly confirmed to us that we are indeed having another crazy boy. How does one know he's crazy? He wouldn't stop moving during the ultrasound, and basically hasn't ever since. He moves more than my twins ever did in a given day. He's also making me sick, sick, sick - which must mean he's crazy, right? All joking aside, we are so happy, excited, and blessed to have this little guy. We are working on painting the nursery, getting things ready, and figuring out a name. Meanwhile, I am learning what it's like to be pregnant with ONE baby and not two. So far I can easily confirm that (besides the sickness) it has been a breeze. And in comparing my twin belly pictures with my current - you grow A LOT more slowly with one baby. At 21 weeks I'm looking about how I did at 15 weeks with the twins. It's different, but a welcome change.

So, for the future...little blog...I will try not to neglect you. I will use my "lonely" nights while the Dad is at school to update on the funny little stories and memories that are filling our lives. Because, with being a Mom, I have also realized that I NEVER remember anything I wish I did. Life just moves too quickly.

Like Mother, Like Daughter...and Son

2011-02-06T22:05:00.003-07:00

There are many funny points to this picture for me. 1) The face, 2) the baby doll being flung around, 3) the longing hand trying to get out the window as if to say "get me out of here," and 4) the vacuum. Is this how she perceives me? Probably.
Caroline and Andrew love to go around the house and help vacuum. They are thrilled anytime we bring the real thing out, so when we bought these little guys for them they knew just how to do it. It's funny how they pick up on the little things - like how to vacuum by pulling it back and forth. Now when they can really help out with vacuuming...that will be the day! For now I'll take the fake help - it keeps them occupied while I do the real work.

P.s. On a side note - Caroline is obsessed with her baby doll. When we first bought it she would cry and cry in her crib at night until we brought baby doll in. Luckily, we broke that habit. Then, anytime she would cry throughout the day she would say "baby" while she threw her tantrum. Cue the baby doll...and she's good. It's amazing how she has taken to the little Mommy role. Andrew on the other hand...he prefers to throw baby down the stairs and say "oh no...fall down." Such a boy!

Temple Square Lights

2011-02-06T22:00:00.002-07:00

Every year I beg Steve to go see the lights at Temple Square. Last year the babies were too little, the year before that I was pregnant, the year before that I was sick...you see how it has gone in my favor for the 5 1/2 years we have been married.

This year we were determined to go because the twins are REALLY into lights! They especially loved Christmas tree lights. So we knew they would like it. Our first attempt ended on our way downtown at 3300 S. while Andrew vomited in the backseat of the car. We didn't make it. Our second attempt ended on a much happier note. Dinner at Blue Lemon and lights. The twins loved it! They kept saying "wow" the whole time. But by about the 10 minute mark they were frozen. It was only 18 degrees that night - so I really don't blame them. But, the memory was totally worth it! Hopefully next year we can get it right on the first try.

Christmas 20...10

2011-02-06T21:39:00.008-07:00

I have been desperately trying to play catch-up, but between my sick daughter and a very busy husband...life has been a bit of a whirlwind. So, only being a couple months behind on my posts feels like an accomplishment to me. :)The annual Larson Santa party was quite interesting for us. I knew my kids wouldn't love Santa much, but they pretty much HATED his kind little self. Andrew lasted maybe 2 seconds before Dad saved him....And Caroline didn't do much better. Just as quickly as I put her on Santa's lap she was back off again. The poor things were miserable. Andrew had just gotten over the stomach flu the week before. And I got hit with it hard on the way home. Needless to say, we didn't love that festivity much this year.Christmas Eve was much better! We spent it with the Larson side - lots of people, lots of food, lots of crazy kids unwrapping presents at lightning speed. So fun! My kids were more interested in climbing on their boxes than unwrapping them. We didn't unwrap until we got home and they could focus on the task at hand. Grandpa Larson & Grandma Gail did not disappoint - a slide for Caroline, and a tool set/bench for Andrew. They both love them!Of course there were Christmas pajamas to open. The twins really weren't into the whole tear-the-paper gig this year, but they loved what was inside. Steve and I did more unwrapping for them than they did.The spread that Santa brought! We are still unwrapping presents from Christmas. Caroline was more interested in going on her slide. Andrew was interested in bugging Caroline on the slide. And we had to head up to the Nielsen family in the morning for brunch, presents, and a missionary phone call.Heading down the stairs to see what Santa brought.
Checking out the new kitchen.

Oh the slide! That thing has given them hours and hours of play fun!

We really had a wonderful Christmas with family, friends, and fun. The twins were much more fun this year! They were more excited over everything! I'm sure they will get the concept a little more next year, so I can't wait to see how much fun Christmas 2011 is. Hopefully as merry as 2010!

Festival of Trees

2011-01-12T16:42:00.003-07:00

My sisters and I did another tree for Primary Children's Hospital Festival of Trees again this year. We definitely didn't do as much prep-work this year as we have in the past. That was scary at some points, but we also are starting to feel a little more comfortable figuring out how much we need for the tree, and how much work needs to be done before we arrive. It is definitely starting to turn into a well-oiled machine in lot of ways.Our theme this year was "A Scenic Christmas." That had a lot of meaning to all of us for many reasons. But, after reflecting upon the experience, I thought it was too perfect that the tree was all red. Red was my Mom's signature color. Not only that, but this is the tree that looked most like the one we had growing up. The tree sold for $3600 - which we were pretty excited about. It also sold to a cute little family that lives in Midway, UT. It was nice to know that the tree was going to a home with children who would be enjoying it Christmas morning. Something was just so magical about it.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to do Festival of Trees. I really hope this is a tradition that the Larson girls keep...because it's such a fun bonding time, as well as a good time to develop our individual talents. So fun!

P.s. I purposefully skipped posting about Thanksgiving. It was a terrible day. Sick kids, fevers, Mom and Dad getting sick, tired...the list goes on. Amen.

Halloween...no joke...

2011-01-12T16:29:00.004-07:00

I am completely serious in posting pictures of Halloween - which occurred nearly three months ago. I make no apologies for it - actually, it's been a busy, exciting, and fun time for our little family...and blogging has sort of been at the bottom of the to-do list. Well, not all the way at the bottom. Because that would mean I would have already put my Christmas tree away, and cleaned out the rest of the junk boxes from our move (9 months ago:)).

For Halloween, we decided that we needed to do something that was somewhat "twin themed." I mean, not many people really get to do that. Plus we realize that we don't have many years where we get to tell them what they are. So we fully took advantage - and we admit it. Behold...Little Bo Peep...And her sheep.

I was sure that Steve would hate the idea, and tell me that it was lame or too "girly" for Andrew. Much to my surprise, he LOVED the idea. He was all over it as soon as I spilled the idea. Even though Caroline HATED her costume with every fiber of her being, I'm still glad we did it. Andrew was an adorable barking-like-a-dog-sheep. Caroline and I had to compromise, and eventually settled on letting her do without the hat and the staff. She still looked stinkin' cute.

Now onto the grand ideas for next year...

We seriously have already talked about it. Halloween is FUN with kids.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

2010-11-18T10:44:00.005-07:00

My children act as though they are freezing every morning. To their credit their bedroom is the coldest in the house - and we can't quite figure out why. Poor totsicles. :) Andrew's favorite thing now is to cozy up on the couch with his blanket after breakfast and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He always looks so cozy, and I'm always so impressed that a kid that young will sit there for 30 minutes straight wrapped up in a blanket.

The twins are 18 months old today...my how the time flies. It's nuts to think back to one year ago and imagine how much work they were. Now they are a breeze in twin world! I made a huge mistake with their 18 month appointment scheduling...so I won't have stats until the first part of December - but I did want to record some fun things about them.

Andrew LOVES to dance. We just bought the new Josh Groban cd and I have been playing it through the house. Every time I turn it on he spins in circles, stomps his feet, and runs around like a wild boy. When the song changes or stops he says "done?" It's adorable. He has discovered the art of the open-mouthed kiss. Sometimes cute, sometimes not. ;) He loves bananas ("nanas") and asks for them at least three times a day. He is mastering the fork and spoon like a champion - mostly because he doesn't like his hands messy. His favorite words are "nana", "what's that?", "gone?", "oh no", "bath", "car", "baby", "bubble"...and something that sounds like "oh sh*t"...but I still can't figure out what that means. :) He has discovered the art of tackling his sister down to the ground for a toy. Quite sad for her, but man is he strong! Andrew is my little climber. When I was changing Caroline's diaper last week I noticed a strange sound so I went to check on Andrew. Behold...my child was on the kitchen table running back and forth hitting the light fixture (which was swaying quite impressively). He honestly didn't see anything wrong with it until I yelled "Andrew what are you doing?" and he raised his hands up and said "dunno". He is my little cuddler and such a sweet boy.

Caroline is a total Mommy's girl right now. She always sort of has been, but it's gone to the extreme the last month or so. When I leave for Young Women's on Tuesday nights she cries until I get home - literally. It breaks my heart...but I know she has to learn to deal with it. Caroline is our little eater. She will generally eat anything, and a lot of it...which you would never know from how skinny she is (but I know from how many diapers she goes through in a day). I have resorted to buying her a size bigger in her pants because they come with an adjustable waist...and then I have to make the waist as small as it will go. Definitely got Steve's genes on that one. Caroline is a talker but 99% of the time we have no clue what she's saying. Her new favorite words are "hi" and "bye" and will wave bye to Steve in the morning for a good 30 minutes telling him "bye" when he left long ago. I think she's just excited we know what she's saying. Caroline LOVES chocolate. Anything chocolate is like heaven for her...and if you take a bite of "her" chocolate she flips. Now that is definitely from me. She is also working on the fork and spoon thing...but she doesn't mind getting messy as much as Andrew, so she's not as motivated. She is also into giving kisses right now...but they are of the closed-mouthed and puckered variety. She is such a sweetheart, and always worried about making sure Andrew has something to play with.

Now the true test comes with taking them to nursery this Sunday. They have actually been going with Steve for a few weeks now so that I can go to Young Women's child-free. They have done a great job and love to color - something we haven't done at home yet. I'm just hoping they live in that nursery with 20 other kids - all older than them. However, I'm also sure I'm more nervous about it than they are.

4 Years ago...

2010-11-10T10:52:00.004-07:00

...at this time I was sitting in the Huntsman Cancer Center restaurant trying to eat a blueberry muffin and drink some orange juice. I was with my sisters and Steve. We all sat trying to eat something to get through the next day, and to give us energy from the all-nighter we had pulled the night before. Three of my sisters pregnant at the time - one due in a few days, and two due the following April/May.

When this time of year comes around, it seems it will always be difficult to cope with. Some days memories of my "lasts" with my Mom will flood my mind and I will break down sobbing. Other days happy memories with my Mom will come to me and I feel angry at the loss that I am still feeling.

In Young Women's last Sunday, the lesson was on optimism. For some reason the topic of "optimism" during and after death came up. The teacher had a quote from an apostle that mentioned needing to feel sadness and depression, and then also needing to be optimistic and move on with our lives and grow. On that particular day I needed to hear that. It brought me back to a memory of the night before my Mom's passing...

Steve and I received the phone call that Mom wasn't going to make it through the night around 10:30pm on November 9, 2006. As soon as the phone rings that late at night you know something isn't right. After picking up two of my sisters, we headed up to the hospital to say our goodbyes. At this point my Mom could still talk and communicate with us. Some through writing, but mostly by speaking. We all took a few minutes with our Mom and said our "goodbyes" and "I loves you's" - something that was so full of light and love, yet so full of sadness and darkness. We then encouraged Mom to get some rest and relax a little bit. At that point the nurses had set a limit on having just 2 or 3 people in the room at a time. My family filed out into the lobby area - filling the entire lobby. And something amazing happened...one of the best things for probably all of us - we sat and told funny and happy stories about our Mom. We laughed, we cried, we talked, we took our turns in the room with our Mom. And when I think back on those moments and hours prior to her death we were doing exactly what she would have wanted us to do. We were together, all of her children (well, Adam wasn't there yet...but he was in spirit), sharing why we loved her, why we loved our family, and remembering the happy times.

Throughout my Mom's battle with cancer she was so optimistic. I remember her telling me many times that she wanted to spend her days living, and not "preparing to die." I don't think I realized how hard that was at the time, but looking back I've been able to get a glimpse. I think many times it is easier to get discouraged, feel helpless, and give up. But not my Mom - she lived. She went to BYU games, she went to the symphony with my Dad, she met with friends, she held family birthday parties, she lived.

I miss my Mom every day. Not a day goes by that I don't think about the fact that she is missing from my life and from my kids' lives. But recently I have also felt the need to continue living my life to the fullest. Instead of feel sad and depressed for what I am lacking, feel full and happy with the memories I do have with my healthy children and loving husband. And I have a feeling that is exactly what she would want me to do. Make memories living.

10 Things I've Learned as a Mom

2010-10-28T14:23:00.005-06:00

My kids enthralled with Sesame Street. They love it!
1) Just when you think you've figured your kids out...they do something weird or learn something new and you have to figure it all out again (my sister Margaret told me this prior to having kids but I didn't get it until now). For instance, my children now know how to open doors. Don't worry I went out and bought door knob covers last night.

2) TV is okay once in awhile, but not all day long.

3) Binkies are evil, yet necessary for sanity - mostly mine, not theirs.

4) A date night is a wonderful thing. Rare, but wonderful.

5) When Mom is sick, everybody is sick...which leaves Mom still sick while taking care of everybody else that is sick. It is a vicious cycle.

6) If they choke they will usually throw up. I used to be SUPER paranoid of choking, and I am still probably overly careful...but without fail my kids always throw up if they're on the verge of choking. Quite handy. I know it's gross.

7) Doing laundry every day is not rare.

8) If it's clean, it won't be for long.

9) Throw up and boogies are no longer disgusting to me. Pre-baby I told Steve that I would do everything but clean spit up or throw up. Then, I was sent one baby with severe reflux, and one baby that doesn't know how to chew...and whalaaa...cured of that fear. I clean up one or the other of those weekly. At least.

10) Never wake a sleeping child.
...especially after they have just thrown a 1 hour tantrum, banged their head on the tile about 50 times for the fun of it, and have boogies all over their face and hands. Gotta love motherhood!

A Funny Thing Happened...

2010-10-21T11:36:00.003-06:00

on Monday. Laundry day. I declared it was time to put away all of the kids' clothes from summer, wash the new/hand-me-down clothes for winter, and fill the dresser drawers again.

This is a process I have done a few times in the last 17 months. But for some reason this time was different for Steve and I. While emptying the drawers I felt a deep sadness over storing the 18-24 month clothes and thinking back on the first summer we have actually been able to get out and do things with the twins. They have outgrown all of the clothes we bought them just 5 months ago. How does that happen?

Then, as I was filling the drawers with their newly washed 2T fall/winter items I felt sad again. That "T" stands for "Toddler." I have known they are technically toddlers for a couple months now, but for some reason it really hit me. Even though they are MY babies, they're not "babies" anymore. People at church are asking "how old are your kids?" - not babies. It's a strange thing that happens. One day they decide they don't want "baby food" anymore and switch to normal food - which FINALLY happened for us last week. I hope to have early teethers next.

And then there was the kind comment at church on Sunday from the nursery leader: "we are getting so excited for them to come into nursery next month." Wait. What? Seriously. They are old enough to be in nursery? Really it's a good thing. It is. But to go from preemie to chubby babies, to walking and talking toddlers has happened all too fast. Now I know why my Mom kept having babies (7 of them), because they grow up so fast. That snuggly dependent babe turns into a talking, silly, sometimes tantrumy toddler all too fast.

I got validation at the end of the night when Steve filled our plastic bins with the summer baby clothes. All he said was "it's kind of sad, right?" And then as I saw him pulling t-shirts out of bins for one last photo-op for both Caroline and Andrew, I knew he felt the same way too. We have wished for them to grow up quickly over these 17 months, and now we're wishing it would all slow down a bit.

Hogle Zoo

2010-10-07T11:06:00.005-06:00

We have been trying to pack in a bunch of activities into the last days of good weather. We saw that this week was going to be bad, so last Friday we headed up to Hogle Zoo. We weren't exactly sure if the kids would care much about the zoo - but there isn't much to lose when they get in free. We invited Grandma Nielsen and Aunt Camilla to come along for the fun - because everything is better with more people along for the ride. Sadly I didn't get any pictures of the kids with the monkeys. The monkeys were the hit of the day for sure. When a monkey would make a noise, Andrew would imitate it back. It was hilarious!! Seeing as Andrew thought everything after was a "dog", apparently the monkeys stuck out as being a little different. Andrew especially loved the elephants too. Grandma Nielsen has been teaching him about elephants, and I think it paid off because he took an interest in them. For Caroline the major highlight was that Grandma Nielsen was there. She will choose Grandma over me anyday!! She adores her!I had to snap this picture - how many adults does it take to get two kids buckled into their stroller? Four. Three working on the straps and tantrums and one holding the stroller and snapping a picture. :)

We ended our zoo adventure on the train. They both LOVED the train!! Andrew especially loved that Steve let him stand on the bench in front of us - holding him of course. He knew he was being mischievious, but he loved it! Steve and I both swear the train ride used to be longer back when we were kids, but I guess everything seems bigger, better, and longer when you're little. We can't wait to take them next Spring, because I'm sure they will love it even more!

Like Father, Like Son

2010-10-06T10:59:00.004-06:00

There are some choice moments when I look up from what I'm doing and see Steve and Andrew looking so much alike. Everybody tells me that Andrew looks just like his Dad, but when they seem to be making the same face it's sort of freaky. They look so much alike to me lately. Even Steve's Mom has been having major flashbacks lately because they make the same faces, and Andrew is now saying the same things Steve used to. I'm sure it's weird for her. On a cold Saturday morning, both my boys decided to get in their winter get-up and hunker down in the family room. Dad and his "Mini Me." Aren't they the cutest?

The 'Goon

2010-10-06T10:44:00.007-06:00

Otherwise known as Lagoon - but somewhere along the way we have started calling it the 'Goon. My family went to Lagoon in the middle of September. I wasn't sure exactly how the twins would react to the rides, but as soon as we got there Steve and I decided to let them try it out.They of course couldn't part with their binkies - perhaps it was their security blanket for the ride.
Off they went! They did really great - surprisingly. Caroline ended up riding this ride twice, and Andrew either 3 or 4 times. His face was just too funny when he got going that we had to try it again and again for our own comic relief. Are we evil parents?After trying the car ride with their cousins, the fun was pretty much over. When they couldn't see Mom or Dad for more than 30 seconds for reassurance, they both fell apart.Andrew tried the carousel with Steve and I. We attempted to take Caroline on as well, but she had a major tantrum of sorts right before it started, so we ditched that idea. Andrew wasn't too thrilled with the carousel...I'm pretty sure by the end he was feeling sick because he kept whimpering. Poor kid! But Steve and I thought it was fun. :)This is what Caroline did while we rode the carousel. I think she liked walking around anyway. This was like 16 month-old heaven...endless pavement to run away from everybody.

Overall, the twins were a little young for the 'Goon this year...but maybe next year they can have a little more fun - and perhaps without binkies. :)

On Hair

2010-08-31T14:40:00.004-06:00

I know...hair? Random topic for a post, but somewhat applicable. Steve and I have been deciding on what the twins should be for Halloween. See, this is a FUN holiday with twins because there are soooo many pair costume ideas. We could go wild with some we've had. One such pairing idea required Caroline to have hair which could be pig-tailed with bows in each piggy. Problem: Caroline doesn't grow hair on the top or sides of her head. For real. She has basically had the same length of hair in those areas for a year. However the back...oh the back. Mullet? Rat tail? Which do you prefer. It is curly though, so does that make it cute? Maybe.Then there is this camera man. He is another story. We have to give him a hair cut about every 6-8 weeks. Steve feels strongly that he looks clean cut - which I can totally appreciate and agree with. He is the minority in most group settings with all the mops going on. Not that mops are a bad thing...just not our thing. But his hair grows FAST.

