October...

Not a whole lot has been going on around here.  Getting ready for the babies and holidays has sent me into a nesting phase, so I have been busy on little projects here and there.  Although I use up lots of energy when working, it's been worth it.  

Bathroom:  Chad still has the little things to finish that I don't know how to do.  This means there were little tools scattered everywhere.  I finally condensed them all to one pile, which now covers my entire dryer's surface.  Someday, he'll find the time to finish...  Here are some pics of the almost finished project.  It is hard to take pics of such small spaces.  Mack is super excited that he can wash his own hands, now, and can watch himself in the mirror.  He is actually washing his face, legs, and arms, too.  I'll try to get better pictures later.

My bedroom: Before we moved in, the previous tenants painted the walls (hideous colors) and then heavily smoked.  We evicted them and had to move in quickly, so we threw primer all over the walls and floor boards, since we had to replace the carpet, too.  I've always worked on other projects and saved my room till last.  I just couldn't imagine not finishing it before the twins are born, so I tackled the project, even though it took me three weeks and caused lots of contractions.  A big thanks to Aubrey and Elle for helping me!

This purple was the color of the walls before the primer.

Mack helping with the project.

His finished picture of a dog.  It sort of looks like a lion to me.

This is what happens when I have to take a nap and it becomes really quiet.  Thank goodness it got cold that week, so he couldn't wear shorts!

Shaurie and Mike were here this week and helped me clean my storage, car port, and patio.  Getting ready for winter!  Also, Mike hung my shelf in my kitchen!  I bought it a year ago, but couldn't decide which color to paint it.  At first it was black, then antique white.  In the end we ended up sanding parts of it, so the black could show through.  So cute!!!  Thanks Mike and Shaurie!

My quaint kitchen.  

Mack:  He's been a super funny boy, lately.  Everyday, he refers to me a Marina (from the Fresh Beat Band on Nickelodeon).  The other day he said, "Hey Marina!  Let's pretend you are Ruby, and I am Max!"  Max and Ruby is another show he likes.  As if we weren't already pretending!  The best, though... Yesterday we were in the car on our way to Salt Lake.  He was being very serious and asked me, "Do you have a super hero in your life?"  I didn't think I heard him right, because of the way he said it.  I laughed and said, "Only you, buddy."  He then replied, "What about Spartacus?"

He also talks to the girls daily and gives them all kinds of advice.  "Hey Babies!  When you come out of mom's tummy, you are going to have to get a flu shot and be really, really brave." or "Babies, I am really tall and really, really big and I can run really fast.  And I am brave."  or he kisses my tummy and tells them he loves them.  The other day he asked how they came out of my tummy.  I explained the best I could, without giving too much info to a three year-old.  In the end, he told the babies, "When you come out, you'll have to travel down mom's pants and come out the bottom by her feet."  That's not what I told him, but it's how he imagined it, I guess.

Also, my sweet mom-in-law broke her arm last week.  She fell getting out to the car at a fabric store.  She told Mack over the phone how she broke her arm when she fell on the pavement.  Later, Mack explained to Chad how grannie's arm fell off and it was the "penguin's" fault.  Penguin- pavement.  I guess they sound the same...

The twins and I are doing well; just pretty tired and not very mobile.  Shaurie and I went to IKEA yesterday, and she pushed me around in a wheel chair.   Sort of fun, but I got a little motion sick and it was frustrating to not be able to get around the aisles very well.  Someday, I'll add pictures of my belly.  It is just tricky to get a good picture right now, since I don't get ready everyday and sometimes you can't see the belly in the picture.  Someday...

Next doctor's appointment is Nov. 3rd.  Maybe I'll add pictures then.

Boys, Girls, or Both?

And the genders are.... GIRLS.  It took me a couple of hours to get used to the idea, since all three of us were hoping for one of each, but Shaurie was super excited, which helped me gain some excitement.  Mack and Chad are still trying to accept the loss of a possible brother for Mack.  When they found out, Mack stomped his foot and exclaimed, "DANG IT!!!"  I'm sure he'll become more excited as we get closer to their births.  Every night, I ask him if there is anything he'd like to tell the babies.  His response is always, "Hey babies!  We have baby toys here."  I think he's trying to coax them out early.