So, how is it I got a boy who has a ton of hair and a girl (the one who gets to wear bows and pretties) with NO hair? I'll tell you how...Mom and Dad. Rumors have it I didn't have hair until I was about 3 (so said my Mom). And evidence shows Steve had a ton of blonde/white hair by the time he was 2. A TON! So, apparently history repeats itself. And if that's the case, Caroline will also be wearing bows the size of her face, hair pulled back so tight she can barely blink, and wearing curlers every Saturday night. :) Oh the fun we have to look forward to.

Randoms of the Week

2010-08-25T11:04:00.006-06:00

With all of the laundry basket "shots" you would think I'm always doing laundry. Oh wait, I am!

Sadly, I don't think I have taken a single picture in about a month. Steve has taken a few on his phone, but not much. Random twin updates from the Nielsen household:

The twins had their 15 month check-up on Monday. Andrew is 25 pounds 8 ounces, Caroline is 20 pounds 12 ounces. Oddly, Caroline didn't gain much weight even though she hasn't had any reflux issues. Probably due to the soy milk rather than whole milk - but if anyone has some "fattening up" tips...please do share. She went down in the growth chart, which the pediatrician wasn't too thrilled about. 95th percentile for height (both of them) and 50th percentile for head.

Caroline is freakishly smart. When we shared some of the things she does with the pediatrician, he really didn't believe us. Good thing Steve was there to back-up my claims.

Caroline is obsessed with being in charge of turning lights on and off when we enter and exit her bedroom.

Caroline & Andrew are head over heels for Blue's Clues. Ya know the Nick Jr. show? Seriously obsessed with it. When we turn it off...cue the waterworks.

I bought Converse All-Stars for them after their shots on Monday. Pink for Caroline, blue for Andrew - they hate them because they have shoelaces instead of velcro. More difficult to take off.

Their new game of the week is playing "doggy". That's the best way I can describe it. They crawl around chasing each other and saying "ruff." Dad taught them this.
Caroline post-immunizations.

Caroline hasn't wanted to walk since their shots on Monday. Literally just stands in one spot and screams. I might too if it felt like I had a golf ball in my thigh.

Andrew got a mild concussion last week bouncing in his crib. He has since hit his head about 12 times. So does that mean he has a major concussion now? Probably. What do you do?
Did you know there was another use to those music tables? Flip it over, and wah-lah...a chair.

Nine

2010-08-11T11:10:00.003-06:00

...That is how many appliances Steve and I have bought in our 5 years of marriage. The appliance situation isn't so blissful. 5 of those 9 have been in the last 16 months. Doesn't that sound crazy?

We ended up joyfully getting a lovely red LG set for our washer and dryer...and just as luck would have it - our refrigerator dies while we are away for our anniversary. That's two refrigerators in 5 years of marriage. What ever happened to the days of refrigerators lasting forever?

Of course while we were attempting to buy the new refrigerator yesterday, Andrew decided it was a good time to throw his first full-blown temper tantrum in public. At RC Willey...in the smack-dab middle of the store. Complete with kicking, screaming, slapping Mom, yelling, crying, running away, and climbing on objects to get away (a lawn mower). It was just wonderful. However, I proudly walked out of the store without having bribed him to stop, or made a big scene myself. Yes everyone was watching (it felt like), but I mostly tended not to play into his drama. Steve on the other hand...he was livid. Haha! I have to laugh at the situation because if I didn't then I would cry.

Caroline has been really into dancing the last week or two. Steve and I get a kick out of it because you can tell it takes some serious concentration. First the hands, then the legs, then the head, then throw the tongue out there...then stop because it was way too much to handle. She is just so much fun!

Andrew has discovered the art of the choke hold and tackle with his little sister. Where do they learn these things? Hopefully she lives to see preschool. No new pictures this week - but a video of the dancing queen instead. Hopefully it works.

A Blissful 5 Years

2010-08-09T10:20:00.003-06:00

If you had asked me 5 years ago where I would be today - I probably would have answered "happily married with 1 or 2 kids." That's about right. Luckily the "happy" part is still very much there, and let's say I got the one pregnancy with a bonus 2 kid prize at the end.That day truly was the happiest day of my life! Steve would tell you he could have done without the 98 degree weather in a tuxedo - but he was just as happy. The funniest, yet best story of that day was Steve's long wait prior to our ceremony. The lovely temple workers kindly deposited him in a waiting room where they told him that I would be just a minute or two. Well, after some hiccups in the plan...I came nearly 30 minutes later. When I saw him his eyes were red, and he was definitely looking sad/nervous/what the heck-ish. The minute he saw me he lit up with the biggest smile I have ever seen him give me. Relief. In those 30 minutes of waiting, he wondered if I had backed out on the whole deal. Left him high and dry. Ditched him. But, oh far from it. Marrying Steve has proven to be the best decision I have ever made. The happiest decision, and the most certain I have been about anything in my life.We have had our share of up's, down's, and challenges - but marrying my best friend will always be the greatest "up" of all time. He still makes me laugh most days, even if I have caught on to some of his annoying quirks. But the beauty of it is, I have annoying quirks too...and we both just accept them and learn to ignore. My Mom used to tell me to "pick my battles" and to just "let things go" and those two bits of advice have been the most useful in our 5 years of marriage. Luckily, Steve still makes me feel like I am the most beautiful, smart, and wonderful wife and mother around...and who wouldn't take that everyday? Thank you Steve for 5 amazing years! I love you!!

Funny Story

2010-08-04T12:14:00.003-06:00

My washer and dryer are playing tricks on me. Big time! Luckily I've been able to find the humor in all of this. Really though - a broken washer AND dryer at the same time...with two kids who go through at least 1-2 outfits a day and countless bibs. No fun! There has been a lot of hand washing and most everything hang drying. So, we have done some searching and pondering over the past week. We have sort of narrowed it down to a set of LG front-loaders or the #1 rated Kenmore. Any thoughts anyone? Let me know if you have any inside scoop on washers and dryers. :)

Sincerely,
Desperate Laundry Lady

For the Love of Teeth

2010-07-30T14:13:00.003-06:00

After all the thrilling bike rides of the past weekend (Caroline hates them, but Andrew thinks they're great!), my two lovelies started teething their first molars. Yowser!! I used to pride myself on the fact that Andrew was a good teether, but not anymore. The snotty noses, the grumpies, the lack of napping, the waking in the night, the not wanting to eat...is tiring. So tiring that when Steve brought cookies home at 10pm last night, and didn't have my favorite cookie in the mix, I started sobbing on the couch. He was shocked at my cookie reaction, but really it was just one more thing on the pile of a tiring week. I cannot be held accountable for emotional rollercoaster behavior when my twins require Tylenol or Ibuprofen in the middle of the night to make until morning. :) I don't know how all of you moms of 3, 4, 5 kids do it...I guess we forget how terrible it is, right? Kind of like childbirth perhaps.The babies have discovered their arms are now long enough to hold hands in the car while driving. It is sooo cute, and usually only happens when I'm driving alone (hmmm...perhaps their nervous with my driving). This time, Steve was driving so I was able to snap a picture on my phone. One of the VERY fun things about twins! They're starting to do the funniest things - hold hands, try to hug (which is more of a tackle), give each other kisses, play peek-a-boo with each other. So much fun! Now if they could just learn how to climb off the couch when they climb onto it - that would save my nerves a bit. ;)

As a side note, Caroline has already started the girly shoe drama. Her feet are so little that when we go buy shoes with good soles for walking they only come in size 5 and up. Well...our little one is a whopping size 3 - which is usually an infant size with terrible soles for walking...which has resulted in blisters. Any suggestions on where to find good small shoes?

Twin Attention

2010-07-21T21:09:00.003-06:00

This post is in no way meant to hurt feelings, just a simple observation and something that has become more and more interesting to me over the course of 14 months with twins. While at the store last week, I had one of many odd interactions with people over my twins. There is this thing in the twin world called twin attention...or twintention. Most of my twin books talk about it. To be honest, when reading and preparing for the birth of my twins I thought all of the twin attention talk was crap. Until I had them. Some of the things people say and do simply because they are twins is so hilarious, and strange to me. For me...someone who doesn't know how to handle strange comments well...it's been great practice. So, I now present to you a list of twin no-no's when you are a complete stranger to said twins:

1) Just because they are twins does not mean you can touch them or hug them.
2) If one twin is crying, as good-hearted as you may be...I really don't want you petting their hair or putting their binky in their mouth for me. You are a stranger, remember?
3) Boy/girl twins are NOT identical...for what obvious reasons. Enough said.
4) If I don't ask how you got pregnant with your kids, don't ask me how I got pregnant with mine.
5) Never ask a mother of 14 month old twins when she is going to get pregnant again. That is not even close to the top of her list of "things to do."
6) Just because I have twins doesn't mean I want to talk to you for 1 hour at Costco about every aspect of twins. It's hard enough entertaining them in a grocery cart for 30 minutes while moving about the store.
7) Don't tell me it's only going to get worse as they grow up. I don't need that kind of...encouragement?
8) Do you really need to know if I breastfed and for how long? Awkward.
9) I usually don't need your help putting my kids in the car. You are a stranger.
10) You can stare...but please not for 15 minutes straight - I'm already uncomfortable enough trying to handle my groceries and my twins. :)

Usually I really dislike going to public places without Steve while I have the twins. I tend to get FAR more comments and criticism when I do. For some reason Steve is apparently intimidating to them. Perhaps it's the 6'4" height, and the Papa Steve attitude. Andrew and Caroline are getting to be so much easier lately - not just at home, but to take places...so I've been venturing more and more to places I never would have thought to take them just a few months ago. With that comes a great deal more interacting with strangers. As I was folding laundry tonight, I started creating the above list in my head and realized just how many there really are. This is seriously only about 1/3 of what I could tell you about. Oh the life with twins...and as a new Mom. It's really testing my ability to deal with strange people in strange situations.

A Moment

2010-07-13T13:36:00.005-06:00

...Ahhh. Finally a moment to be sitting in front of a computer and write on the blog. For some reason our July has felt like an insane December. You know, when you're running around from party to store, to family function, to holiday? That's how our July has felt so far. And it's not even halfway over. Is that possible? Apparently it is.
The combination of Caroline learning to walk last week (Tuesday to be exact), Andrew becoming a little more quick, and both of them learning a new form of "independence" has really tired me for some reason. By the end of the day my house looks very similar to a tornado or an earthquake-stricken area. I'm sure most mom's say that...but mine really does. For example, the current "fav" location in my house is the Lazy Susan cupboard full of tupperware, mixing bowls, and lids. Oh what joy can be had with these items. It's crazy. At the end of each night, I gather all that they have strewn about the house, wash them in the dishwasher, and put them back. All a very tiring process indeed. Now I know why they sleep 12-13 hours a night. It must be exhausting having such fun!

Andrew has learned to say "thanks," which sounds more like "dinks." But, he does say it at the appropriate times and places. Good to know they're soaking up something I try to teach each day. Steve taught him how to throw his mini soccer ball at the wall so it would bounce back at him. Steve's logic was that he could play "ball" by himself when Mom or Dad is busy with Caroline. Great idea! He does it for at least an hour each day. Such a funny kid.

Caroline is a great walker after only a week! No joke! It's just like crawling - I think she secretly knew how to do it, she just wanted to trick us into thinking she wasn't that advanced. :) But really, there have been far less head bangings and falls than with Andrew. She is a lady afterall...must keep her face lovely and bruise-free. She is loving that she can push the toy lawn mower now that she can walk, and pull the cruise ship toy behind her - all perks of walking. What can I say, we like to bribe at our house. ;)

We have definitely been taking advantage of the warm weather the last few weeks. A lot of stroller rides and bike rides have filled a lot of our time. Hmmm...see how this coincides with walking? Maybe subconsciously it's to get them to sit in one spot. Anyway, we decided to buy a little bike trailer for them (or us really) a few weeks ago. They seem to like it a lot...and Steve and I think they look ridiculously cute in their helmets. Right?!

The Dream Day

2010-06-27T21:37:00.006-06:00

You know those days when your kids sleep in a bit, they wake up happy, play nicely, nap well, and play nicely again? Well, I had one of those days yesterday. They are few and far between these days because Andrew has decided it is his sole job to make Caroline cry. I didn't take pictures of the cute/funny things that happened throughout the day, but there were many. Caroline trying to walk, Caroline trying to hug Andrew while he was eating his bottle and watching Baby Einstein, Andrew giving Caroline kisses (or "nices" as we call them), and so on.

The day was lovely because it was just a normal day at the Nielsen home. No errands to run, laundry done, nothing that had to be done really...just a chill day at home. We have been really busy lately with a bunch of things, as well as a funeral last weekend for Steve's Grandpa Nielsen. Steve was sad he didn't get to see his Grandpa one more time before his passing, but the funeral was really nice. It's sad we get so busy in life that it takes a funeral to see relatives. Yeah? But, luckily yesterday was a day I was able to just stay home and let my kids play with their toys. They loved it.

Anywho...Andrew is walking like a champ - I even taught him how to "kick" last night (which is really just walking into a ball). He thought it was hilarious, and laughed everytime. Caroline is up to 13 steps, and can stand on her own in the middle of the floor. Andrew's new favorite phrases are "this?" "that?" and "what's that?" all cues to then tell him what a specific object is. It's really cute actually, but sort of gets 'noying after a whole day of it.

I must say, I am absolutely loving this stage with twins. Don't get me wrong, I always love my kids...but with each new skill they learn it just gets easier and easier. I am loving it! And their personalities are coming through, which makes for a lot of fun.

And then...

2010-06-15T20:19:00.005-06:00

I realize I haven't blogged since my sad story...and I know you all want to know what happened from there. Well, just when you think it can't get any bit more sad - it did. After that fateful post, Andrew got diarrhea and a high fever the following Monday. That of course led to a horrible diaper rash - HORRIBLE. His bottom was on fire! And he still has the sad scars to prove it. Poor thing.

But...between the previous flu illness, and his major rash, we got to take the kids to the pool for the first time.

Surprisingly they both LOVED the pool!! I knew Andrew would think it was great because he loves his daily bath, but I wasn't too sure about Caroline. She tends to be a little bit against bath time and water. She loved the pool though!! They both threw major fits when we took them out. I can see we will be hitting up the pool a lot this summer!

A Sad Story

2010-06-04T20:54:00.006-06:00

The sad story all started last Thursday (as in a week and one day ago). Caroline woke up with a horrible fever. She was sweating pretty badly, and so I decided I would take her temperature. Sure enough 103.2. Awesome. She ate breakfast like a champ, so I figured it was just a fluke. But then the barf-fest began. Oh, did it EVER begin. In two hours she went through 10 shirts, and I went through 8 shirts and 3 pairs of pants. Finally by the tenth shirt, I realized that the shirts were coming off and a bowl was needed.This is pretty much what we did that whole day - with Andrew standing next to the couch in frustration that he wasn't getting attention. I thought about shipping him out to a sister, but then realized I would be subjecting them to this nasty illness. Around lunch time Caroline was really lethargic. I would sit her up and she would close her eyes and fall over. I took her temperature again and it was 104.5. I called the doctor, and he recommended drugging her up on Children's Tylenol and Ibuprofen every three hours. At this point I called Steve and told him he had to come home. There was basically no choice. I never do this, so that's how sick she really was. Two more days of this went on, and then we saw the light on Sunday. I had to speak in sacrament meeting, so I went alone and left Steve to watch the kids just in case they were still carrying the bug. My Dad did come to watch me speak, which was really nice. It felt good to have somebody there that knew me in my new ward.

Memorial Day promised to be good. We went to the cemetery where my Mom is buried, and both of the kids seemed to be normal. But, after their afternoon nap Andrew woke up sweating. Of course. We went to Steve's family BBQ hoping he would be fine. Unfortunately, right before dinner Andrew barfed everywhere. It was so bad - I felt horrible!! Luckily that was pretty much it for his sickness. Both Andrew and Caroline have been super needy, whiny, tired, fussy, and generally ticked all week. That, mixed with the constant diarrhea blow-out diapers I've been changing, it has been a long week.

To be honest, this has been one of the hardest weeks of my life. I know that sounds so trivial because there are people with a lot worse going on in their lives. But for some reason taking care of my two kids sick with the flu, trying to get the house cleaned to get rid of the germs, staying on top of blow-out laundry, and not feeling super well myself...it was rough. I'm so glad the weekend is here! And Steve is even doing my grocery shopping for me tonight. Yes, on a Friday night. Sad story.

The Party

2010-06-01T11:12:00.007-06:00

The twins 1st birthday party was so much fun! Caroline wasn't too sure about everybody being at her house (and needed me most of the time), but other than that things went great. Luckily it didn't rain like the weather reports said, so the abundance of little kids were able to eat and play outside. And there was only one accident on our play set - a sliver. Not too bad.

We decorated with a ton of balloons so that each kid could take one home - but also, Caroline and Andrew think balloons are awesome so it was a win win.

They were definitely spoiled with a ton of presents from grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. They loved every minute of it!Andrew thought it was especially great to show off his new balancing talent. He would clap and smile until everybody else would clap and smile for him. Such a funny boy! He is balancing quite well these days, and officially took his first two steps for me today (without a walker). We'll see when he takes off!

Both Andrew and Caroline were pretty unsure about the whole cake idea. Andrew hated his hands being messy, and so worried more about that than the cake-eating. And Caroline wasn't sure about anything with that whole process. She never really loves anything on the first try anyway, so we weren't surprised. But, they did successfully make a mess...so that was good! Overall, it was a really fun birthday party, and we loved celebrating with family.

The Stats

2010-05-24T20:43:00.005-06:00

Caroline and Andrew had their 1-year well visit today. Things went relatively well. They definitely have figured out what that place is all about. Caroline's stats:

Weight - 19 lbs. 6 oz. (25th percentile)
Length - 31 1/4 inches (over 100th percentile)
Head - 17.9 inches (50th percentile)

Caroline obviously has Steve's genetic magnificence. Long and lean. She grew 2 1/2 inches in 3 months, and is doing really well with her reflux. We're going to start weaning her from her myriad of medicine, and see how she does. Other than that she is wonderful. And Steve and I were thrilled to hear we were good to start her on soy milk rather than soy formula. There was some question if she didn't gain weight - so we figured out that will save us a whopping $45 a month. YAY! What shall I spend it on?

Caroline is a master crawler, can pull up to anything, climb up onto things, and can balance standing for about 30 seconds at a time. She got a walker/stroller for her birthday from Grandma Nielsen, and she LOVES the thing. Walks around the house with her baby doll all day long. Literally, that is all she did today (besides the doctor). She is eating most things these days, and is somewhat willing to give things a try now. That is serious progress from where we were just 3 months ago. She has even had some cheese and yogurt, and had no reaction. Good sign that her dairy intolerance is something she will grow out of. Yes!!
Andrew usually loves Dr. Stampfl - but not today. We noticed he had a little mark on his collar bone a few months ago, and the doctor did some checking on it today. He hated it. At first he thought it was a friendly tickle, but then realized it was more of painful poking and frowned the whole time. Is it sad I thought it was funny? Anyway, the doctor thinks it's a cyst that is usually benign, but has referred us to an Ear/Nose/Throat doctor to get it checked out, and possibly removed. Andrew's stats for today:

Weight - 23 lbs. 3 oz. (50th percentile)
Length - 31 1/2 inches (100th percentile)
Head - 18.7 inches (75th percentile)

Andrew seems to have a bit more Larson in him. But the kid pulled off the 2T pants today, so he's just as long and lean I guess. Andrew is into EVERYTHING. Luckily he's not as interested in climbing as his sister. He can stand for about 1 minute without holding onto things, but he sure wants you to praise him. Most times he does it he claps and smiles at you until you clap and smile back. Funny kid! He is doing really well at walking assisted, but still hasn't taken the leap of faith to take his first steps. He is very close though!

Andrew gets to graduate to whole milk now, which we also figured will save us about $45 a month. Yay again!! I can now understand why turning one in the twin world is such a huge deal!! The money we are going to be saving after formula is pretty exciting.The twins 1st birthday party was this past weekend! I will have to post some pictures of that (and perhaps some video if I can figure that out). We had an awesome turn-out, and Caroline and Andrew were spoiled by all of their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was so much fun!!

Yard Work Days

2010-05-21T21:16:00.007-06:00

Now that we have a yard for Steve to mow, weed, etc. Caroline and Andrew are totally enthralled by the activities. The lawn mower has become the new distraction for me to be able to get things done with my very mobile babies. Trust me people, when there is a moment of non-mobility life is good with twins. You can actually fold some clothes, make dinner, do dishes, and even just sit and do nothing. So, I have learned to look forward to these days - this week it was Thursday due to the upcoming storms and 1st birthday parties. :)They stood like this for 1 1/2 hours. For real. I don't know anything else in the world that will hold the attention span of a 1 year old for that long. Not even Baby Einstein or Disney can compete with that lawn mower and Dad combo.

Side note: This is following a banana-eating event at dinner that required some stripping. But, aren't their legs so cute!

Caroline Toni

2010-05-18T10:26:00.000-06:00

Dear Caroline,

Happy 1st birthday! You have been a joy since you came into our family at 10:26am one year ago today. One minute after Andrew, you became the second addition to my life, and the baby girl of the family. You are definitely my little angel, and Dad's princess. When I saw you for the first time, it struck me how beautiful you are. All of the nurses thought so too.We knew your name immediately, and couldn't think of a better little one to carry Grandma Larson's name - Toni. You have a tender heart, a beautiful spirit, and a love of life - just like Grandma Larson did. I have always felt as though you knew her, and brought pieces of her with you to remind us both of her love.

You were such a cuddly baby! Everybody wanted to hold you just so they could get a cuddle and a love from you. You were very alert from the day you were born - taking in every little thing in life. Never wanting to miss anything.

You get so excited to play with Andrew, Dad, and me. You are a friend to those who know and love you. You love to people watch, and take in your surroundings. You pay attention to every little detail - including the smallest things on the floor that I haven't swept. Dad calls you our "little inspector."
You love chasing balls, looking out the window, swinging on your swingset, playing with your purse, wearing bracelets, being sung to, and watching me do the dishes. You love to eat pears, cheerios, and rolls. You adore your grandma's, and love to play and cuddle with them.

Caroline, I love you more than words can say. You are my beautiful daughter, and I am lucky to have you in my life. I feel blessed everyday to be your Mom. You are such a wonderful girl. I love you! Happy birthday!

Love,
Mom

Andrew Earl

2010-05-18T10:25:00.002-06:00

Dear Andrew,

Happy 1st birthday my sweet boy!! One year ago, at 10:25am you came into this world quietly. You made no noise, but peacefully slipped into my life as my first child, my first son, and my first introduction to the worry of motherhood. After some suctioning and help, you took your first breath and cried your first cry. It was perfect, and the sweetest sound to my ears.

You have always been my little buddy. You seem to always know when I need a "love" (hugs) or a "nices" (kisses). You love books, and to sit and cuddle with whoever will read one to you. You love to make your Dad and me laugh, and you even give us a fake laugh when we're trying to get a reaction out of you. You love to explore - and you've shown that you believe nothing is impossible - even if it is climbing through a chair and table to get your ball. You are a patient boy. Always waiting so quietly and patiently while we feed Caroline at bedtime. You rarely make a peep, and seem to understand that it's not your turn yet. What a great big brother you are.
You love balls, books, stuffed animals, and music. You have learned to dance, and it is so much fun to watch you "feel" the music. You love to eat bananas, cheerios, popsicles, and pretty much anything somebody else is eating. You could probably eat all day - and we love that about you!

You love to make other people smile. Everywhere we go you're smiling at others, laughing at others, and making other people happy with your smile and baby talk.

Andrew, I love you so very much! I am proud of you every day that you have been in my life. I am proud of the way you love your sister, Caroline, your determination to learn new things, your ability to be so patient and so very loving. You light up our home, and make your family happy. Happy birthday Andrew! I love you.

Love,
Mom

Good Things Utah

2010-05-17T11:26:00.003-06:00

I had to laugh this morning when my sister called me to let me know that the twins were shown on Good Things Utah this morning, rather than on their actual birthday. So, in case you missed it, which I'm sure everybody did because 1) it's not their birthday, and 2) I was going to blog about it, and call people today so that friends and family could possibly tune-in to the show. Oh well. However, I did e-mail them this morning to see if their cuteness could be shown tomorrow (on their real birthday). We will have to see if it happens. But, I was so proud of myself getting a relatively "okay" photo of them both together. I found the only possible way was in a crib - otherwise they would both divide and conquer when I tried to pose them. Too bad they were napping, and I was showering during their television debut. Maybe tomorrow, eh?

Where is Spring?

2010-05-11T13:57:00.004-06:00

This lack of spring weather is starting to drive me crazy! One day it's warm, then the next there is wind, rain, thunderstorms, and hail. It has been hard to find good days to play on the new swingset or go for walks in the new neighborhood. But, hopefully we're getting there. Instead we're doing a lot of this......inside. Who knew that under the exersaucer could be so fun?

We have all been sick with a cold that Steve brought home from work (most likely). Hopefully we can all battle this before the 1st birthday next week. Other than the yucky illness, Mother's Day was fabulous. Filled with breakfast, cookies, yummy dinner, talking to Steve's missionary brother, and nice weather. Couldn't have been better.

Mother's Day

2010-05-04T16:05:00.005-06:00

This Mother's Day is different from all of the rest in my life. Last Mother's Day I was sitting on a couch on bed rest - big, swollen, itchy, and miserable. I was 1 week and 1 day away from having the twins. This Mother's Day I am a mom to the most amazing, beautiful, funny, smart, and wonderful kids. Andrew and Caroline are my life now, and it's hard to remember how life was without them. How life was when I wasn't a mom to two cuties. I love them to pieces!!

This Mother's Day is also different in another way - I miss my Mom deeply. I have missed my Mom every year on Mother's Day, but for some reason having my own children has made me miss her this time around even more. As I was giving my kids baths yesterday I sat next to the tub and sobbed (Andrew stared at me of course). I haven't cried that hard about my Mom since I had the babies a little over a year ago. Watching them splash and play in the water, and the joy they had made me ache for the fact that my Mom wasn't here enjoying that with me. No, she probably wouldn't have been there at bath time, and I'm sure she checks in from time to time...but having my Mom there to experience motherhood with me, laugh at my kids funny faces, and tell me how perfect they are is something I wish I had.

So to my amazing Mom:

Mom, I miss you! I love you! I hope you know that you were the most amazing Mom in the world. I know I was sent to just the right person because you knew when to be my friend and when to be my Mom. You got me. You understood all of my strange quirks, and tantrums. You knew just how to make everyone in our family feel loved, accepted, and special. I never questioned whether you were proud of me or not...you told me all the time. I hope I can be as good as you were. I pray everyday that Andrew and Caroline will learn to know and love you like Steve and I do.

I often sit and think what you would say to me about Andrew's funny faces, his jibberish talk, and his chubby cheeks. I wonder what you would say about Caroline's cheesy smile, or her happy spirit, and her zest for life. I try to think about what advice you would give me on raising twins, dealing with them at church (which seems impossible sometimes), or being able to give each of my children the attention they want and need. You were always the source for knowledge and motherhood, and I'm sad I don't have that at my fingertips. But, the other gift you gave me is an amazing sisterhood with my sisters and sisters-in-law that know the advice you gave, and have some of the answers. That gift is something I am more and more grateful for with each year you are away.

I love you Mom. Happy Mother's Day!

And to all of the other Mother's in my life (you know who you are) - Happy Mother's Day.

I know it's a bit early - but we have a crazy week and weekend ahead...so I wanted to be sure to post this while I had a minute. :)

Firsts

2010-04-27T15:22:00.009-06:00

A few of the firsts this week...First haircut. Word. He did awesome, and I LOVE how cute he looks!!First balloon...after the haircut. This has entertained them for days. DAYS!First ditching of the bow, but not the headband itself. We later found it in the Home Depot parking lot. Nice try. :)First bath together. I am happy to say that I felt totally validated in my reasoning of why I don't give them baths together. It was trouble - and that was with both Steve and I there to do it. We will wait a few more months for that to happen again - and purchase a non-skid mat for the bottom of the tub.

Also, firsts that were not captured on camera: first Easter egg hunt, first M & M (Andrew), first spaghetti, first taste of a DQ Blizzard (Andrew...and yes he's addicted - he was hyperventilating at the thing), and first swing ride on their new swing set.

And for kicks, here's this beauty...Andrew stealing Caroline's binky on a leash. And Caroline trying to find me behind the camera. Classic. I love them!

Big Brothers & Big Kids

2010-04-20T14:18:00.008-06:00

I feel like my babies are toddlers more and more everyday. 11 months old sounds so "big kid"-ish. Caroline pretty much went from awkward crawl to pulling up to things and walking around holding on to the couch in a matter of days. Andrew has become very interested in table food the last week or so, which has been a lot of fun. So far they have both taken a shot at mashed potatoes, bananas, cookies, rolls, ice cream, jello, green beans, and rice. Andrew of course loves everything.

Now if only I could get them to pace themselves a bit more instead of shoveling everything in at once, that would be good. Caroline is getting her two front teeth now too, so she's not fond of the spoon this week...bananas have been a lifesaver for me (or her).

I have realized a lot more this week that having twins is a very unique experience. I always knew it was...but sometimes when I look around at church and the grocery store, I realize how different it really is. With their new movement and personalities coming through at the same time, we have seen a real love/hate relationship with Andrew and Caroline. One minute they are chasing each other around the house and screaming with delight, and the next minute they are hitting each other, clawing the other's face, and pushing one another down. This week we had our first Andrew tantrum/I'm the big brother/toddler rage event. They were both playing peacefully by the tv stand, when Caroline decided she wanted Andrew's giraffe. She pulled it out of his hands and put it straight where all things go - the mouth. Andrew had a look of despair (much like he does in the picture above with the bananas). And with all this inner rage, he grabbed the back of Caroline's hair, pulled her head back, then forward into the tv stand...leaving carnage behind - Caroline with a swollen and bruised nose/forhead, and both in tears. The sad thing is that Andrew knew he had done something terribly wrong...either that or it scared him. Either way, Caroline was in pain most of that day. I admit to the fact that I was also in tears over the whole thing - try teaching two 11 month olds kindness, sharing, peace, love, and no hitting. It can be stressful because neither of them get any of it really. But, they are just so cute it's hard to be too upset over it.

*Just under 1 month and my babies are 1!!! I'm seriously in denial, yet so proud of all four of us for making it to the 1 year mark - which in multiples land is apparently a great accomplishment. :) Go us!

Where...

2010-04-14T13:49:00.009-06:00

is the tooth fairy when I need her? Or him for that matter? I know normally said tooth fairy takes teeth...but I need teeth. I really need some magic to take place on Andrew, who is hating life with his two front teeth coming in. He screamed for two hours last night trying to fall asleep, and then was up every other hour screaming again. Mind you, this was all with Motrin and Tylenol. Poor thing needs some fast relief. He's snotty, and gunky, and in pain. While I was rocking him to sleep last night (or trying) he just kept trying to bite my shoulder...half asleep.Unpacking and organizing is continuing to take place. However, I know if someone were to walk in my front door they would think I haven't lifted a finger - with my three laundry baskets, toys everywhere, and random papers on every surface - but we are getting somewhere. It's just a little slow with twins I guess. But the essentials are put away and we are functioning at least. Essentials including: snacks, diapers, wipes, Coke, more snacks, more Coke, internet, and cable. :)Many a trip has taken place to Home Depot, and Lowe's. Amongst these we discovered that Caroline prefers to face forward in her shopping cart. Funny because I have a "thing" with riding backwards in buses, airplanes (Southwest used to do this, do they still? Lame.), boats, and other modes of transportation. It makes me motion sick, so I can't fault her for it.The kids favorite place in the entire house is the front door. There they find the doorstop, covered up electrical outlets, tile, a heat vent, and glass windows - all essential to a great time. They played like this for an entire hour after church on Sunday. It's a good thing they are entertained. Andrew is officially our "protector"...yelling at every person he could see passing our house through the glass windows. I will never need a dog I guess.And then...just when I felt I wasn't getting stared at enough for the past few weeks with my loud twins in every store...we decided to go to dinner last night. Which I may say is a HUGE deal to me because it stresses me out to the max. When they were babies, we tried to go to dinner because nobody could babysit for us, and we had a BAD experience...so I sort of swore off restaurant eating with the twins. Yesterday was a bad day, which included not getting dinner made, so Steve wanted to go out. As we are eating, with our two kiddos quietly snacking on some fruit puffs, the hostess seats a middle-aged woman next to us. She gives me the look. You know, the "there is NO WAY I am sitting next to these two babies who are going to ruin my meal" look. She stands up and tells the hostess that she would like to be seated somewhere else. At this point my kids are watching her and smiling with delight at the chance that she might come over and interact with them. The hostess asks the lady where she wants to be seated, and the woman responds "anywhere other than by these annoying kids." Really? Really?! Two 11-month old babies who aren't making a peep. Fair enough. I understand sometimes you just don't want to deal with kids around, but to basically yell it to the public...harsh. On the bright side, dinner was great and Caroline and Andrew were perfect...giving me confidence that I can indeed take them places other than warehouse stores.

Moving

2010-04-07T15:39:00.005-06:00

...to all of those people who move every couple of years for school, work, and what not...I commend you. Moving is the pits! Especially with two kids that may or may not adjust well to said move. Oh well...moving on...To prepare for the move, we went to the new house to clean and take a few loads of stuff before the big day. Since Andrew is everywhere...and fast...we pulled out the beloved Bumbo to keep him in one spot. It worked great until he figured out he could tip it over and then crawl with it attached to his bum. Funny! But he was so slow this way that it worked great for me - I kept the Bumbo on his bum.Caroline discovered that she truly does like riding in a grocery cart (previous attempts were disastrous). She seems to find the foot rest comfortable and lovely. She cracks me up! Just kick back and relax girlfriend.However, when we stepped outside to the snow/rain/wind storm, Caroline also decided she hates the snow on her face and hair. She kept doing this every time something landed on her. Steve and I couldn't stop laughing.

We are loving our new house!! We have had minor issues - power going out one night and having to search for candles and flashlights amongst the piles of boxes, and a minor flood in the laundry room (which I completely admit was my fault). We are all getting used to the new house, but I can tell it's going to take some time for Caroline. She is a girl that likes living within her comfort zone, so I knew we would have some issues with her sleep and eating habits...but it seems we are getting back on track. Her throw-up episodes have started up again (since the move), so we're hoping she can get cozy quickly and start keeping her food down again. Poor girl. Sadly I think she takes after me...I tend to get stressed too when I'm out of my element. Hopefully in a couple of days we will be happy and healthy again. And what kid isn't happy with a fun new house with more room to cause mischief?

Hawaii 2K10

2010-03-31T15:16:00.018-06:00

We just got back from a week long trip to Maui with my siblings and their spouses (thanks Dad and Gail). It was an AMAZING week!! A lot of laughs, food, games, drives, golfing, and laying out. Oh...and whale watching - which I choose to forget about because I got motion sick on the boat. Now I know how terrible that feels! And I wasn't even bad enough to toss my cookies, however I did feel terrible for a good two days. Steve loved it though! We saw whales and dolphins, but no pictures to prove it because the camera operator was drinking gingerale down below. :) Other than that, and a fun foot infection, it was an awesome trip. Andrew and Caroline did well back at home with Steve's sister, and they act like nothing ever happened. My prayers were definitely answered on that one! It has been hard to come back to reality and no relaxation at all because we are in the process of packing and moving, but we are so grateful we were able to get away for a week. Plus we got a date night on the trip, which was greatly needed. Steve surprised me with a beautiful necklace, and we spent the rest of the time eating and shopping for the babies. We are so glad we got to go (thanks to Steve's sister for babysitting), and it was so much fun to be with my siblings and their spouses - Steve and I already have separation anxiety from them all. So, here are some pictures of our week in paradise... And a beautiful sunset on the last night to top it all off. Now can you see why it's hard to come back to cold, snowy Utah? Yeah.

10 Months

2010-03-18T07:00:00.001-06:00

This picture was taken when the babies were exactly one week old. Cute, right?

You know your babies are growing up when you start to look back on their newborn pictures and your heart aches missing those tiny toes, fingers, and faces. Andrew and Caroline are 10 months today and I can hardly believe it. For some reason 10 months is almost 1 in my mind, so it seems like they are growing up way too fast. Even though I just barely mailed in a request for their birth certificates (I am a terrible Mom, I know...but I did have twins :)), they are changing more into little toddlers everyday. Andrew is climbing all over things, acting like he owns the place. Who are we kidding, he basically does. Caroline is becoming soooo talkative and more and more mobile everyday. She's starting to scoot backwards and rock up on her hands and knees - which is amazing to me because she's still so little. They are the best thing that has happened to Steve and I. We laugh so hard at the funny things they do. From Caroline's high-pitched talking to Andrew's binky swallowing...we think they are basically awesome. They are champion sleepers, and are all-around just amazing kids! I know I'm their Mom, so I am a bit biased...but really they're great.

Steve and I have an upcoming vacation this week with my family, so we've been trying to spend a lot of time with the babies. We sort of don't want to put them to bed at night because we're too busy playing with them. I'm afraid we're both going to miss them terribly, even though they are going to be in great hands...it's still so hard to leave them. Interesting to compare that to where we were 3 1/2 years ago on this very same trip - kidless, going to school, and working. It was so easy to just pick up and leave without a care (or a clean house). But now it's almost bittersweet. They for sure won't miss us as much as we miss them, which is probably why we sneak in their bedroom at night to watch them sleep, while they...sleep. But, that's one of the reasons we love them. :)

We love you Andrew and Caroline! You are the best little things in our little worlds.

For Lisa

2010-03-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

I've really debated posting about this at all, but since this is my journal, I've decided to. Last October, Lisa, a good friend of mine passed away. When I heard the news I was shocked, and very sad. It shook me more than I thought it should - perhaps because I still envision myself and those around me as invinsible (like high school days), or perhaps because I had felt Lisa had touched my life more than I had contributed to hers and guilt set it. No matter what it was, I still think about her often and wonder what I could have done to make things different, and what I failed to tell her. The last time we had seen each other was soon after my Mom passed away, but we continued to keep in touch via blogging and facebook. She always had a kind word to share, or something to lift my spirit. She was just that kind of person!

When a member of my high school dance company contacted our 2003 alumni group to see if we would do a dance for Lisa, a rush of nerves came over me. I haven't danced for about 6 years, I just had twins, and I am seriously out of shape. But, I soon realized that I had to do it. I was too wimpy to attend her funeral because it was in the same building as my Mom's (which I hadn't been to since), and I had regretted it. So, after working for about 3 weeks, we are performing in Highland's Dance Concert in honor of Lisa. It has been an absolute challenge for me, but it has been so much fun too. I'm sure Lisa has had a good laugh and smile at our sad attempt at dancing when she was so perfect, but hopefully she loves it as much as we have loved doing it for her.

*Highland's Dance Concert is March 18, 19, & 20 @7pm. I'm in it the 18th, but the rest of the '03 alumni are in it all three nights. Wish us luck!

Joker?

2010-03-16T12:01:00.002-06:00

I am 99% sure that if my Mom were here to see this picture she would laugh hysterically at it. This sort of thing just made her chuckle. But I would like to think she is sometimes there watching these things along with me. Andrew is just such a silly kid, and cracks me up everyday. Even if he decides he's not going to nap, or continues doing whatever is a "no, no" (with a BIG grin on his face), he just makes me smile. I can tell he has Steve's sense of humor...which is great, because I'm pretty sure mine didn't develop until I was about 19. Not the point. The point is, Andrew was busted doing this with his binky (and has later been seen with the entire binky in his mouth with his lips closed together). Steve is convinced he swallowed said binky because we haven't been able to find it since. :) I continue to pull the binky out and put it in the "right way"...but he just goes back to doing this. Sometimes I think he does it because I sort of smile or laugh, so then he thinks it's awesome. Either way, it makes Andrew that much more hilarious to me.

And just to make it clear: Andrew is not always in the same pajamas. I know it may appear that way, but it only looks like that because 1) he has two pairs of the same pajamas (Steve and I both bought them in different sizes) and 2) I basically should open a laundromat, because that's the amount of laundry I do each day. :) Not complaining...just saying. I have spoken to all three laundry "creators" about the amount of "costume changes" allowed. One per day. Love, the laundry lady.