The doctor said they both look really healthy and are doing well.  Here is some fun info:

• They each weigh about 12 oz., or 3/4 of a pound.
• As of now, their heads are both up, with their feet down.  Baby A kind of curves around my right side and Baby B curves around the left.  This explains the sudden urge to pee, since they are both kicking my bladder!  
• I feel Baby B's arms punching around on my left side a lot.  She really gets excited and wiggles a lot.
• Baby A is turned, so I don't feel her arms as much.  Most of the ultrasound, she had one arm up, and the other at her chest.  But, I do feel her little feet more often.
• Both of their brains and hearts look very healthy.
• Both of them measure 2 days small, thus far, which is normal and good for twins.
• My due date was changed from the 21st of Feb. to the 19th.  I highly doubt I'll make it that long.  I'm betting they are born in the last week of January, or first week in February.

We have a couple of names picked out.  One of them (probably Baby A) will be named Addie.  We haven't picked out a middle name for her, yet, but Shaurie really likes Addie Reese.  I love it, but haven't asked Chad about it, yet.  The name I love is Lydia Anne.  Chad informed me last night that he doesn't like the name so much anymore, but I am going to fight for it.  So far, all the names we've picked are family names, and Lydia didn't have an ancestor that fit it.  But, yesterday, my mom-in-law told me that there was a Lydia Weber, who was somehow related, that held a leadership title in the military during WWII!  Tough chic!  Maybe that'll bring some pride to our family of mostly girls.

I also had a regular doctor's appointment, yesterday.  I asked him about the contractions I've been having, and he said I just have to take things really easy and not stand for a long time.  Since my cervix is completely thick and in tact, there is not need to worry too much.  

Before I forget, I have to brag about my great friends!  On Thursday, Elle was here and Aubrey W. came over.  They put my room back together (and Aubrey came over the day before to help me finish painting), cleaned the bathroom, cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes, vacuumed, scrubbed the humidifier, helped with laundry, and straightened the living room.  My house has stayed pretty clean since then!  I guess, with the exception of Mack's room.  It is a huge mess, but I haven't even wanted to start on that project, since I know I need to go through his clothes and toys and dejunk.  Plus I need to rearrange his room to get ready for baby furniture.  I'll just wait until Shaurie is here to help me out (thanks, Shaur!).

Twin Update

My last check up was a couple of weeks ago.  I got another ultra sound, because I was having contractions in Washington.  This time Mack was with me and he had a great time laughing at the twins.  Since my last appointment, one of them has flipped, so they are now head-feet, head-feet.  They were both moving around pretty good, but when the one on my right would kick, it looked like it was kicking the other one in the head.  Mack thought that was so funny.  

We assumed the contractions were from a minor UTI, but I am finished with my antibiotics and am still having them when I push myself too much.  It's kind of pathetic how much I have to rest, now.  Most of the time I feel like I am just lazy and tired, but I am so happy at the same time that it's kind of an odd combination of feelings.

New info:

• My next appointment is on Tuesday, Oct. 6th, where we will find out the genders.
• I will get an ultra sound every month from here on out (even though I have been lucky enough to experience that so far).
• Chad felt one kick his hand, again, while I was sleeping last night.  I guess it was pretty strong.
• I am really tired a lot.  Yesterday I took a 3 1/2 hour nap, still went to bed at a decent time (for the week end, anyway) and slept in this morning.  Mack wasn't here, so I was able to do that...
• Mack insists now, that we are having a boy and a girl.  A brother and a sister.  
• My heartbeat is SO strong that I can hear my pulse rubbing against the sheets when I am laying down and it makes my teeth tap together in rhythm with my heartbeat.  Sometimes, I can even hear my pulse on one side of my body, then a gushing sound, and can then hear and feel my heartbeat in another area of my body.  It is very strange!
• The other day during a nap, I had a dream about eating a sandwich with raw sliced steak, dripping with blood and I loved it.  We ate steak for dinner that night.  I felt like Bella...