And as another side note: Caroline is doing AWESOME!! She gained 1 1/2 lbs. last week, which may not sound like a lot to some, but for her that is HUGE. All the more reason to believe she has a dairy intolerance. We're hoping to hit 20 lbs. by 1 year so she can sit forward with Andrew (only 1 1/2 lbs. to go). Otherwise, I can see trouble...and more binky stealing.

Sibling Love

2010-03-09T12:57:00.004-07:00

This happened last week while I was on the phone with Steve, and I laughed so hard I nearly wet myself. Andrew is crawling EVERYWHERE now, but usually forgets to look to the sides and behind for any possible obstacles. He loves pulling himself up to the hutch where I keep my Lladro from my Mom, and since there isn't much space to make the turn around back to the toys, he just plops right down and does a backward crawl (still gotta use those skillz), until he reaches his final chosen spot. Well, this time he backed right up to Caroline's legs and then proceeded to sit on her lap. I was watching the whole thing and started laughing uncontrollably, these are things that are just too good to dream up sometimes when dealing with twins. The greatest part about it though is that Caroline usually FLIPS out when Andrew nearly touches her, so I was sure a tantrum would follow...but no...she loved every hilarious minute of brother sitting on her lap. Aren't they just too cute sometimes?! I love it!We have started the fun process of moving. After finally getting keys and garage door openers (YAY!) we have been getting the carpet cleaned and the house ready to go. It's getting so exciting!!

The Binky Game

2010-03-03T10:15:00.004-07:00

There is a new game at the Nielsen home that started this week...and it's a doozy on my OCD-self. Since I'm sort of a germ freak (which I completely blame on having twins 4 weeks early), it drives me crazy. It goes like this...

Caroline and Andrew playing peacefully on the floor while Mom loads dishes. Caroline reaches toward Andrew's face, daggers an eye with her E.T.-like fingers, and then with one quick move rips the binky out of Andrew's mouth. Andrew, in a state of panic, then proceeds to reach toward Caroline's binky and rips hers out. Caroline throws a FIT, puts Andrew's binky in, and Andrew puts Caroline's binky in and then takes off. This is a picture of him looking very innocent, and hiding...at least he dropped and hid Caroline's binky when I busted him...

Of course Mom switches the binky's back to their rightful owner (usually pink for Caroline and blue for Andrew), and then separates the two of them a bit. But with Andrew's new mobility (crawling...FORWARD) the game begins all over again. There are multiple funny things about this whole situation, but one is that there is NOTHING I will ever be able to do to insure one of them doesn't get sick when the other one is. This has been one of my goals from the beginning, hence my children don't eat out of the same bowl (which most twin moms do). I've tried to keep their germs just that - theirs. But, it has been intersting and fun to see them interacting a bit more with one another now that they are both on the floor face-to-face.

In other news: Caroline is spitting up (or vomiting in her case) less. Probably due to soy formula. Andrew is pulling himself up to all glass surfaces and spitting/licking them (my Mom would understand my frustration with this). We closed on our new home last night - SO EXCITED. And I got a new swimsuit in the mail yesterday and remember why I hate wearing them.

Oh the Drama...

2010-02-25T15:59:00.004-07:00

So, after a couple months of Caroline being difficult to feed - she decided to pull out her big guns last week. She completely stopped eating for 2 days. No wet diapers, no sippy, no bottle, no solids, only 2-3 apple & strawberry puffs. I kept checking her temperature wondering if she was sick because Steve and I hadn't been feeling well...but nothing. I called her pediatrician by the end of the second day. He told me to go straight to Primary Children's Hospital. I, perhaps against my better judgement, decided to wait until Friday morning so that we wouldn't have a long ER wait at night. We went to the emergency room and waited a whopping 5 hours. No joke. Once we got in, they decided she was indeed dehydrated, so they did iv fluids. The poor thing was so dehydrated it took them three tries just to get a vein to work with. After much anxiety and stress they found one, and we sat...and sat...and sat. Caroline's GI called, and requested a feeding tube be put in so that we could be sent home, rather than be admitted to the hospital. They did it, and we headed home with a scheduled endoscopy for Tuesday. By Saturday night, Caroline was done with the feeding tube (sort of) and ripped it right out. I mostly think it was on accident, but Steve disagrees. She did fairly well over the weekend, still not wanting to eat tons...but would take food through a syringe.Tuesday came, and her surgery went well. Very well, actually. Everything looked perfect. Her esophagus (which they thought she probably had esophagitis), her stomach...everything was perfect. Except, her GI said she was trying to vomit the scope (while being intubated), which he said leads him to believe she has a SEVERE case of reflux - one of the worst he has seen. It's a good thing we have been strict about giving her antacids, because her esophagus would be looking terrible with the 7-8 times she's throwing up each day. Caroline did have trouble coming out of surgery...with a heart rate of 185, and high blood pressure...but once she saw me she was fine. It was the neatest thing to be able to comfort her and have her know that everything was going to be fine as soon as I was there. Once we got her to drink some fluids (after about 3 hours in recovery) we headed home. Our pediatrician and GI are now working on their next hunch that she has a milk protein allergy. We have since switched her to soy formula (which she HATED at first, but now will take), and we will see how she does for a couple of weeks. Apparently it takes 1-2 weeks to get the milk out of the digestive system. We are hoping and praying this is it, and we don't have to do more surgery to fix the reflux or more tests. Needless to say, it has been a CRAZY week at the Nielsen home...and we are just so grateful for some much needed peace and quiet. It makes me so grateful for the "boring" and uneventful times in life.

9 Months

2010-02-25T11:04:00.004-07:00

I am a little late on my 9 month post - which I desperately wanted to do - but things have been a little wild around here with doctors visits and trips to Primary Children's Hospital. So here we go...

Andrew:
20 lbs. 11 oz. (50th percentile)
31 inches (over 100th percentile)
He has his two bottom teeth, is pulling himself up to things, still crawling backwards, but desperately wants to go forward. He is now going from lying down to sitting and crawling (backwards). He has been such a sweet boy playing by himself most days while I attempt to take care of Caroline, and feed Caroline (which takes forever these days). He goes to bed at 7:00 or 7:30pm and doesn't make a peep until 8:00am. He's like Mom - likes his sleep...and his food. His favorite face is the one pictured above - tongue partially sticking out. Deep concentration or blank stare? Time will tell.
Caroline:
16 lbs. 14 oz. (50th percentile - heaven only knows how that happened)
29 inches (90th percentile)
She has her two bottom teeth, is sitting up like a champ, and is starting to pivot around on her tummy. Her favorite thing is to roll off of the carpet onto the tile and slap the tile to make noises. She thinks it's hilarious! She is a champ at giving 5's, and making the noises on her exersaucer by doing backbends and hitting it with the back of her head (random I know - but it's so comical). She could talk all day - I'm sure of it. Her favorite toy is her wood train and her purse from Christmas.

Happy 9 months to my kiddies!! They are the greatest thing that has ever happened to Steve and I. They challenge us every day, but they also make us laugh and smile constantly. We love you Andrew and Caroline!!

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

We hope you all have a very Happy Valentine's Day!! We were able to go on a little date this weekend (thanks to my sister Margaret - THANK YOU!!). We usually don't celebrate Valentine's day much, but we decided it was a good idea this year with the kids and all. We hope all of you know how much we love you on this "day of love." ;) Cheesy, but true. Happy V-day!

Park City Adventure

2010-02-09T14:59:00.004-07:00

We ventured up to Park City this weekend while our house had a few showings in the afternoon. We have been wanting to head up there to look at some spring/summer clothes for the kids and just walk around. To be honest, I was a little nervous about the suggested day-trip because the last time we went up there with the babies was in the fall and they HATED the cold, the stroller, the stores, the eating bottles in the car and restaurants. But, this time it was MUCH more manageable. They sat in restaurant high chairs like big kids and kept fairly quiet while we shoveled yogurt melts and fruit puffs in their mouths. They love those things, and we loved being able to actually DO something again.Caroline was beat after we ate, and pretty much opted to sleep the entire shopping trip. No offense, but that worked out well. She needed the sleep, and we were able to get some shopping done.Andrew LOVED every second of everything that day. He laughed in the car ride up, laughed at the restaurant, and laughed while we shopped. Apparently it was more excitement than he could handle! Steve and I had to visit the Bose store (not to buy stuff, but to try out all the cool headphones...we think they're great). While we were listening to music, Andrew clearly wanted in on the action. So, we gave him a pair of headphones and let him enjoy the funky latin music - he LOVED it! The very best part is when he decided it was time to say "Dad". Talk about LOUD! You know how it is when you have headphones on and you can't hear how loud you really are? Yeah, that was Buddyman. But can you blame him? Those things cancel noise like it's nobody's business. He had this huge grin the entire time those things were on. He actually cried when we left the store. Funny kid.

Caroline is having trouble keeping food down...again...and is not wanting to eat...at all. I sound like a broken record. So, after convincing my pediatrician this doesn't seem right to me, we are going to see a pediatric GI and then head up to Primary Children's Hospital for some tests tomorrow. And by "we" I mean me. I'll be honest, I'm a little nervous to handle Caroline with the tests they run and her feisty self, but hopefully I can handle it alone. We're just really hoping we can figure out what the problem is, and if it can be fixed or if it's one of those "she will grow out of it" kind of scenarios. We would rather be safe than sorry I guess. Wish us luck!

Valentine's Day...Early

2010-02-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

I decided to dress the kiddos up in their Valentine's Day shirts I bought for them. Since it is February now, I figured it was an approved fashion move. Plus they look too cute in them to pull out for just one day! It was quite the challenge getting them to do much of anything but push each other and then cry - it was right before naptime. Oh well, they still pull off the "cute" pretty well (I'm not biased or anything).Caroline had a TERRIBLE night starting late Monday. She was sad and whiny all night, and then when I put her down for bedtime she slept for about two hours, and then the screaming began. She literally screamed for 3 hours in the night, and would only stop if I layed her on my chest and rubbed her back. I kept telling Steve something had to be wrong because she really never wakes up in the night. Sure enough - last night at dinner I noticed two new additions - her two bottom teeth. Both of them. Hooray! At least I don't have to do that night over again for the second bottom tooth. I guess I wasn't expecting that since Andrew didn't fuss about teething at all. Such is Caroline's personality I guess...she will let you know if she's bothered. Last night we brushed her teeth (which she LOVED) and put her to sleep for a VERY restful night of 13 hours straight. Mom and Dad definitely needed that. I forgot how hard the "newborn" stage is. That's how I felt all day yesterday - foggy and tired. I'm just glad she has those cute new chompers - we love them already.Andrew is still working on the crawling. But he has now figured out how to pull himself up in his crib. That will be lowered when Steve gets home from work tonight. Our little "Buddylicious" (as we have been calling him lately...he thinks it's hysterical) has been so fun lately. I know it sounds crazy, but he is using "Dad" for Steve. He only says it when he first wakes up - Steve has always been the morning "retriever" for me - and he says it when Steve comes home from work and plays with him. He never says it during the day when it's just me and Caroline home with him. It's so darn cute! But boy does it take a lot of effort to get that word out. We laugh most times because he really has to contort his little mouth and tongue to say it. I love it! Andrew did have a couch incident on Monday however. He had done the backwards crawl to the point of no return under the couch. Steve went to pick him up and he couldn't get his legs out. Poor chunker. So, Steve had to lift the couch while I got him out. Andrew didn't notice anything wrong until I picked him up and checked his legs - which had two big indents in them. Perhaps the blood began to flow again. Good thing he's got all that fat to protect himself.

We are showing our house like CRAZY this week. We have had 5 showings in 3 days, and are expecting more this week. I'll tell ya...it's like a full-time job. You try making your house look perfect for a week with twins (or without)...I challenge you. Sheesh!! But, we're just glad we're getting so much interest. This is a good sign!

The Buddylicious is summoning me...I guess this post is done.

Picture Time

2010-02-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

I have been doing my yearly cleaning of my pictures folder on the computer, and came across this picture. I'm not sure I had even been born when this picture was taken, but it brought me to tears.

I have been thinking about my Mom a lot lately. Not so much about her death, but about her life. It's been nice, really. Perhaps it's that I have my own children now, but I have been thinking a lot about my childhood and those memories with my Mom. I think the reason this picture really hit home is because this is how I remember my Mom. She was down on the floor with us playing, teaching, explaining, encouraging, talking. She even did it with her grandchildren. How amazing is she? I know it seems so simple, but I hope I can be that same way with Andrew and Caroline. Down WITH THEM playing and interacting, rather than rushing about doing what I think is important. Because to me, as a child, my Mom was THE most important thing in my world and I always knew she loved me.

And don't you love my Mom's Lacoste shirt? I bet she never would have guessed how much those things would cost now. And little Adam matching in his shirt. Pure awesomeness.

Thank You Sears

2010-02-02T00:12:00.002-07:00

Thanks to an understanding Sears salesman, and the fact that we are selling our house and not wanting to invest in a major oven and stovetop scenario, we got a great deal on our newest (unfortunate) addition. I never realized how much I hated crockpot cooking until I did it basically every other day for two weeks now. We are back in business with our new oven, which whoever buys our house is now lucky to get. Tomorrow I'm initiating the oven - after we "smoke it out" of course - with some king crab legs (Steve's favorite) and chocolate chip cookies (my favorite). We couldn't be more excited. We are going to get as much use out of our new oven that we can before we move. Making a good situation out of a fairly lame one. Happy cooking everybody!!

My Saving Grace

2010-02-01T13:00:00.001-07:00

I know that title may seem a little extreme about an exersaucer - but I'm not kidding. I mean it. And do you see that "life is da best!" look on Caroline's face. She totally digs the exersaucer. Grandma & Grandpa Nielsen gave it to the twins for Christmas, and it has revolutionized my life. Seriously. I can put one of the kids in there, the other sitting with toys or in a Bumbo and I ACTUALLY have time to switch loads of wash, eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, make phone calls, dust, and vacuum - you name it, I suddenly have time for it. Now, I'm not saying I didn't do those things before, but it always came at the cost of one of the babies crying and screaming for attention because the other baby was doing what THEY wanted. Now, they each get their time in the exersaucer multiple times a day and LOVE it.If I had known it would change my life so drastically, I would have bought one months ago. And if I had endless funds (and more room in my house) I would own two. No joke! So, if you know of anyone that is going to have twins someday...buy them one. It is my saving grace! And Andrew & Caroline's too. :)

Also, Steve and I were doing the math last night, and during the first few months of the babies lives we fed:

8 bottles a day per child
16 bottles a day total
112 bottles a week
448 bottles a month

That is INSANE!! There was breastfeeding in there for Andrew, but for the sake of numbers we chalked those up to "bottles" a day. A lot of bottles, and feeding, and time.

One feeding = 45 minutes-ish
Both kids = 90 minutes
720 minutes a day feeding = 12 hours a day just FEEDING
No wonder I felt like all I ever did was feed babies. I did. Don't ask how mothers of triplets do it. I have NO CLUE!

Now we are down to 8 bottles a day total (56 a week, 224 a month). And it only takes about 30-45 minutes to feed both of them. Pretty crazy to think about. Twins are just insane sometimes!

P.s. Have you downloaded the Hope for Haiti CD yet? I love it.

You Missed Me

2010-01-30T11:07:00.009-07:00

...I know you missed me and wondered where I was this week. It has sort of been a crazy week full of...not much. Nonetheless, crazy. (I know my pictures are fuzzy these days - the phone has been the primary source of images lately).

Andrew has decided he is going to begin crawling - backwards. He is working on the forward motion. He is getting up on his hands and knees and rocking forward, but it is more of a faceplant into the carpet at this point than actual crawling. But, we can tell he is concentrating HARD to get going. I expect it sometime in the next week or two. His frustration with it is enough to break my heart, so to avoid further tantrums during faceplants, I am helping him figure it out. I know, why would I want my child to start crawling? Because he is so ticked at the fact that he can't, that I cannot stand another minute of it. So begins the babyproofing...sort of...which leads me to my next point...

We are officially under contract with a house in Lehi. We never really thought we would end up in Lehi, but there have been many experiences and promptings that have directed us there...so off we go. It is bigger (not hard to do with the 1,000 sq. feet we are currently in), and better, and there is a lot of fenced yard for the future. Oh, and a swing set that I - I mean the babies ;) - can't wait to use. So, I am hoping I can restrain Andrew enough in our current home to then do the major babyproofing in our new home. We can't wait! We are scheduled to close at the end of February or beginning of March. Hopefully things go well and work out! After a few trial and error attempts, we think we have figured out Caroline's eating strike. We tried increasing her dose of her current reflux medicine, which ended up not being enough. We now have her on the hard stuff (Zantac) twice a day, and her regular Prevacid once a day. She hates the minty Zantac stuff, but with that and a blessing from her Daddy she is eating like a champ. She gained a pound this week (I know, AWESOME...girls got thighs again), and she hasn't been spitting up at all. We feel like our prayers were answered. Now if we could just help her poor diaper rash from the Zantac "runs" we will be in business. It is fun to have her "air out" time though. Isn't that bum so cute?! She is a MUCH happier camper. Still no teeth for her (which I admit I love). But she is doing a lot better with sitting up since she started eating again. We are hoping that with a few more weeks of weight gain she will be a little more motivated for that kind of thrill (sitting up...ha).Andrew has also graduated to a big boy car chair this week. We bought it about two months ago because our pediatrician recommended we switch him because he was too wide and long for his infant car chair. For some reason I couldn't mentally handle him in the big boy chair, but he LOVES his new view. He can see out the windows better, and gabs away at all of the passing cars. But with the lack of removeable car chair, he now has to ride in the grocery cart seat which we discovered he HATES. It scares the pants off the poor kid. We will have to practice. I just kept telling him that someday he will love riding this way in the grocery cart. I don't think he cared...or understood.

Back to feeding and changing babies.

Dada

2010-01-21T09:34:00.006-07:00

This little dude is now saying "Dada." Don't worry, I know it doesn't really mean anything at this point, but it sure is a lot more fun waking up to "Dada" over the monitor than whining. He started saying it on Sunday, and got such excitement out of me that he said it ALL day Sunday. That was the only noise he made, but it's okay because I still think it's super cute. Andrew is also now officially weaned from being swaddled. I know that may sound like a small thing to many, but this kid had a LOVE-hate relationship with being swaddled. He fought it, but seriously needed it to sleep. But every time he would throw a tantrum over the process I kept telling myself he would either stop the tantrums or I would stop swaddling. After Christmas I just stopped it at night. It took about a week for him to figure out how to sleep with his new freedom. And surprisingly it's been GREAT! He loves it! And the best part now is that the kid who needs his precious binky to sleep, can now find his own binky if it happens to fall out in his sleep. Steve and I haven't slept this great since he started breaking free from his swaddle three months ago. And just this week I started trying him unswaddled during naptime, and he's done it like a champ. Even better unswaddled, actually! Yesterday he took 2-two hour naps and he has NEVER pulled that off for me. Such a great boy!!We have been frequenting Costco a lot lately it seems. New contact prescriptions, glasses, stocking up on baby food, diaper sizes changing, etc. We really feel bad making the babies go out and be stuck in their carseats while we grocery shop when it's their normal "play with Dad" time...but such is life. However, Steve is really great at making a scene. You wouldn't believe some of the things he does to entertain the babies and get them belly laughing, just so they enjoy Costco. Dancing, singing, yelling...pretty awesome. Everytime I tell him he's making a scene, he just tells me he doesn't care what other people think because the babies like it and that's what matters. He's pretty much the best Dad. But in 15 years they would be moritified. :)We had fun dressing the kids in their Utah Jazz jerseys yesterday for the big game last night. Last night marked the first time since 1993 that the Jazz have swept the Spurs in regular season play...so Steve tells me. So this was a big deal to Steve. The babies didn't get to stay up to watch the game, and Caroline was more interested in eating her jersey, but it was fun nonetheless. Getting pictures of the two of them together is getting hard these days. Their new favorite game is "steal the binky" and "steal the toy"...leading to tears and hurt feelings. So, anytime they are near each other it tends to turn bad quickly. But they were at least pleasant for a couple of pictures. Go Jazz!

Startin' the Year Off Right

2010-01-12T11:06:00.006-07:00

We have REALLY started 2010 right - first my choking Andrew incident, then the oven starting on fire, the heater breaking, flat tires, and now a daughter who is protesting food. Awesome!(The new "I'm biting my bottom lip" face)
(Bottom teeth not visible in this picture)
Last week I could tell that Andrew's second bottom tooth was coming in, and he was mildly miserable. What led me to believe that? Well, he wanted to eat my hand ALL DAY long. So, it dawned on me..."I'll give him a Biter Biscuit. Perfect!" The kid loves the thing. Loves it! He's sucking and chewing away at it when the doorbell rings. Off I go to find the most recent UPS delivery. When I turn around I notice my Buddyman is having a hard time breathing. I took the biscuit out of his mouth to find that half of the stick of bliss was gone. Then I realized, he's choking on half of that biscuity goodness. Off came the high chair tray and I wacked the poor kid to the point that I'm sure his life flashed before him. Out came the biscuit...and all of his lunch. Disgusting, but boy was I relieved. You see, I'm the type of person that as soon as something bad is happening, I envision the WORST. For instance in this scenario, 911...ambulance...not breathing...yada yada. You get the picture. So, I didn't mind cleaning up puddles of vomit at the time - even though I did gag the entire time. :) ...Two days later Andrew's bottom tooth broke through, and now he is a two-toothed wonder.

Then on Friday I decided to be domestic and make banana bread and some chocolate chip cookies. As I'm gathering ingredients, I turn the oven on. After about a minute I hear popping. I look around to then see a flashing light coming from the oven. Not good. I flip the oven off, but the flashing continues. Steve comes walking over to figure out what my "umm, not good...something's happening, umm" mumblings are all about. As he opens the oven a huge cloud of smoke comes bursting out. Steve calmly asks me to grab the fire extinguisher, and opens the oven again...this time it was full of huge flames devouring the whole oven. Cue the worst case scenario...evacuate the sleeping babies, grab our files, blankets, 911...ya know. Steve saved the day, put the fire out, and left us a huge fire extinguisher powder/foam stuff mess to clean up in the entire kitchen and dining room.

...It's midnight and we finally get to bed after our clean-fest 2010. The heater kicks on and dies. Sure enough, the heater is broken. Luckily, some other heater repair man taught Steve the tricks of the trade, so he was able to fix that. However, that provided for a LATE night.

Monday morning is the usual. Babies wake up, I peel myself out of bed, change diapers, and start feeding the kids. Steve had left for work (so I thought) about 30 minutes prior. So, when I heard the door opening to see Steve I was curious. "What are you doing home?"..."I have two flat tires." Sweet! New tires for everyone!This picture is so telling: this angry look is sort of the norm around our house for about a week. She has mastered the crusty. My work is done. :) But really, this little thing has reflux...has since she was born. Unfortunately it has gotten a bit out of hand for about a month. After every feeding she spits up quite a bit. Now, she gags at her bottle, and for about a week she is refusing bottles, fruits, veggies...pretty much everything. Anytime she takes a bite she grimaces like it's either nasty or it hurts. This is not normal for Caroline at all - she is a lover of food. I have pulled out all the stops too...feeding her only her favorites for a couple days. After about 2-3 bites she's done. Turns her head to the side and refuses her food. I can sing, dance, clap, whistle, give her any toy and she STILL won't eat. We have an appointment with her pediatrician on Thursday - hopefully he can help our poor little unhappy one out. He's convinced she may need a surgery to fix the problem, but I guess we'll see on that one. Wish us luck!

...and I almost forgot...

...a moment of silence for Kiddie Kandids.

The Fanny Pack

2009-12-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

Steve and I were getting ready for bed one night last week when he turns to me and says "I had a multi-colored fanny pack when I was little. It was the best." It was basically out of nowhere, but the comment itself made me drop to my knees laughing to the point of crying. First, I can totally picture gangly skinny Steve walking around with his fanny pack, skinny jeans and Jazz hat. Second, it was such a random memory to have at the time. So, I questioned further...

What color was this fanny pack? "Red, yellow, and blue with a yellow zipper." And what was the purpose of this fanny pack? "Well I took it on outings and stuffed it with licorice so I had a treat wherever I was." Classic Steve. Always planning ahead to make sure he has sustenance. "It was the coolest fanny pack..." he says in all seriousness. It's things like this that make me love Steve even more. As my Mom used to say, "he's just so endearing." Indeed.

Let's See Your TEEFIES!!

2009-12-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

A recent game at our house has been "Let's see your teefies!!" Which isn't so much a game as it is pure fun for me! Every time I say it Andrew opens his mouth and eyes as big as they go, sticks his tongue out, laughs hysterically, and then hides his face in some type of embarassment by giving me a huge hug. It's quite funny. And Caroline just smiles at the whole ordeal thinking her brother is a jokester. Well, when I did it Monday morning I noticed that my stinkin' cute toothless wonder had something in his mouth. And he wasn't so shy about the game anymore. He seemed to really want to show me his "teefies." Sure enough. A tooth. The lower right one to be exact, and it's next door neighbor coming in anyday now. How did this child just get a tooth and I had no clue? I probably just chalked it up to holiday fussies since we were running around all day every day. Now he is very grateful to me for discovering it because I've been giving him cold teethers ever since, and he seems to be a much happier camper.

I will have to post a picture of it as soon as he let's me see his "teefies" again. Currently he isn't so into playing the game.

When I called Steve to tell him at work, he paused and said "sad...our kids are growing up." It's true, there was an odd feeling of sadness that they are old enough to actually have "teefies" at all. I know someday they will be toothless wonders again - but that's at that awkward age, not the rolly-polly age. Oh well, I guess this is what life is about.

The Festivities...

2009-12-29T11:54:00.013-07:00

The Christmas festivities technically started with "Christmas in New York" on Christmas Eve Eve, which is a Nielsen family tradition of pizza, tacos, hot dogs, and the Rockettes (which Steve just looooved, let me tell you). I forgot the camera for that event, but the babies were so fussy it probably didn't matter much anyway. However, Christmas Eve was spent with the Larson side of the family. Soups, jello, breads, and desserts. Yum!!Andrew was more into being a big boy by sitting in a chair and playing with his toys than the Christmas cheer. He is such a fun boy, minus his mild breakdown Christmas Eve night. Only his Uncle Dave could calm the boy down. Sometimes you just need a good cry, ya know.Caroline spent the night like this - playing with her shoe, screaming, and talking loudly...probably in an attempt to compete with the noise 35 others put out.And we ended Christmas Eve night with Christmas pajamas - which surprisingly they LOVED! They thought it was great to unwrap those boxes and then proceed to eat their pj's. It was a lot of fun! Too bad Andrew's pj's couldn't say "Santa's BIG Helper." The horizontal stripes accentuate the curves my man - someday you (or me) will learn. :)We woke the kids up at 8am Christmas morning and headed up to the Nielsen house. We ate a yummy breakfast and opened presents up there. Andrew got a tool bag and Caroline got a purse. Neither of them knew exactly what to do with them, but they did make fun noises so they were an instant hit.They both got the cutest sweaters and hats from Grandma & Grandpa Stuker (Steve's grandparents). Andrew insisted his be worn with the ear flap over his forehead. Every time we fixed it he would move it back. Funny kid! After the gifts galore at the Nielsen's, we headed home to open our own gifts from Santa and take a nap.Christmas night was spent talking to Elder Nielsen on the phone while we all tried to entertain the exhausted babies long enough to eat some dinner. Andrew just LOVES Steve's Grandpa Stuker (who our little Andrew Earl is actually named after). It was the cutest thing, he sat and read books with him for a good 30 minutes...and for a 7-month-old to sit still that long is a miracle.

Overall, it was a very fun Christmas!! Super busy, but very fun! We can't wait for next year when the babies care a little bit more about the excitement of it all...or at least care to open their own presents. But Steve and I definitely agree that having kids during the holidays makes it a lot more fun!

Happy 2-8 Teebs!!

2009-12-29T09:24:00.001-07:00

It's Steve's 28th birthday - and for some reason that seems old to me. When Steve turned 25 I remember we both lamented over how old that was...and now it's my turn for the big 2-5 tomorrow. But today is Steve's special day - which I hope really is special. But, to start it off right, here are 28 reasons why Steve is amazing (which we all know by now, yes?):

1) He is a ridiculously good Dad.
2) He is an awesome husband.
3) He is such a hard worker, and is willing to do anything for the good of his family.
4) He says and does things that may shock others, but he basically doesn't care what anybody else thinks.
5) He always compliments my meals, even if they are less than perfect.
6) He gets up in the night with the babies so that I can sleep.
7) He has an amazing testimony.
8) He loves to serve others - he seems to be energized by it.
9) He loves my Mom and talks about her all the time, even though he only knew her for 2 1/2 years.
10) He aims high and is motivated to get there.
11) He prays about almost every family and personal decision.
12) He wants the best for me and the twins.
13) He loves his brothers and sisters and is genuinely concerned for their well-being all the time.
14) He is a great big brother.
15) He is obsessed with playing and watching sports.
16) He had a red, yellow, and blue fanny pack when he was little that he stored licorice in on his outings. (Post to follow about that recent confession)
17) He wanted kids as badly as I did.
18) He spoils Andrew and Caroline.
19) He has a bigger shoe and watch collection than I do.
20) He makes dates a priority for us.
21) He served a mission in Campinas, Brazil and talks about his missionary experiences all the time.
22) He loves the Boston Celtics because of Larry Bird.
23) He plays with the babies in ridiculous voices in the middle of Target "because they like it."
24) He fixes me breakfast every Saturday morning.
25) He works so hard at his job because he wants his clinic to be the best it can be.
26) He loves music.
27) He reads his scriptures in Portuguese.
28) He hates having a day all about him. He doesn't like the attention.I love you Steve!! I hope you have an awesome day and know how much I love you!!...and the babies too. :)

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T07:00:00.001-07:00

We hope everyone has a VERY safe and Merry Christmas!! As for us - we will see how this whole 1st Christmas thing goes - but we are just so happy to be sharing it with these two cuties.
Merry Christmas!

Being Silly

2009-12-22T11:08:00.003-07:00

When I was trying to get some cute little smiles out of this one...I looked down and found that my "where's Buddyman?" game had turned into Andrew somehow getting Caroline's pants on his head. Not kidding. I know it was with some serious luck, because he hasn't been able to reproduce this action since. But I thought it was too good not to share the look on his face when I busted him. He thought he was being so funny!Appropriate that he had his "Silly Monkey" shirt on yesterday. This kid cracks me up!!

What Happened?

2009-12-19T08:30:00.001-07:00

How did these little ones become...

these bigger ones?

It is just madness that these two turned 7 months old yesterday!! I am so proud of them, and just can't get over how amazing they are. We have come a long way with Buddyman quadrupling his birth weight, and Pringo tripling hers. Wow! Nice going!! We are spending their first day of being 7 months meeting Santa and sitting on his knee. We will see how that goes! ;) We love you Andrew and Caroline!!

I just love these two...

2009-12-16T16:02:00.004-07:00

Nothing is more sweet than seeing this after a rough morning with skipping naps and unbearable fussiness. Yesterday was just sort of one of those days that every Mom hopes they don't have to deal with too often. Now I can't even imagine what it will be like when these two are walking around and can talk - I have no doubts I will see my fair share of rough days. After the morning that we had I decided to lay the kiddos on the bed while I took a quick shower. When I came out Caroline was cuddling up to Andrew and they were content as could be (or as exhausted as could be). I just love these two so much!! They make me laugh so hard everyday, and I just can't get enough of kissing those perfect cheeks.

As I was reading the obituaries last night - call me morbid, but it's been a habit since my Mom passed away, and you read some interesting stories of peoples lives - there was a little girl who had passed away that was about 5 months old. It really hit close to home since I can imagine how old that really is looking at my own kids. I became so much more grateful for my babies - that we have them, that I get to be their Mom, and that they have been happy and healthy. We are so blessed!! I feel bad that I don't see that more often, and that it takes a sad obituary for me to realize it - but hopefully I can be better at that. I am blessed to be Andrew's and Caroline's Mom, and I hope I can live my life showing them that like my Mom showed it to me and my siblings.

Oh, Kiddie Kandids..

2009-12-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

...how we don't love thee.

Doesn't Caroline's face speak volumes! I felt the same way by the end of the experience. The only person that left that place NOT in tears was Steve. He is a strong man.

I knew it was sort of going to go badly when Caroline didn't take her afternoon nap, and our appointment was at 4:45pm. But she slept on the way there, and during check-in, so I figured maybe we were good to go. But no. That no nap factor combined with the crazy pregnant girl taking our pictures, made for a sad situation.

Caroline is not about strangers. She hates them. Buddyman was good to go (because he's everybody's buddy, as mentioned previously). So we took his solo pictures first to get Caroline warmed up to photographer lady. Once we put Caroline down on the dreaded background, photographer lady thought it was her job to get up in Pringo's "grillz". Not a good idea, seeing as she hates strangers. So she screamed her poor little lungs out. This continued for about 30 minutes. Finally we just told poor photographer lady to back-off and we would do the entertaining because she was scaring the bejeebies out of our little girly. Well, we finally got some goodies that worked for us and wanted to ditch out fast.

Well, when you get to check-out, it's like jumping through hoops. First, I'm 99% sure it's their job to con you into spending obscene amounts. So, our final total was nearly double what our sales lady told us the original cost would be. By then we were three poopies, and one spit-up into the whole mess...and both babies were in tears. So I pay the total to get the good heavens out of there. Not so fast - more sales pitches, yada yada...another diaper change. By the time we walked out of Kiddie Kandids I'm sure we were a sight to behold. Both kids were crying, and I had lost it too in a mess of tears - mostly feeling bad I made my kids endure such a bad experience when December should be about lights and love. Oh well, this is what parents do, right? They will thank me for the choice photos we captured.

Brought to you by: The Letter B

2009-12-10T10:49:00.006-07:00

B is for BUDDYMAN

So as to include Andrew in the Sesame Street themed antics - here is the tale of his awesome nickname. Andrew's nickname really came about more through the evolution of various names. No great big story or anything of the sort, although he would love that I used the Sesame Street idea because he LOVES that show (I know, we're not supposed to let our children watch television, but mine do - Sesame Street and Baby Einstein DVD's, and when I'm really in a bind Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). After that tangent...(oh and anytime I have Oprah on Buddyman smiles longingly at her...pretty hilarious if you see him do it).

Andrew was born a mellow baby, which came as a surprise to me because he kicked my butt when I was pregnant with him. Pringo was relaxed and rarely moved, to the point that it worried me a lot. But Buddyman was constantly moving, kicking, turning, flipping, punching...you get the idea. He was head down the ENTIRE pregnancy until week 30 - nice Buddyman. I still claim he owes me for that c-section.

We noticed right away that Buddyman loved to cuddle, especially with me. We also noticed that he looked freakishly like his Dad. Seriously, Steve's Mom showed me a picture of Steve at birth, and when we compared them side-by-side I teared up that they looked exactly alike. I could barely tell which baby was which (except for the 1981 picture quality). So it began by calling him Little Man. It was fitting because he looked like one. That evolved into Mr. Man, and then into Mister. Then, when Andrew started to smile, we noticed he smiled at EVERYONE. Seriously, he was everybody's friend, and just loved you right back if you were loving on him. And his favorite is to give "nices" - which in our home is kisses. For him they are more of an open-mouthed head bonk, but he loves it nonetheless. So, once we noticed how he was everybody's buddy, his name became Mr. Buddyman. Since, we have dropped the Mister, and he is simply Buddyman.

We feel the Buddyman name fits him well. For some reason it is perfect for my little man in all of his chubby glory. Even though he has his run-ins with yelling at his toys in anger, he is still our Buddyman. And oh how we love him!This is one of the lovely pictures from our recent visit to Kiddie Kandids - which is another whole blog post on its own. Get excited for that one, because as my sister, Andrea, put it - "Kiddie Kandids is like a rite of passage for parents." I couldn't agree more.

Brought to you by: The Letter P

2009-12-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

P is for PRINGO

Caroline was definitely born feisty. Sound familiar sistas? Apparently I was born feisty as well, and some of my siblings would comment on how similar Caroline and I are when I was a crying (or screaming) baby. But, with this baby also came an unexpected turn of events. I planned on breastfeeding both babies from the beginning. I was realistic about how that might go with twins, so I was mostly prepared for anything to come my way. This isn't a post about pro- or anti-breastfeeding...just the story of how Pringo got her awesome name.

Caroline wouldn't breastfeed from the beginning. She wanted nothing of it. Nothing. So, the hospital suggested I put her on Enfamil's fancy premium formula as well as pump. We did that basically from day 3 in the hospital - however I continued pumping and feeding her bottles. I didn't feel the pressure to breastfeed her really, and despite all of the "how can you breastfeed one of them and not the other?" comments I stuck to what was best for Caroline. She needed food - you can't starve the girl into breastfeeding!

After about two weeks of being home (using formula and breast milk) I noticed that Caroline wasn't looking healthy, and chunking up like Andrew was. She had dark circles under her eyes, and she was beginning to look a little like a cancer patient to me. Eyes sunken, pale skin, dark circles, no chub whatsoever. So, we made a visit to the pediatrician. He gave me the news that Caroline was allergic to my breast milk, and that we should put her on Nutramigen (aka...liquid gold). After a few days of Nutramigen, we noticed that it was super stinky. However, we couldn't really put our finger on what it smelled like. We through a few things around - gravy, baked potatoes, rotten melons...ya know, the usuals. :) One night it dawned on Steve - he declared "it smells like a cheese Pringle chip." Very specific, and very accurate. So she became Pringle. Then, with evolution as it is, and making the name as lazy as possible, she became Pringo.We love our little baby Pringo - quirks and all. The best part is...she answers to Pringo more than to Caroline. Whoops. We'll need to work on that a bit.

100

2009-12-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's official - I've hit 100 readers...and apparently blogspot isn't down with that. Once you hit 100 readers you don't get to be private. Fine then. We will see how this goes for a few weeks. The #1 most important thing for me is that my babies and my family are safe on this whole blogosphere. I will do my best I guess.

Festival of Trees: Part 3

2009-12-02T14:38:00.006-07:00

This was the Larson girls third year of decorating and donating a tree to Festival of Trees. Our theme this year was "The Bells of Ireland." In honor of our Mom's amazing trip to Ireland and Scotland months before she was diagnosed with cancer, we decided to do a green tree. We included bells for Christmas, but there was another meaning to "Bells of Ireland" for us. Our Mom loved that flower, which we included on her casket for her funeral, so we also included the flower in the tree. My favorite part of our tree this year was the bouquet of Bells of Ireland we left on the table beside our tree. It was almost as though we gave our Mom a bouquet this year, by leaving it next to pictures of Ireland and a Waterford crystal vase. I loved it! It kind of happened by accident, but it was the most touching part of the tree this year for me. Like every year, I was able to feel my Mom's spirit throughout decorating day. I think she would be so proud of her daughters for using and furthering our talents, being together as sisters, and donating something to such a great cause. I loved the experience this year, and was so glad Steve was such a trooper with watching the kids so that I could do it.Go check it out sometime this week...J-4. Luckily it sold - there seemed to be less that sold this year - and I just love knowing that all of that hard work and effort goes to Primary Children's Hospital. I can't wait for next year ladies!

You Never Know...