I'll have more exciting news in a couple of weeks.  In the mean time, if you choose to leave a comment, please post what you think the gender(s) will be.  It is so exciting for us, we would love everyone involved in the fun!

Two more things... 1) Chad redid my bathroom while I was in Washington!  He painted the ceiling, walls, and door; replaced the fan, mirror, lights, vanity, sink, toilet, and floors; and added more outlets, so I can plug in my curling irons, without them getting in the way of the door.  What a great hubby!!!

2) I welcome all to read my blog, so feel free to share it with others.  Also, feel free to post a comment, even if I don't know you.  I love sharing and reading other's blogs.

Washington

So, I know it has been a month since my last post, but we have been super busy.  After class was over, Mack and I headed to Washington for 2 1/2 weeks to spend some time with Chad's parents and visit my family for a little while.  On the way there, we stopped at my sister-in-law, Stephanie's house in Idaho and stayed the night.  Mack had a great time with his cousin Presley.  They put goggles on and played outside with them on for a while.  He had a great time with her and talks about her often, especially whenever he hears any word even close to Idaho.

Here they are on the trampoline.

This was before breakfast the next morning.  They are just so silly together!

I picked up Chad's great-aunt, Fern, that morning and took her with me the rest of the way to Washington, so I wasn't alone.  She is a great lady and I had a fantastic time chatting with her and learning about Chad's family.  

The first couple of days at the Weber's, mom taught me how to can peaches and we ended up canning 58 quarts between the two of us.  By the end of the second day, I was beat, but mom kept going and finished our job.  We also cleaned a couple of rooms and closets.  Mom arranged a lunch with her best friends, Fern Muaroka and Lorraine Hendrickson, and her mom "Grannie Gardner."  It was so fun to have lunch with the ladies and we spent 2 hours visiting.  Also, Lorraine made two adorable baby blankets for me and gave Mack a coloring book and crayons.  Fern made some wash cloths and a kitchen scrubber for me (that my grandma Noyes used to make and I love them!).  The sweetest thing was that Fern found some toys for Mack that used to be her son, Jeff's.  He was her only child and passed away a couple of years ago, without ever getting married or having children of his own.  Since she doesn't have grandkids, she gave the toys to Mack.  I thought that was so sweet!

I was also able to do a lot of visiting.  First, I went to visit my grandma and grandpa Chlarson and we had a wonderful visit!  It was really great to see them again, and get a relationship 

re-established.  I was also able to go to church with them.  That Sunday they invited some aunts and cousins over to visit us during dinner.  LaVoy, Kylie, and Kristen (who my grandpa calls Hank, which makes her Hank Key) and later uncle Alan.  Marion was there, too, and it was fun to have "the two grandma's" (they are both named after my grandparent's mom's) there to entertain us all.  Mack was being pretty entertaining while we where there.  Here are a few memories of that visit:

• Mack was way excited to have a Grammie Boo, and she loved showing him why she's called that.
• We had a great time laughing at Mack pretending to play soccer without a ball, which landed behind Mack, thanks to LaVoy, and he took a while to find it.
• Grammie Boo gave Mack a Mickey Mouse doll, which was special to her.  He loves it and now sleeps with: his pillow; his blanket that used to be Chad's baby blanket; Mama Slush and Baby Slush (two stuffed dogs); and the Mickey Mouse.
• The candy caldron that just keeps giving, so you don't have to eat a healthy dinner (Mack's idea)
• Yummy home made stroganoff with fresh garden vegetables and rolls.

I was also able to go to lunch with Grammie and LaVoy at the park.  We ended up taking Mack swimming at the Aquatic Center, where Milo and Melanie were with their kids.

We also visited Marie Adams, who was my neighbor across the street growing up.  We had a great visit.  Her and Jay were the greatest neighbors.  They helped out our family a lot, especially us kids.  They knew things were rough for us and really tried to make things a bit easier on us.  Marie always went out of her way to take me places if I needed a ride to town.  We lived 15 miles out, so it would take her at least a half hour to run me anywhere I needed to go.  She always did it with a smile on her face, and I never felt like she felt burdened by helping me.  Jay was the same way and always teased us.