2009-11-25T10:09:00.010-07:00

...what it's like to have a sick child, until they get a real doozy of an illness.Poor Caroline had an eventful visit to Primary Children's Emergency Room a week ago. I had been sick, recovered, then Andrew...who seemed to get over it fairly easily. No fever over about 102 - which we only knew he had because of their 6 month well-check last Monday. Then, the next night Caroline had a fever of 104 and was unresponsive. I know the word "unresponsive" can have many meanings, but seriously...it was scary. Her eyes were rolling back in her head, she was flopping over as if she were passing out...the whole nine yards. So, I made a call to the pediatrician - who happened to be on-call that night. He suggested a cool bath to bring the fever down, and a bottle. Well, in the bath there was more passing out. Not comforting. We took her temperature after the bath and it was the same, so we tried the bottle. She wouldn't take it. Then vomiting (I know...gross) and coughing ensued. I called the pediatrician again and got a "you need to take her to Primary Children's ER." Great! So we ventured up there. After many tests, pokes and x-rays we found that our little one had swine flu (actually we just found out that it was truly H1N1 yesterday when the hospital called with her results a week later:)). She got to stay up there over night with an IV while being held by mom (who was exhausted but discovered you do anything for your child - while Steve slept). When we returned home with Tamaflu and a charge to keep 30 ounces of fluids going each day, we were a little nervous when she wouldn't eat. AT ALL! Screaming and crying were the result. We visited the pediatrician again and found out that on top of her flu she also had croup. Bad combination. We started her on steroids, and within a day she was drinking pedialyte. About a day later Andrew came down with croup. Rough week to say the least. We really probably only slept 2-3 hours each night between babies crying, coughing, vomiting, and giving medicine every 3 hours. Now I seriously have a great appreciation for my Mom, and all the other moms out there that handle more than one sick child. Steve and I both feel like we have come out of the worst week of our lives, but now we have a greater appreciation for healthy kids. Those little nose colds and ear infections were NOTHING compared to swine flu and croup. We were a bit naive I guess. :) Now they are both doing very well! Caroline is inaudible when she cries still due to croup (kind of sad, yet kind of nice ;)), and Andrew is still fighting a bit of a cough...but other than that we're happy to be where we are and not where we were a week ago. Yikes! And by the way - Steve never got sick through the whole thing. A testament to working in health care for 10 years, and the amazing immune system he has.Onto the stats - Andrew shocked the pediatrician at his 6 month appointment. He is 17 pounds 12 ounces (75th percentile) and I honestly didn't catch his length but that was also in the 90th percentile. His head is 75th. The boy loves his food - what can I say. His favorite is definitely bananas - LOVES those. He gained a good 3 pounds in 6 weeks. He is rolling over all the time - it's a little tough to keep up with him because he's so fast when he does it. Yesterday he did a little army crawl to get the beloved binky, so I can imagine the major army crawl is coming very soon. And he's getting really close to sitting up on his own. SO close! I can't tell if he's getting a lot stronger, or if he just rests his upper body on his fat belly. Either way, he's making it work. Andrew has discovered the art of yelling. That's his favorite thing to do - all day. Well, when he's not eating. Caroline isn't so sure of this though. She is often found staring at him with a face of "will you please just be quiet." We agree! He is such a sweet boy, he just doesn't understand the yelling can get old. Oh well! :)Caroline weighed in at 14 pounds 6 ounces (50th percentile) and she is 99th percentile for height. Her little head came in at 50th percentile. She's apparently our long and lean one. I believe she got her Dad's genes - she will thank him someday. She eats the same amount of food as Andrew, she just doesn't gain as much weight - it's a Nielsen thing. Caroline has been rolling from her front to her back for about two months. She debuted the back to front roll the day she got sick, and we haven't seen it again. Sadly, she still seems to just be tired and has lost a little energy after the flu knocked her down. We're working on the sitting up thing. She acts like her head weighs a ton - which it probably does compared to her tiny little body. She is such a happy baby though! Amongst Andrew's yelling, she just watches him and plays with toys with a smile. I guess it's true when they say the fussiest babies turn into the happiest babies and toddlers later on. I'm a believer. She loves her Daddy! Basically anything he says is cause for a smile and a laugh. We love her little spirit in our home. What would we do without our Pringo (her current nickname, which can be explained in a later post)!We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!! Hopefully it involves a lot of this, and a lot of fun mixed in. We have a lot to be thankful for in our home this year, and we are excited to share it with Andrew and Caroline for the first time. Happy Thanksgiving!

Father & Son

2009-11-12T16:10:00.002-07:00

Steven and Andrew have always had a special bond since day one. Perhaps it's because he's a boy, but Andrew seems to be just as obsessed with his Daddy.

During the past month, Andrew gasps with excitement every time he even sees Steve. And every time he hears his voice, he smiles. It is the cutest thing! Anything Steve says is hilarious to Andrew. I could say the very same thing, and he would give me a blank stare, but if Steve says it then it's pure excitement and laughter. Those are the moments when I know exactly why I felt Steve would be a great dad.

Last night as we were feeding the babies before going to sleep, Andrew got upset. We think he's sort of figuring out that it's time to go to bed and not playtime with Daddy anymore. So, Steve left Caroline and I in the nursery and walked to our bedroom. After about 5 minutes or so I could hear somebody's voice. I opened the nursery door and heard Steve singing primary songs to Andrew. Now if you know Steve, this is some kind of miracle because he hates to sing. He thinks he's terrible. But, it was the most peaceful sound I have ever heard. A father singing to his son. The sound of his voice put both kids to sleep, and made me remember why Steve is such an amazing father. I am so lucky!

The Birth Story

2009-11-12T12:06:00.012-07:00

I know that I am lame for never posting about the actual birth story - well, parts of it anyway. But, I finally uploaded the pictures of that day, which I think I actually didn't want to see because I sort of labeled that day as a bad one...but now I'm over my issues, and here they are. And here is a bit of the story to go along...This was the first picture of Caroline, which also happens to be a moment in time that I have freeze-framed in my mind. Of all the images of that day, this one sticks out the most to me. And when I looked through our pictures, I was amazed to see there was actually a picture of this moment...because I thought it was only in my mind.

The day started out fairly early - for me at least. I woke up that morning at about 3am with terrible labor pains and contractions. I had been having them for about 2 weeks, but this was intense. Mostly in my back, and every 2-3 minutes rather than once or twice an hour. I didn't wake Steve, mostly because the man needs his sleep and had a meeting that morning at work, but also because I didn't think much of it. I just tried to sleep. But, when I couldn't sleep because I felt like I couldn't breathe I was in so much pain, I realized I might need to wake Steve early. We got up at about 6:30am, and after a little discussion we decided Steve would head into work early, take care of his responsibilities, and then probably come home. And the way he put it "try not to have the babies before 10:00am...that would be great." Like we could time it or something. Steve made me oatmeal and left. At 7:27am (yes I know the exact time, because it was a weather break on the Today show...which was also my potty break while I was on bed rest), I got up and felt pretty crummy. I could barely move at that point. When I layed back down, my water broke. Everywhere. All over the bed. I was sort of stunned by the event, because most of my sisters never have their water break and go into labor on their own. They carry those babies to the bitter end, and get induced. Apparently not me. Steve had just left, and I knew I had an issue on my hands. I called him first - he had just arrived at work and figured he had an hour of work left. I figured I could wait an hour. Until my water gushed again...and again...and I pretty much was swimming. And then the REAL labor began. I was in so much pain I felt like I could just sit on that toilet for hours and just have the babies there. This is what your "pregnant/crazy" mind tells you. :) My next best idea was to call Steve's Mom. Most people wouldn't love for their mother-in-law to drive them with their water leaking to the hospital to have a baby...but I figured it was the best thing to do. She lives close, is a safe driver, and didn't have kids she needed to dump off at a babysitters prior to picking me up. She showed up at about 8:30am. With towel and bags in hand, we were off. Only to be stopped by morning traffic heading downtown. Bad timing! And the longest drive of my life. I was contracting every 2 minutes, and could pretty much feel something coming. Not exactly the best for "drive-time conversation." We arrived at the hospital at about 9:15am. I walked in by myself, and started bawling. Why was Steve not here, helping me in the hospital. I sort of felt like a teen pregnancy. Walking in by myself, carrying my own bags, water leaking all over my pants. Kind of sad. And not what I had "envisioned" for the whole experience.

I checked in and got a room immediately. Twins. C-section. Dr. Larkin. Water broke. They monitored the heartbeats and saw Andrew was pretty crazy, which happened to be the water that broke. Caroline's water was still holding strong, and she was basically asleep. But, upon further inspection...I was dilated to a 5, and Andrew's shoulder and neck were coming. And fast. They started prepping me for the C-section, informed me that Dr. Barton would be delivering them because Dr. Larkin wasn't answering his phone. And Steve still wasn't there. I told them to wait until 10:00am - I knew he would get here.

Meanwhile, Steve was hauling his behind to the house to change his clothes (can't get his work clothes messy;)), grab the camera, and a few of his belongings at the house. He made record time to the hospital...which I still don't know how because traffic was TERRIBLE. Our 45 minute drive took him 15. Thank heaven!

Right at 10:00am, Steve walked into my room and started throwing the surgery gear on. I was of course a mess. I finally broke down sobbing - which I'm surprised I hadn't yet from the pain of it all. They wheeled us off for an emergency c-section (it was classified emergency because it was within an hour of arriving, and they had to kick two other twin c-sections out of the operating room). By the time we got in there I was dilated to a 10 and Andrew's whole shoulder was out. Yikes! Cutting it close. I do have to give myself credit for dilating to a 10 and birthing 1/4 of a baby without any drugs. I now know I will never do that again - if I have a choice.Andrew was born first, at 10:25am. 5 pounds 12 ounces and 19 1/2 inches. He didn't cry, not even a peep. I honestly didn't even know he had been born until 3 nurses started rushing over to a table. I kept asking if he had been born, and there was no answer. Nobody in the room would talk to me. Kind of scary, and shocking. All I could hear was a suction noise and some coughing. I could hear the words "lots of blood" and "we may need a doctor over here." Of course I panicked...big time!! Within a few minutes he gave us a nice big scream. He had apparently swallowed a lot of blood, and wasn't able to breathe on his own for a few minutes due to the blood blocking his airway.Caroline was born second, at 10:26am. 5 pounds 6 ounces, and 19 inches. She was the first one I saw. And she was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. I may be biased, yes, but she was gorgeous...and crying...and that made her perfect. Steve and I just couldn't believe they were here, they seemed to be healthy, and that I had been carrying 10 pounds of baby. :)The nurses handed Steve the babies, and my first reaction was...wait, no NICU?! Are we allowed to just walk out of the operating room without taking them to the NICU? All twins go to the NICU! Dr. Barton held my hand and said "no NICU." I can't even tell you how relieving that was. We had basically been planning on it, and to know we were one of the lucky ones that didn't have to suffer the pain of seeing their child in the NICU, I couldn't believe it.Steve walked right behind my recovery bed into our room holding both babies. I still remember feeling so blessed - I still do feel very blessed. We had two healthy babies, a boy and a girl, and we were on a the fast track to getting them home within the week. Our prayers were truly answered!! I can now say that it was the best day of my life, besides our wedding day. Of course there were things I really didn't plan on that day - i.e. all of it - but I loved it. I loved feeling my Mom there in the room with me. It was so tangible, there were a couple times I felt I could have talked to her. I know where she was standing, and I knew exactly what she would have said to me in those moments - probably too personal to ever share with anyone other than my own children and Steve. But Steve felt it too - something we had been praying for. And I know she had a hand in helping them arrive safe and sound.It was so nice to come home after five days in the hospital. My recovery was really hard, but it was great to be home with our babies. We had so much help the first two months - so much - but I'm still not sure how we would have survived without it.

We just love Andrew and Caroline! They are so different, but they are both a ton of fun. They change so quickly - I now know why parents buy video cameras. We are still counting our blessings every day that we have two happy and healthy babies. Still not sure what we did in life to deserve that, but we are SO grateful!

...5 months later...

2009-11-04T14:58:00.011-07:00

Wow! For the past month I have been kicking myself over the fact that I haven't found time to update our blog. First, because it's really the only journal that our family keeps, and second, because people keep asking me when we are going to update our blog. Well...it's a miracle folks, because I'm updating.As you can imagine, my little 5 pound babies have turned into 15 and 18 pound babies. Andrew has officially moved to size HUGE and is now wearing 12 month clothing (at 5 months) and Caroline is our long and lean one, but she is starting to get some good cheeks. After Andrew discovering that Caroline existed long ago...she could not have cared less...Caroline has now discovered Andrew this month. Her favorite things to do - punch, slap, eat his fingers, and smack his back. The best part is that he just lets her do it. He just watches while she takes full advantage of the opportunity. However, Andrew is such a sweet baby, he usually smiles at the abuse.It's been a little bit warmer this week, so we have been able to go on a few walks. I didn't realize how much I take going outside for granted with little ones. Being stuck inside is really hard with two babies and not a lot of room. However, we're currently working on that too - our house is on the market, and we're looking for a little more space. Hopefully we find it soon!!Halloween was a lot of fun!! I loved dressing Caroline and Andrew up - more than they liked being dressed up. But really, isn't it for the parents until they reach about 5 or 6? I think we only got one good picture of Caroline that whole night. She HATED her butterfly costume (not to be confused with a fairy costume - that's what everyone thought she was anyway). Somehow Mom thought she was being smart by buying warm costumes...thinking it would be a cold Utah Halloween. When the day arrived and it was about 60 degrees...the warmth wasn't necessary. Andrew definitely put up with his darling pumpkin costume. And he was really the perfect pumpkin - chubby and the costume was already too small. Oh well, it just made it even more charming.Currently we are working on the whole sitting up situation. Caroline is getting close, but her head is still a little bit bobblehead doll-ish. Plus she's mastered the Bumbo escape route with her skinny legs, so we don't get a lot of practice in. And Andrew - what can I say...he is just too big. He can't sit up worth beans because his head is too large and he just rests on his fat tummy...causing a spit-up incident. So...hopefully we are not in too much trouble for having kids that won't sit up. :) Our pediatrician challenged us by 6 months - but that's not happening. However, they are great at one thing for sure - EATING!! These kids our going to eat us out of house and home. They have both tried all of the cereals, fruits, and veggies and are now eating a ton. Honestly I'm not sure how they do it! I look at their meals and wonder if an adult could eat that much. But I guess that's a good thing - healthy babies! Caroline doesn't care for her veggies AT ALL (I admit that comes from me), and Andrew will eat pretty much anything, but his favorite is bananas. We are just having such a fun time with the babies!! There are definitely crazy days without naps and crazy nights without sleep...but they are so worth it! And now that they are starting to notice each other, it is getting really fun. Now if they could just learn how to be nice...:) I have so many pictures and updates to come, but we will just take it one step at a time - the first being updating at all. Right?

Life with Twins

2009-06-16T15:17:00.006-06:00

Well, as you can probably tell, life with twins is quite crazy and busy. Going from a couple without kids to having two has been a huge change needless to say. Don't get me wrong, we're absolutely loving it, but there is definitely a lack of time to do other things like...well blogging. We're starting to get the hang of things now - the babies are on a pretty consistent schedule now (some days are better than others with this, but still a schedule). Some nights we're even getting a 5 or 6 hour stretch of sleep which is AMAZING after only getting 1 or 2 for the first few weeks.Well, I've been encouraged to blog about my "labor story," but I think that will probably have to come in a few weeks perhaps. I just barely wrote about it in my journal because I was still slightly overwhelmed by the whole chain of events and the c-section. So, the umm...edited...version of that will have to come later. For now though...Steve and I are completely in love with Caroline and Andrew!! Handling twins has definitely come with a learning curve, but I like to think we're doing the best we can. We have had sooo much help - meals, watching babies while we nap, feeding babies while we do laundry, etc. We are so grateful for all the help we've been lucky enough to have. What a blessing!! And we are definitely the luckiest parents in the world to be able to raise these two little angels. We see their cute personalities come out more and more each day, and we just love it. I will definitely have to catch the "blogging world" up on all the Nielsen happenings...but I figured it was good enough just to check in to say we're alive. :) And the pictures are courtesy of my cousin Emily who came to our house and took the cutest pictures when they were just a few days old. I'm so glad we did it!! They've already changed so much since then, I already look at those first few pictures and get teary-eyed that it goes by so quickly. More to come later...

Welcome to the World

2009-05-18T22:05:00.002-06:00

Our little bundles of joy - mostly sleep right now - arrived at 10:25 and 10:26 this morning. Brother beat her by a whole minute. I will post more about it later, along with some pictures. But babies are great, no NICU time. Andrew Earl weighed in at 5 lbs. 12 oz. And Caroline Toni came in at 5 lbs. 6 oz. I'm doing pretty well, and just loving every minute of it. More to come later...:)

3 for 3

2009-05-06T11:36:00.002-06:00

We did it! We officially made it to our last goal of 34 weeks (well our doctor's last goal for us). We are feeling pretty great about it, and feeling like we can take a deep breath again. Things went well at this weeks appointment, and are still holding steady at 1cm and 80% effaced. This bed rest thing is really doing it's trick. Pretty sure the weekly threat of being hospitalized has scared me into being diligent with doing nothing.

Baby A is still breech, and baby B is transverse. So our doctor told me to mentally prepare for a c-section, and then if it doesn't happen I will be pleasantly surprised. Fair enough. I can't complain though, because I just feel sooo lucky to have gotten this far!! We are just so excited now to meet these little ones!! ...even if we don't have names for them yet.

Good News

2009-04-28T23:51:00.006-06:00

I figured I should probably update since there seems to be quite a few people calling, texting, and e-mailing wanting an update. But I guess no baby news is good news right now. Don't get me wrong, we can't wait to meet these babies, but we would love to do that in a week or two.

Our appointment Friday was a relief because I dodged hospital bed rest and was given the go ahead to spend the weekend at home on "strict" bed rest. And I was super strict too. I only went downstairs once to visit with my sister. Steve took such great care of me!! And I'm positive he is a lot more fun than hospital staff.

So we had another appointment today...again I had to come with my bags packed (it's like elimination in all of those reality shows haha). Things today seemed better, and I have started thickening rather than dilating or effacing more (I know tmi - but we were thrilled to hear that). Apparently it's from such good bed rest, but Steve and I know it's because prayers are being heard and answered. Thank you!! So I get to go until May 4th (one week) before my next appointment. That means we are most likely going to make it to our 34 week goal. Yay!! We really feel so blessed it's hard to describe.

On the PUPPP rash front - I still have it bad on my legs, but the rest is healing from the steroids they had me take. So now where I had the rash I have nice brown discolored skin. My doctor said it's scar tissue and that I will probably have that for about a year. Good thing I'm not planning on being in a bathing suit much this year - people would wonder what my problem is. So now I just take a steroid each day until I deliver so it doesn't come back with a vengance. Apparently the steroid pills are safe for the babies, so I'm glad we finally found something that works.

Well off to bed to then wake up to a whole day of nothing. It's quite nice actually. :) I better enjoy it while it lasts!

We Blame it on the Jazz

2009-04-23T07:44:00.002-06:00

We are definitely blaming our recent woes on how pathetic the Jazz are currently playing. Our babies just apparently can't wait to come out and give them a piece of their minds. ;) The last week of this crazy storybook pregnancy has been a little test of our faith I guess. About a week ago I started developing an itchy hive-like rash on my stomach that then spread to my thighs, ankles, arms, and back. Now my entire body, sparing my face, is covered in this blistery stuff. It's called PUPPP rash, and is SOOO itchy. After going to see a 65 year old dermatologist he told me I was the worst case he has seen in his 35 years of practice. Great! Not only that but it doesn't go away until delivery (and sometimes up to 6 weeks later). But this rash thing fell quickly to the bottom of our worries after my check-up yesterday afternoon.

My doctor discovered that my usual "things are great" exam wasn't exactly that anymore (a whopping 5 days after my last exam). I am now 80% effaced (out of 100), and am dilated to 1cm (out of 10). Even though I may not be dilated much right now, that can happen quickly once you are effaced too much. And going from 0-80% in 5 days is quite scary. So, they quickly gave me my first steroid shot to try and develop our babies lungs. I then get another one of those today, 24 hours later. Then on Friday I have another exam. If I am more dilated or effaced I will be hospitalized that day until I deliver (most likely via c-section since both babies are now breech). Even though it scares me to be hospitalized, Steve and I are extra worried about the health of these kiddos. After a lot of tears, feelings of fear, and priesthood blessings we are realizing that these little ones are going to come when our Heavenly Father wants them too. In addition to having this knowledge we need your prayers that we can make it a few more days until I am 34 weeks. This will greatly improve their birth weight and their lung development. We are nervous and a bit anxious about the next few days, but we also are comforted by the knowledge that things will happen the way they are supposed to. Thank you so much for your prayers, love, and phone calls. We are definitely feelin' the love! :) And we know our two babies are lucky to have so many people that love and care for them already.