Another fantastic visit I had was with Celia, Paul, and Alyssa Hesselroth of Othello (sorry we missed Alysen).  Mack loved their house and loves telling people about the chickens, big fish, and the toy closet.  He insisted on wearing his "farmer pants" (also called under-alls) to Celia's because he knew they had chickens.  They were another great family for us to be friends with.  Shaurie, RyLee, and I did things with them more than the older boys got to, mostly because they were graduated from high school and working or on missions.  But, we spent hours at their house while mom was teaching clogging.  Paul was a great mentor to RyLee and helped him in many ways.  Us girls usually did fun stuff like dress up and go to luncheons in the Tri-Cities.  The little girls took their baby dolls with them and it was more like a real tea party.  I was in high school at the time and Alysen was my little buddy, even though she was, like, 7 at the time.  Shaurie and Alyssa were the same age and really good friends to each other.  Those were fun times and I cherish those memories, but I am so glad that time in my life is over.  Those were very difficult times for me and my family!

During my time with my dad, we were able to take a day trip to Sunnyside, where he used to live when we visited him, after my parent's divorce.  I was surprised at all the things I remembered about that place.  It has been 18 years since I was there last!  We also visited his friends, Bruce and Jeanie Ricks for a minute.  Dad and I had some really good chats on the way there and back.  When we got home, Mack rode the horses with Grandpa's help.  My favorite part about being at my dad's house was visiting with him and Mary.  Step-moms get such a bad rap, but Mary is the greatest "step-mom" of all time.  I love her so much and she is to good to my dad.  She is one of the hardest workers I've ever met and she is SO smart.  Dad told me that she catches on to things so quickly and once she learns it, she never makes a mistake. 

After being apart for two weeks, I was able to see Chad.  He flew to Washington the weekend before we headed home, so he could drive us.  Mack and I were so excited to see him, we ended up in Spokane 1 hour and 45 minutes before his flight came in.  So, we went to Riverfront Park and walked around, played on the playground, and rode the Gondola.  Apparently it was "Pig Out Fest" in the park, so there was a lot going on.  

This is above the falls on a bridge.

This is us on the gondola.

The falls from our gondola.

Mack was SOOOO excited to see Chad!  It actually made me tear up when they were reunited.

Since the previous day was our 9th anniversary, Chad and I took Mack to the Olive Garden in Spokane.  Part of our anniversary gift was that I took Chad to a condo that night in Moses Lake off the golf course (thanks, Mishelle!).  While Chad left the table to use the restroom, I was trying to get Mack to settle down by telling him that I was going to put his jammies on him, take him for a long drive, and stay in a "hotel."  Mack was SO excited and yelled as loud as he could, "We are staying in a hotel?!"  Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at us.  I tried to get him to quite down, so I told him it was a secret and we couldn't tell Chad.  Well, that got him more excited and he began yelling more.  The waitress came to check on us, and Mack proceeded to tell her our plan.  I kept trying to get him to calm down, so he wouldn't spoil the surprise.  But by the time Chad came back, Mack was still so wound up and told Chad, "Surprise Dad!  I have a secret that I am not supposed to tell you."  Then he whispered in Chad's ear, "We are staying in a hotel tonight."  Chad didn't understand what he was saying and I was trying to change the subject, but Mack was being so persistent on telling Chad that he finally realized what Mack was saying.  I ended up having to confirm Mack's excitement and told Chad what the plan was.  I found the whole situation pretty humorous.

The next day, Chad and Kyle went golfing, while I cut hair and took my nephew, Weston, to the doctor.  After the boys were done and Cody was home from school, Chad and I took the three boys swimming at the condo's pool. 

Here is Cody doing a great dive.

Since I don't have a swimming suit that fits, this is how Mack swam by himself.  He did a fantastic job!

We were also able to have dinner that night at the Golden Corral with Chad's parents, my parents, and Kyle and Mishelle's family.  I didn't realize how much a buffet can be appreciated when your pregnant.

In Quincy, we were able to spend a lot of time with Chad's grandparents, too, and were able to have a BBQ with his family the Sunday before we left.  Here are some pictures through out the week of Mack on the Weber Farm and at Grannie and Papa's.

At the farmhouse on the Weber Farm.  In the background is the house that Grandpa Weber was born and raised in.  Chad's dad was raised in that house, too.

The barn.

This one was taken at Grannie and Papa Gardner's on the old International. 

Our trip to Washington was a memorable one.  I thoroughly enjoyed all the visits, conversations, gifts, and lessons learned on this trip.  I miss everyone already and can't wait for my next visit!

School's Out (for me, anyway)!

I just finished my classes at UVU... English: a B, Psychology: an A-!!!  What a great semester, after all.  It was probably the hardest one I've had, with being tired, sick, tired, and tired.  But, I did it and am SOOO glad it's over!  For any of you who entertained Mack in the past three weeks, thank you!  I wouldn't have been able to do so well (let alone pass the class) without your help.

Check-up

Yesterday, I went to my 12 week check up.  Things I found interesting:

• I haven't gained as much weight as I thought.  Maybe 5 or 6 pounds.
• We could only hear one heart beat.
• Got to do another ultrasound, and saw both of them all nestled together.
• I thought I began feeling movement at 9 weeks, but I was wrong, because the area I was feeling movement doesn't have a baby there.
• However, I have been feeling them since 10 1/2 weeks, right in the middle of my uterus.
• Chad felt them move on Sunday night.
• There is a chance they are identical, after all.  They are right next to each other, but separated by sacks.
• Dr. Wold says they are very healthy and growing well.  

It was great to see them, again!  Even to hear one heartbeat was so cool, but when I got to watch their little hearts beating on the ultrasound screen, I was felt so excited for for them to be born!  

The doctor did advise me not to do any strenuous exercise, even prenatal programs.  I might be able to do yoga, but I have to be really careful not to strain anything.  Also, he keeps telling me that swimming is the best thing I can do, but I don't have a pool, unless I go really early in the morning or late at night to Gold's.  Still trying to figure that one out.

Interesting facts:

• My uterus is the size of my hand.  I imagine that means it's about the size of a 5 pound exercise ball.  
  
• The babies are each about 2 to 2 1/2 inches long.
• My stomach should grow noticeably this month.

My nausea is improving, but I still can't go in my kitchen.  I am so indebted to my neighbor, Aubrey, who comes over every week and scrubs my hugs pile of overdue dishes, then dries them AND puts them away!,  sweeps the week old food up off the floor, puts away food that has been left out, and wipes down all the cabinets, just so I can walk through my kitchen,  occasionally, without immediately running to the bathroom.

I am trying to finish my classes this week, so my ward has been taking turns with Mack.  Plus, I've had a lot of visitors stopping by with treats and meals for us.  I love being in this ward!

"Boys do funny things."

Mack has been very entertaining the past couple of days.  Because I have been sick, he has spent a lot of time watching t.v.  The other day while he was watching, I paused his show and told to use the restroom.  He began to cry, and even exclaimed, "It's just not fair!"  Once he got into the bathroom, he said, "Mom, my heart is broken."  I laughed pretty hard about both of his claims.  

He told Chad the other night that he wanted to eat dinner at Pizza Hut when they were out visiting in Roosevelt.  It's a pretty small community, so Chad didn't think there would be one close.  Much to his surprise, as he rounded the corner on the highway, there was a Pizza Hut.  Chad said he took him there, just because he was so impressed that Mack knew what it was and that there was one close by.  The funny thing is, he's never eaten at a Pizza Hut, so we don't know how he figured out what one was.

Mack is also getting very good at taking himself potty.  Last night, when he finished his dinner, he took himself potty, but he refused to use his potty seat.  As he was sitting there, Chad noticed he dipped his bum in the bowl.  Chad lightly scolded him, but a few seconds later, he was doing it again.  This time Chad asked Mack, "Why are you doing that buddy?"  Mack's response was, "Ha, ha!  Boys do funny things" in such a matter-of-fact tone.  I couldn't quit laughing, but I had to hide it from him.