Preggie Pics

2009-03-27T12:56:00.005-06:00

Here I am at 23 weeks....And now at 28 weeks. I look pretty exhausted in this picture because it was taken at 1am when we finally stopped going through baby stuff and organizing the nursery bathroom. Good times! And to think at this point each baby should gain about a 1/2 pound per week - yep, that's 1 pound a week of baby for me. Yikes! I'm pretty sure Steve is in panic mode that I will stay this way forever. :) He has recently informed me that black is my signature color however, hence the black shirts in most pictures. It adds a slimming effect, right? ;) Yeah...right.

28 Weeks

2009-03-26T12:16:00.002-06:00

...We made it to our second goal! Two down, only one more to go (34 weeks). Can we all breathe a huge sigh of relief?! Steve and I sure are. We know that we definitely don't want to have these babies right now, because there are still a lot of complications they could still have, but we are excited with every week that passes. I'm definitely "hitting the wall" (as Steve and I like to say) with work and chores though. I don't sleep at night - okay maybe 2 hours, but that's really it. So, getting up each morning to go to work is quite a challenge. Not only that, but once I get to work there is no elevator (Steve thinks I should file a lawsuit), just stairs. It takes me a good 5 minutes to conquer those puppies. So, I put my 2 weeks notice in on Monday, and was then begged to stay 3 more weeks. I'm not even sure I can go that long, but I guess that means only 11 more days of work after today. April 10th will be my last day, and it can't come fast enough for me!

In other news...Steve got a new job!! He is now a Clinic Manager at an Intermountain Health Care clinic in Highland, UT. This is a huge switch from his current job, but this is exactly what he is wanting to do, so he couldn't be more excited. I'm pretty thrilled too because this means for the first time in our marriage he will work a regular 9am-5pm job five days a week. Most people would cringe at that, but his late nights and weekends away while working were getting pretty old and cumbersome. And he's especially excited he will be home to help give the babies baths and put them to bed - really, he is super excited about it! He starts on April 6th, so that week will have lots of changes for us - no more work for me and a new job for him. We have been praying for him to find a new job, and know that this definitely did not come about with just our doing...it really shows how our Heavenly Father hears our prayers, and knows exactly what we need. We are so grateful!

I took a picture at the beginning of week 28, so I'll have to post that baby next to the last one we took at 23 weeks. I was shocked at how big I really am!! I guess we are in the prime time where the babies do nothing but gain weight (which is great), but wow. Who knew my belly could get this big?! Oh, and we're getting the nursery finished, so I will have to post pictures of that progress too. Sorry I'm being a slacker with getting my pics up.

St. Patty's Day Post

2009-03-17T11:24:00.002-06:00

This particular picture sort of doesn't have much to do with this post in general, other than it is St. Patrick's Day, and this is a picture of my Mom in Ireland about a year before she died. I thought about this picture all morning as I was getting ready for work and watching the Today Show - that was conveniently in Ireland for the parade. I love how content my Mom looks in this picture. I am so glad she had that experience of traveling through Scotland and Ireland before she found out she was sick.

It was my Mom's birthday two weeks ago, and for some reason this year's birthday was harder on me than others. I am the first to admit that my pregnancy hormones are insane (try doubling that with twins;)), but I think that being pregnant has also made me more aware than ever that I don't have my Mom here to ask questions, console me over my silly worries and fears, and talk to about "what the heck do I do when...?" kind of questions. It has hit me pretty hard. And I have almost felt that the loss of my Mom has been smacked across my conscience again (not that it ever left my mind). Even though I sometimes slip and think "why me? why my Mom? why do I have to go through pregnancy without a Mom?" I am always reminded that she has a greater job where she is. She has an eternal mission elsewhere that is bigger and better than being here. For that testimony, and knowledge, I am eternally grateful.

This past weekend my sister Margaret threw me a beautiful baby shower. It was perfect in every way. Really! I had all of my friends, neighbors, and family around to shower me and the babies with gifts in preparation for the huge change that is about to occur in our lives. I have never been more grateful than I was on that day for all of my sisters (and brothers really). My Mom was there - at the shower. I knew it from the second I sat down in the chair next to my favorite picture of my Mom. There was a different feeling in my sister's house that day, and it only could have happened there. I know it. But, with the peace that came from feeling my Mom's spirit in Margaret's home that day, also came the extreme love and gratitude I have for each of my siblings for all that they do for me in the absence of my Mom. They all helped in putting on an amazing shower, and preparing me for motherhood in a way I'm sure my Mom would have if she could be here. On that day, I could feel how proud my Mom was of Margaret, and the rest of my siblings and their spouses for their support and love for Steve and I during this exciting (and sometimes scary) time in our lives. Others have since commented to me about the spirit that was there on Saturday - but I had to be sure to write about it so that I never forget. It was amazing! Thank you guys - you will never know how much that meant to me, and to Steve.

On a completely different topic (sort of), I had my 27 week check-up a day early yesterday. We did have a growth ultrasound, and got some more pictures of the babies I will need to scan in. Boy is weighing in at 2 lbs. 6 oz., and baby girl is coming in at 2 lbs. 5 oz. They are both measuring a few days ahead in weight, which is great, and all of their little legs are measuring one week ahead (apparently in baby terms that's pretty long). Surprise, surprise! What do we expect with Steve's 36" inseam? Baby boy is head down, and baby girl is feet down. We're hoping our daughter isn't too stubborn and turns a titch so we can avoid a c-section...but we'll see. I was excited because I passed my gestational diabetes test, so I won't have to worry about that...but we discovered I am anemic. Nothing a little iron pill can't fix. No biggie. Our doctor is "confident" he will get me to 34 weeks as long as I stop working around 30 weeks. Sounds good to me! We just feel so blessed everything is continuing with few complications - we know the alternative is not good. Let's hope it stays this way!

Are You Kidding Me?!

2009-03-03T11:55:00.005-07:00

There were many moments yesterday that the phrase "Are you kidding me?!" came into play. First, I got home from work early to help Steve put together the second crib. All was going quite well, until we realized we didn't have enough lock washer deals (I think that's what they're called). Are you kidding me?! Who is in charge of simply counting out lock washers and putting enough in your crib set? Is it really that tough? However, we managed to figure it out, and ended up with a second wonderful crib all set-up (pictures will come later).

We then made our way to the E Center to watch Steve's little brother play in the state 5A basketball tournament. When we arrived I was told I absolutely couldn't bring in outside food or drink - as I'm holding my water bottle completely full and ready to go for the next two hours of sitting uncomfortably. "Could you please throw your water bottle away ma'am?" First, are you kidding me?! And second, when did I become "ma'am"? I refused, and perhaps caused a *small* scene. Now, I don't feel rules should be bent, and everyone should bow down to pregnant ladies...but when it comes to water...come on.

After that little run-in...we realized I had to climb 6 huge flights of stairs (elevators weren't working) to get to the game. Are you kidding me?! It was a joke. Even grandma was passing me up! Let's just say, Steve definitely had to practice patience with my large self walking up those steps.

Steve's little brother played a great game, but his Alta Hawks lost in the first round of the state tournament - which came as a surprise to many. Leading to the next "are you kidding me?!" moment. It was sad, and what made it even more sad was seeing Steve's little brother crying on the court as his teammates walked by not really caring much about the loss. No heart.

So, Steve and I got the idea that we would pick up some Wendy's fries and a frosty for his little brother and meet him at his car. We did so, and helped in bringing some cheer and happiness back to a shattered 18 year-old world. But, as we pull away from the parking lot we notice this...A completely FLAT tire!! Now I know what that sounds like, but that sound never comes at a good time it seems...resulting in the next "are you kidding me?!" of the day. It was harsh because it was super late at night, super windy, quite cold (leaving Steve without a jacket because I had to borrow it), and pretty depressing after such a sad basketball game and a weird day.It was a good thing we had Steve's brother there to help because I was no use at changing a tire. Can you imagine a pregnant lady doing that? I can't. Now we have to get all new tires since our first set is pretty worn-down, and we figured we didn't want to deal with more flat tires in the coming months with pregnancy and newborns. But, I do have to say...doesn't it seem that things always tend to break or need replacing at the most inconvenient times. Like when you're trying to save money for newborns and possible NICU time? I see it happening to others around us all the time - but when it happens to you it really hurts. And of course, makes you want to say "are you kidding me?!"

One Down, One to Go

2009-03-02T11:11:00.003-07:00

Yes we now have one crib up...and only one more to go. Steve and I were a great team if I do say so myself! I held the somewhat "put together" stuff (with the occasional drink/potty break), while Steve figured out all the right bolts and washers and put it together. It surprisingly went very well - only one hitch that we thought was major and turned out to be nothing. I have to admit, it was very exciting to get this puppy up. This is the bigger and more sturdy of our two cribs - so this is the one we'll be co-sleeping the twins in for as long as they can stand it. It just felt so good to know that the babies have a place to sleep all set up, and almost ready to go for their arrival. That, and I absolutely LOVE the crib we chose!! We never saw it in white until we set it up, so I was going on faith alone that it would look good, and I ended up loving it more and more. And Steve was proud because he actually picked it out - props Teebs!! I love it!! (However, I must apologize for the cell phone picture...I will have to whip out our real camera to capture all the detail in the wood...it's amazing).

Sleeping is non-existant now (for me at least). Literally. Walking is becoming VERY comedic. I look a lot like that hippo on that Disney movie (Madagascar maybe?). And Steve and I both came down with some sort of cough/cold thing this weekend - making for all of the above even more exaggerated. And we both realized this morning that we only have 9 more mandatory weeks (so our doctor says) before our babies can come into this lovely world problem-free. 34 weeks is the latest target. So, we are really trying to get a move on getting our tiny home ready for their tiny selves. So exciting!! Yet, so strange at the same time.

Up for a Good Laugh

2009-02-26T15:10:00.002-07:00

After having a minor breakdown at work because I am so unimaginably uncomfortable sitting in a crappy chair for 8 hours a day (plus my OB doesn't want me getting up much and I have to go potty pretty much every 20 minutes), my fellow worker sent me this funny little comic. I love it! I'm feelin' it - and I'm pretty sure anybody who has ever been pregnant is feelin' it too.

I had the intention of blogging and updating today, but then realized I forgot my camera connector. So, I'll have to post pictures of my ever-growing belly as soon as I recover from pregnancy brain and remember that camera cord dealie. But for now, enjoy!

Life is Good

2009-02-13T12:01:00.002-07:00

...Who ever thought I would say that about a kidney infection? Well, I just did. After a great weekend last week, followed by a wonderful week contraction-free this week...they officially have called it a kidney infection. The infection most likely started as a bladder infection and then moved to my kidneys, but it spread so quickly that I didn't have the "normal" signs and symptoms of a bladder infection that would have warned me that something was wrong. And trust me...I KNOW bladder infections all too well. That nasty kidney infection was causing pre-term labor in a nasty way, since my body was trying to get rid of any "foreign body" it could find. Too bad it tried to get rid of my "foreign babies." It is really amazing how much better I have felt since finishing my antibiotics. Not a single contraction, a lot more energy, not as much pain walking, sitting, and standing, and I am now capable of going up and down stairs at a semi-normal rate. I didn't realize just how bad I was. Now I get why Steve was so nervous when suddenly in two weeks time I seemed to have gone downhill at an incredible rate and could barely move AT ALL. But all is well and good, and I got a pass to be doctor appointment free until February 18th. And then we'll take it from there.

Babies are good. My belly is lopsided some days - which is really crazy to see. On Wednesday I had more baby on my left side, and by yesterday afternoon I had more baby on my right side. I guess that can happen with twins, but it's a little shocking when it does. And embarassingly other people can tell - that's how obvious it is. Last night I stood up and Steve said (well yelled really) "OH MY!! What is wrong with your stomach?!?!" That makes me feel nice and normal. :) Baby boy has hiccups after EVERY meal - which is taking some getting used to for me. It just sort of feels funny. Anybody else who's been pregnant agree with me on that? It's just odd. We are finally narrowing down on names for both boy and girl, but decided we're mostly not going to make it official until we get a good look at them to confirm they truly look like their given names.

I must take another picture for my 23 week mark, because I'm starting to get many comments on how huge I apparently look. While at an Alta basketball game for Steve's little brother this week, a woman stopped me on the court and said "you are so nice to come to the games for your brother when you're 8 months pregnant." How she came up with "8 months"...I don't know. I thanked her for the compliment, and decided not to correct her so she didn't feel too embarassed. I'm betting on the fact that I probably won't ever see her again. Oh, and while out at dinner earlier this week with Steve, the hostess sat us at a booth and then said "will you fit?" Yes Annie...it happened to me too. I laughed it off. Talk about uncomfortable. And I have 3 more months of that too. But, honestly I don't mind. I am just loving every day of this pregnancy as long as I can keep those babies in there longer to cook - I can't complain.

The Dreaded Bed Rest

2009-02-03T12:22:00.003-07:00

Well, I had my first glance at bed rest this past week. I enjoyed myself quite a bit the first few days - reading, playing Sudoku, watching daytime tv, eating non-stop. But then after a couple days it was no fun anymore. Quite boring actually - which surprised me because I'm such a home-body...but apparently I really enjoy going out and about more than I thought.

A week ago I was driving into work and had a bad pain in my stomach and noticed my stomach was rock hard. I thought about pulling over, but when I went to take my foot off the gas pedal my stomach and pelvis hurt even more. So, I continued driving to work figuring once I got there I could sit down and drink some water. But, once I got to work the pain got worse, and I could barely walk. Really. So I put a call into my nurse. Apparently the whole "pregnant with twins," "cramping," and "20 weeks pregnant" thing can be a little alarming to receptionists...so my call was returned quickly with a "come to the hospital immediately." So I did. And as I sat in the waiting room (alone I might add) I realized that they could potentially be hospitalizing me. I got a little nervous at that point.

So, after a long appointment monitoring heartbeats, blood pressure, and the whole works the doctor told me I wasn't dilated at all, which was good...but I was definitely having contractions. Not just the Braxton Hicks kind - the real deal. He told me that if I was even 1 cm he would hospitalize me that day. Luckily I passed the test there, but was sent home to be on bed rest for the rest of the week and see how things were by Monday. I continued having contractions all week and weekend, so I called my doctor yesterday and went in for a whole lot of tests. My blood looks great, no signs of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or toxemia (which are all the hightened risks with twins). But apparently my white blood cell count was on the high end of normal. So, I'm still in the normal range - just a tad high. So, they're hoping it's a kidney or urinary tract infection that has caused pre-term labor. I get to try antibiotics for a few days, and if the contractions stop...the bed rest will be lifted. If the antibiotics do nothing, then I'm off to bed for at least 12-14 weeks.

Don't these babies know to STAY IN THERE!?! We're hoping that the problem is an infection, and not the babies really making an attempt to come out early. We'll know in a few days. But I am really grateful that my doctor is willing to try one last resort prior to summoning me to bed rest.

Even though this isn't what Steve and I were hoping for, we have really gained a love and appreciation of our two little ones, the gift of prayer, and fasting. We feel so blessed to have gotten this far with no complications, and just hope and pray that it continues that way. So, we are keeping our fingers crossed that the antibiotics work their magic. :)

Halfway Point

2009-01-22T15:36:00.003-07:00

Apparently in the "twin world" you are supposed to get your nursery ready a lot sooner than normal. At my last appointment, Dr. Larkin told me to try to have our nursery stuff bought by the time I came into my next appointment at 19 weeks. That seemed a little soon to me. But, when I realized that we only had a week before my appointment, I started to get a little worried that perhaps my doctor was trying to tell me I would be put on bedrest so he would like me to have things done.

So the frenzy began. Phone calls to sisters about nursery furniture, e-mails about what people wish they had done differently, and what other fellow preggers are doing. I can honestly say that last week was really stressful for me. I'm not a big "decision maker" really. I like to take my sweet time (but that's something I guess I may or may not have a lot of). For instance, it took me an entire year to decide whether I wanted to keep or take back a jacket Steve had given me at my last birthday. Luckily the store took it back without question. :) So, trying to buy all of the furniture in a weeks time really stressed me out. After checking a few other places and weighing our options, my sister Andrea told me she bought her crib at Babinski's Baby, and that it was still holding up after three kids. So, off we went. Once we got there, it literally took me 6 hours to choose the cribs. The first 4 hours were narrowing it down, looking through books, discussing options, measuring to make sure we can fit two cribs in our extra bedroom, etc. Then I got sick. Big time pregnant, run to the bathroom type sick - which I haven't had for at least 4 weeks...so it took me by surprise. So, after lunch and some fresh air, we made our "quick" decision after another 2 hours. I tried to pawn the decision off on Steve, but he informed me that him picking out a crib would be like picking out my wedding dress. I didn't know that some girls dream of how their cribs will look - but apparently so. Luckily, Babinski's had a sale, and even better - they have a deal with twins where they give a huge discount if you buy two of something. So, it ended up being cheaper for us to buy two cribs and get the discount than buy one. It's those kinds of perks I really love about having twins. I guess it's because they realize I'm not going to remember the next year of my life, so I might as well enjoy something. :) But, I was proud to be able to walk into my next appointment and tell my doctor I followed his advice, and got our stuff done.So, here is another test of my courage. Steve told me I had to do this one. There you go Steve. :) Here is my official 19 week picture. Our appointment this week went well. I gained a little weight (yay for the 4 pounds - I attribute that to Cafe Rio Salads and Jamba Juice nightly). They would have liked to see a gain of 5, but hey...that's the difference between breakfast and no breakfast, so they weren't too worried. We got to have the big ultrasound as well, which was hilarious. Both were sooooo wiggly - baby boy had hiccups, and baby girl was getting kicked in the head by her brother (we actually got that one on tape, so he's busted later) - so the tech had a bit of trouble measuring what she needed to measure. Everything is normal, and the boy is measuring about a week further than the girl - which is what they want to see. And it was confirmed - again - that they both have long legs...apparently their bones are measuring two weeks longer than normal. I'm sure it will all even out in the mix, but we can't be too shocked when Steve's inseam is insanely long.

We did end up finding out that Dr. Larkin usually either puts his twin Mom's on bedrest at 19 weeks...or lets them go another two weeks. So, he wanted to make sure Steve didn't have to deal with picking out nursery furniture, or have me too upset that things weren't ready before bedrest. But the good news was that I was doing so well that they are letting me go another 4 weeks before my next appointment. My doctor said he's never let someone with twins go that long at the halfway point, but he liked what he saw...so we're good to go. I was really relieved!

(I'll post some more pictures we got from our ultrasound later. I need to scan them in...so I'll do that in the next couple days.)

The Results...

2009-01-05T13:35:00.010-07:00

I'm sure later on down the road our children won't appreciate the fact that I post pictures of their privates on our blog to announce what we're having...but hey...it's technically a grainy 2D picture. And our blog is private, so we only have those who we know looking at our kiddos privates.:) So here they are in all their glory...Baby A (which just means the one on my right side) is a BOY!! He made the ultrasound tech work for the answer...after ten minutes of his legs crossed he finally got kicked by his bunk mate and moved just the right amount for us to see.Baby B (on my left side) is a GIRL!! She was moving the entire ultrasound - flips, turns, kicks, sucking her thumb. I can tell we're going to have our hands full with her.;)The 4 feet, crossed...which I find really hilarious because that is Steve's primary sleeping position. Not only that, but we discovered that all four second toes are longer than their first...which is how Steve's feet are.The side profile of our girl - she's looking down.And my favorite - the boy being modest with his little legs crossed. That caused a headache for everyone involved, but I just thought it was so cute. We really loved seeing our little ones again!! We felt like we were able to see their personalities a little bit more, and I finally got to see what all that movement is I've been feeling. We could not ask for more - a boy and a girl. We feel really blessed!! Ever since we found out, we just can't get over how lucky we feel to be able to have one of each. We can't wait!! I honestly started crying so hard at our ultrasound - I was only mildly embarassed because I'm a pregnant lady so I have the right to cry it out sometimes. But I realized how much I had missed seeing images of our little ones. And the spirit in the room during the ultrasound was so amazing. I would never trade that moment for anything. I can't wait to meet our little ones!!

Happy Birthday Teebs!!

2008-12-29T12:22:00.014-07:00

It's this sports-loving man's birthday today!! And even though I think I'm a lot more excited about it than he is...I still love celebrating what an amazing person Steve is. I mean...how could you not just absolutely love somebody that randomly does things like this......and this......and likes to ruin people's pictures by doing this...I love Steve for so many reasons, but a really big one for me is that he makes me laugh all the time!! I'm serious about that one. And that has ended up being a really important thing for us - all that laughing. So, since he's the big 2-7 this year here are some of the things I love about Steve...and not all of them...1) He loves family. There is nothing more important to him. Be it mine or his.
2) His favorite book to read is the Book of Mormon.
3) He will do the laundry when the pile is getting high...without being asked.
4) He is an amazing cook and bakes the tastiest things.
5) He loves kids because he says he "easily relates to them."6) His lifelong dream has been to be a Dad. And he is thrilled it's finally coming true.
7) His favorite restaurant is Rodizio - and I absolutely love it too.
8) He listens to my lame stories because he tells me that what is important to me is important to him.
9) He can watch any sporting event and lay down all the facts to me about that team, or why that event is important.10) He can pick up pretty much any sport in a couple weeks. Even if that means training for a 5K in two days and beating the socks off everybody.
11) He does everything with 110% effort.
12) He brings me breakfast in bed pretty much everyday that I've been pregnant.
13) He calls his Grandma and Grandpa weekly to see how they're doing and tell them he loves them.
14) He calls me every morning to make sure I made it to work safely.
15) He is competitive, but not to the point that it's annoying.
16) He knows how to dunk a basketball - which is the first fact I learned about him.
17) He is tall and handsome.
18) He talks about my Mom all the time, and reminds me how much she loves me.
19) He makes friends easily.
20) He motivates me to be a better person.
21) He loves my sisters and brothers so much he would literally do anything for them. He has been called "slave man" because of it.
22) He knows how to bathe a baby, change a diaper and calm them down better than anybody I have ever met.
23) He plants a garden full of flowers for me yearly because he knows I love flowers.
24) He can fix random plumbing, leaking, electrical problems we have without having to call somebody.
25) He writes me random love notes and gives me random gifts throughout the year to let me know he loves me.
26) He asks me weekly what chores I have for him to do. And he does them.
27) He is my best friend, and I get to be with him forever.I love you Steve!! Happy Birthday!!

Catching Up

2008-12-29T11:02:00.010-07:00

I feel a bit like I'm playing catch-up with my blog, but things have been busy with the holidays and everything else that the blog slips to the bottom of the list. Oh well, I guess that just tends to happen. First off, Steve and I spent a few days up at Zermatt Resort in Midway again. We love that place, and it was especially pretty in the winter. We decided to take advantage of the time Steve had off right before Christmas, because that seriously never happens. Going away sounded really fun before the babies come, plus my doctor told me no traveling whatsoever after December for me. That seemed a bit early, but I guess I need to follow what he says so I can stay away from the whole bedrest scenario. There was so much snow up there, but it made the lights and everything so beautiful that we really didn't mind it.We of course stopped in at our favorite restaurant (thanks to the discovery Andrea and Alec made a couple years ago). The Snake Creek Grill did not disappoint...once again. If you haven't been there, you must. It's excellent! And even Steve leaves without being able to eat anymore, and that's somethin'.And we finally stopped off at the bakery in Midway we seem to drive by all the time. They have cakes in the window that look super yummy, so when we finally drove by when they were open we jumped on the opportunity. It did not disappoint...we seriously ate one of everything in that bakery, and it was so worth it. We loved being able to be together up there for a few days. With Steve's job, I sometimes feel like I never see him when he gets home at 9pm and I'm already out like a light. So it really was great to be with him all day for a few days. Plus, we know that those kinds of trips will be few and far between with the kiddos coming...so we are glad we got to do it.Christmas was slight madness this year. We literally only took one picture to document our last Christmas with just the two of us...and fitting that it's Steve with the shoes he's been wanting since he saw them in the Olympics this summer. He was totally shocked by the present because I really don't like playing into his shoe obsession, but his reaction was too priceless not to do it. Since we had a complete blizzard in Draper on Christmas day, and got our car stuck 6 times throughout the day, I think we were so tired by the time we got anywhere that we ended up neglecting the picture taking. But, it was a great Christmas...and really fun to get some baby presents in the mix. We finally feel like we have some things to start the crazy beginnings of shopping for babies.

And on the baby front (this is mostly for me to remember, so you don't have to read if it's a bit boring) - I can now officially feel both babies move. It used to just be one that I felt, but the past few weeks I can tell that both could potentially be mildly hyper. Telling by the stories of Steve's childhood, I'm in trouble. We heard their heartbeats two weeks ago, and both were holding steady in the 160's. It's crazy hearing two heartbeats because it's hard to tell which one is which, and it pretty much goes against everything you've heard a babies heartbeat as doing. But we love it everytime. We got a Christmas present/offer from family to go to Fetal Fotos a few weeks before our next appointment, so we think we'll do that this next week. We're excited to know, because we're wanting to get an early jump on the nursery in case I have to go on bedrest. Other than that, things are going well at the Nielsen home. Cleaning and organizing our house like crazy before we bring in the baby things...and figuring out how we're going to fit everything in. Should be interesting, but we're loving the process. Before we know it, we'll have our hands full and be looking back on the lazy days of getting ready for their arrival. At least the morning sickness is pretty much gone. That makes things a bit more manageable. :)I completely blame this picture on Steve. However, I've been hearing from lots of people that they wanted to see a picture of my growing belly...which I sort of understand, but do you all know how awkward it is to pose there solo with a belly that still has confusion over whether it's fat or pregnant? I know eventually I will be glad that I took them. So, here I am at 15 weeks and 5 days...in all my glory. It's sort of hard to tell, but there is a belly there, which seemed to come just this last week. But that's a good sign because at my last appointment I had lost 5 pounds, and according to my scale at home I've lost another 2 since then. How does that happen? I don't admit that with joy by the way - I admit that with a lot of anxiety. Apparently I have hungry children. But as long as my belly grows my OB isn't too concerned. I'm blaming it on the constant morning sickness, so now I have to try to eat like mad and start my gaining. Shouldn't be hard, right?

Well, we hope you all had a great Christmas at your homes...and that you enjoyed the snow as much as we did. ;) 'Tis the season!

Festival of Trees

2008-12-09T13:55:00.006-07:00

Last week my sisters, sisters-in-law, and I had the opportunity to decorate another tree for the Festival of Trees (sorry Mary and Marianne, for some reason I didn't get the pic with all of us in it). Our tree theme this year was "Gifts of a Mothers Love," in honor of our Mom. It was a lot of fun the second time around because it seems like we didn't worry as much about the small details because we had it down from the year before (for the most part:)). We had trouble with the top of our tree this year...which we weren't prepared for because things went so smoothly the year before. But, after some tweaking and adjusting we got things to look a lot better and feel a lot more stable. I guess that's what a slim tree does to ya, rather than the thick ones. Now we know.There are a lot of reasons why I love the Festival of Trees each year, but now it has taken on a new meaning. I love being able to take a day away from my regular life and devote my time to service. Especially during this time of year, it's easy to get wrapped up in the shopping and the stress of the holiday...but to be able to take time and put together a tree to be sold for Primary Children's Hospital is such an honor. It really puts things in perspective for me and about all that Steve and I are blessed with. When we sold the tree and raised more than double what we spent for Primary Children's, I was so thrilled. I realized how much that one tree means to so many families and friends of people who need it. Also, it's awesome to be able to take the time to be with my sisters. We don't get to take that much time each year to just be together as girls and talk about our lives, so I was really grateful for that. By the end of the day, we needed some things from Target, and while we were shopping I'm pretty sure people thought we were drunk or crazy teenagers, or both...but that's half the fun. When I get with my sisters and sisters-in-law I always leave feeling so happy and stress-free from all the laughs and venting. I definitely need that once in awhile. And most importantly, we get to do something amazing and creative in honor of our Mom. When we finished after a long day of decorating, I had a minute to stand by the tree by myself and look at my Mom's picture. Her smile and her class made the tree complete, and I knew that she was proud of what we were doing. She always loved Festival of Trees, and I think she would think it is awesome that her own daughters are now apart of it. She was amazing, and to take a day to do a tree in her honor is such an honor for me. It is definitely the best way to kick the season off right.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving!! Steve and I really love Thanksgiving because it is all about being grateful and thankful for all the many blessings we have. No need to stress over gifts, what was or was not given, what everybody else has but you may not. It is all about being positive, happy, and grateful. Or at least trying. So, 'tis the season to share what I am thankful for.

1) A Heavenly Father who loves me unconditionally. I tend to forget that I am a daughter of God, and that I am loved. When I put things in perspective like that, life seems a lot less intense - and more enjoyable.

2) Steve. He is amazing!! And he continues to amaze me! He is my best friend, a listening ear, a support, and right now...a morning chef. He is currently making me breakfast in bed EVERY morning because if not I can't make it downstairs due to getting sick after about 30 seconds of standing. He also indulges in all the random books I buy on pregnancy and parenting - he is reading all of them along with me. How many guys do that? I am convinced he is going to be the most amazing, wonderful, sensitive, loving, and fun dad!! I became the luckiest girl the day he married me!!

3) A home. Even though it is small, and going to feel even more small with our arrivals, I am thankful I have it and that we are comfortable in our house. I become more and more grateful everyday that Steve and I didn't buy a home way over our heads, and that we are in love with it. We love it! Not only because it is our first home, but because it is OURS and we worked hard and learned a lot in getting it.

4) Our two soon-to-be kiddos. When we first found out we were having two, I'll be honest...I sort of went into shock and panic. In those moments, I could not see how I would ever feel peaceful about the news. But, I am!! Completely peaceful and SO excited!! Even when everybody around us is flipping out, we have complete faith that we can do it and that we will love it! Steve and I tried long and hard to get pregnant...and now we are that much more grateful for our double blessings. We seriously can't wait!! We actually miss seeing them on ultrasound from appointment to appointment. Silly, I know. But as my sister Margaret told me, I will not stop worrying about them from the day I found out I was pregnant on. So true!! And I am loving it!

5) Our families. They are amazing. They lift us up and support us when we need it most, and they always rally around us in our time of need. Our grandparents, parents, and siblings have always been a source of love, encouragement, and laughs, and I'm not sure what we would do without them. Thank you!

6) Modern medicine. How awesome is it that I can go in and actually SEE my two babies growing on an ultrasound. Not only that, but feel complete confidence that all will be well with the three of us through this pregnancy. As my doctor said, now is the best time to have twins because technology is so advanced. Knowing that I can see a doctor, get questions answered about strange symptoms, and feel better is amazing to me.

7) A job. Even though neither of us is working where we would "love" to be working the rest of our lives (accounting and being a medical assistant are not exactly dream jobs) we are grateful we have them. As we see people all around us losing jobs and scrambling for help, we have never been more grateful for the jobs we have. And we have never been more grateful for the dreams of future jobs we still have.

8) Education. Getting our Bachelor's degrees within a year of one another is a huge blessing. I am so thankful we were able to do that!! We worked really hard - combined working 5 jobs at times to get through debt free, and still getting respectable grades. We are so grateful for the time we have spent getting an education, and the time we will continue to spend over the next few years getting a Masters degree for Steve. What a great opportunity we have had!!

9) The gospel, and the freedom we have to worship how we choose. I take this for granted a lot, and I know it. Steve is constantly reminding me how amazing it is that we are able to worship and practice our faith the way we do. Especially over the past few months, with all sorts of political madness, protests, and rally-ings, I am grateful that we are able to live the gospel everyday.

10) Food. Even though I have a love-hate relationship with food right now, I am thankful for it. There are so many people without right now, and whenever I watch the news I am reminded of how much Steve and I have. We have a fridge full of good foods, and a pantry literally to the ceiling full of all sorts of food and storage. I am grateful that we don't have to worry from day to day how we are going to eat and buy our groceries.

Steve and I are sooo blessed!! Last night we had a discussion about how blessed we truly are, and how amazing it is that our Heavenly Father has watched over us in the ways He has. How everything in our lives has fallen into place just right, that we have been able to get Steve in the right job to hopefully get him into a good masters program in a few years, that we have the opportunity to be parents soon, and that we will be surrounded by family during the time we welcome our new family members rather than off at school somewhere figuring it out on our own. I know that a lot of times it slips our minds that there is a bigger plan, but we do continue to be grateful for how things are working out. I hope you all have a GREAT Thanksgiving, and eat lots of yummy yummy turkey and such. I am just praying I don't have a run-in with pregnancy sickness, and get to enjoy my favorite meal of the year. If not, I'm sure Steve will be happy to eat my share. :) Happy Thanksgiving!!

2+2 = 4

2008-11-11T11:58:00.008-07:00

Steve and I have had some pretty big news lately, that we finally spilled to family over the past few weeks. So, to make it "blog official"...Steve and I are thrilled to be welcoming TWO bundles of joy into the Nielsen home next year. That's right, we are doubling the size of our family in a few short months. The official due date is June 17, 2009. But, since there are twins on board, my doctor and nurse have given me a "goal date" of May 27th. Their prediction is that we'll see their arrival in mid-May. We could not be more excited and happy about our news!!

We have also found out that seeing double often means double the sickness. I have had a hard time keeping food down, or wanting to eat at all lately...but we're hoping that slows down over the next few weeks. And that whole "morning sickness" phrase is officially a joke. I think I must have all day sickness. But, even though I haven't been feeling well, we are just more and more excited everyday!!

Announcing being pregnant was really fun for us! For Steve's family this is the first (and second :)) grandchildren. So, their reactions were priceless! They were so excited, and it made Steve and I even more excited if that's possible. We told my family last night, while at The Roof in downtown SLC, celebrating the life of my Mom. It was really special to have most of my siblings and spouses there (Adam and Marianne are in Chicago), to hear the news and be able to talk about Mom at the same time.

We are so so excited!! And can hardly wait to meet our little ones!!

Another Year

2008-11-10T12:25:00.007-07:00

Today is definitely a day mixed with reflection, gratitude, sadness, and longing for me, Steve, and the rest of my amazing family. Every time I write about my Mom, some of the things I want to say are still too hard, or too real. But, I also love the chance that I get to brag about the amazing Mom I had for just short of 22 years of my life.

In the months of August to November, and then the holidays that follow, the feelings that were felt two years ago are sometimes hard to face. Some things I can remember vividly, as if I were still there, and some of the things that my Mom and family experienced have slipped my mind. Maybe because they're still too fresh, or because it is too hard to remember the hardest. But, when I think back on two years ago, I think about my Mother's courage when faced with a scary diagnosis, her willingness to fight even though she was frightened, her ability to hug and kiss her children one by one hours before she passed from this life to the next. Something I am eternally grateful for. I have never witnessed something more difficult, yet beautiful in my life.

A week ago, I went to her grave to remember her life, contemplate the things she taught me, and Steve in the short time he was in her life, and talk to her. As I stood there I knew, without a doubt, that she was there with me. She heard every word I spoke, and I thought back to the last time she hugged me. So strong, so motherly, so loving. I don't think it was coincidence that my thoughts led me to that moment. I know, that even a week ago, she was hugging me.

The past few months have been a ride of fear, excitement, and complete overwhelming joy for Steve and I. All along the ride I have longed for my Mom more than I think I ever have. I have questioned why my Mom had to be taken from me, why my children won't meet their Grandma Larson in this life. However, I know that she served her family, Heavenly Father, and those around her to the point that she was needed elsewhere. Even though the sacrifice in this life is hard for me to deal with sometimes, it is still so worth it. I can't wait to hear all that she has been up to, and all the good she has done. Even better, I'll finally get that hug that I've been missing for the last two years that only a Mother can give.

Steve and I have been talking over the past few days about my Mom, and about these two years we have had without her. We were astonished at how drastically our lives have changed, how sometimes it doesn't seem like there will ever be a "normal" again because we know how much we miss Mom and all she did for our family. But, we have also looked forward to the time we will see her again, and how grateful we are for that knowledge and the increasing in our testimonies we have experienced over the past two years - making us better people.

As this day rolls around, I can't help but think about what an amazing job my Mother did raising her 7 children in the gospel...with all 7 deciding to follow what is right, some serving missions, everyone attending the temple, marrying in the temple, and establishing their own families with the gospel at the center. My Mother left a legacy that I will admire forever. Thankfully, with these children, I have 6 amazing siblings that I have been able to lean on, seek advice from, and talk to. I am eternally grateful for this blessing that has existed in the times of sadness and joy since my Mom passed away.

Mom, I am so grateful for the example you set for your family - courage, ambition, standing up for what is right, family, love, and faith. You were the glue that held our family together, and I am thankful you taught me amazing lessons on being a good mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. You lived a life that I hope I can come close to achieving. I am grateful for those little reminders that you are still near, watching over the ones you love, and caring for me in ways only you could. I love you more and more each day, and miss you more and more with each passing event. Just as Elder Ballard said in the blessing he gave you at your hospital bed...I know you left this life exactly when you were supposed to - not a minute too soon. I am thankful for all you did for me in the time that you had, and all that you continue to do in the next life.

Love You Always,
Catherine

BYU vs. UNLV

2008-10-29T10:36:00.002-06:00

Steve and I got the chance to go to the BYU vs. UNLV game on Saturday afternoon. Sadly, we didn't have our camera yet (it actually came that day), but it was such a beautiful day. High 60's, sunshine, slight breeze...the perfect day for a football game. It was a lot of fun to be back in Provo and cheering on BYU. Oddly enough, I kept thinking about my Mom the whole game and how much she would have loved it. About this time last year, we were going to our last BYU game together. It brought back such great memories of my Mom getting all riled up over the bad calls and BYU's great plays. You gotta love BYU football!

99 Balloons

2008-10-29T10:27:00.003-06:00

I got home a little early from work yesterday, and saw this video on Oprah (who I normally can't stand to watch). But, of course I bawled my eyes out for a good 10 minutes because I just thought it was a great reminder of how special and precious life is. I love things that help me remember that. Enjoy.

Happy Anniversary...Finally

2008-10-29T10:10:00.002-06:00

We finally got this lovely anniversary gift last week. Since we planned on buying one of these bad boys ever since spring, we figured we would opt out of giving anniversary gifts, and just save up for one of these bad boys. Now we finally have it! We are so excited to start trying it out! We are still currently in the process of reading all about our new toy, but we are so excited to finally have it and start taking pictures again.

The time has come...

2008-10-16T12:25:00.003-06:00

...to go private. I have gone back and forth on this decision for a few months now, and decided that it was about time to make a decision that I feel comfortable with. I have noticed in my writing that I tend to write less and less because I never know who I am going to get random comments from, and unfriendly comments from. After a few of those, that have since been deleted, I made the decision to go private. I don't love doing this, only because I love catching up with old friends through the blogosphere, and I know that sometimes the only way of doing that is clicking from blog to blog. But, I can only hope that people will still feel comfortable to shoot me an e-mail from time to time, or ask to view our blog.

So, if you would like to view our awesome blog - please let me know! Seriously, if you know Steve or me, our families, or are friends of a friend...let us know. We would love to have you visit our blogging world. E-mail me at nielsen.catherine@gmail.com with your e-mail address, or leave your e-mail address in the comments section. I'll delete e-mail addresses from the comments section as I jot them down so that your e-mail address doesn't get in the hands of someone you don't want. We hope you still come visit us - so send those e-mail addresses!

We will be going private next Friday (October 24th), so let us know by then. Thanks!

Emma Grace

2008-10-16T11:45:00.003-06:00

Even though people in my family seem to have babies faster than I can count, this is the first niece (or nephew) born since I started blogging. Steve and I love them all, but I thought it would be fun to post them as they come as a little shout out. So, to start it out right...here is Emma Grace. My brother, Jim, and his wife, Aimee, welcomed their fifth addition to their family. She came in at 9 lbs 1 ounce, and 22 inches long. They sent us some pictures, and I could not resist posting a couple. She is soooo ridiculously cute!! Don't you just love new babies? They're so sweet and cuddly. Congratulations Aimee and Jim!!