Pregnancy: Week 11

I SURRENDER

I have been fighting the fight for the last couple of weeks but this morning I just couldn't take it anymore. I went to my Monday morning meeting as usual this morning. I proceeded to barf several times in the Panera bathroom during the meeting. Last week when I talked to the nurse midwife at Dr. P's office she said to call on Monday if I was down 4 pounds. I was down 4 pounds on Friday. Did I call? No, like a dumb dumb I wait until Monday. I call the office at 8:30 and I am informed by the receptionist that there are no practitioners in today. Fantastic. "Would you like me to put you through to the voicemail?". Sure, what the hell. I leave a message that I can't stop throwing up and I have lost 4 pounds so I would like to start IV therapy or get new drugs or something. I am close to passing out at this point.

I need a new prescription of Zophran so I go to Target to fill my script. As I am walking through the store I am thinking "what if I pass out in Target?" At least they will take me to the ER to get some fluids. I sit on the bench near the pharmacy feeling like I am gonna die and because I don't know what else to do so I email my family doc Dr. Rosenberg. I tell him I can't stop throwing up and should I come into the office or go to the ER for fluids? His response, "Come in". Great, he must have fluids in the office.

Not so much, he just wanted to see me himself. I skip the waiting area and walk back to his personal office. He comes back and looks at me, asks a few questions, and tells me to get in a room immediately and he will check me out. Meanwhile, I am very close with this office and I have been calling on them for 4 years. It is pretty embarrassing to be puking in the office trash can. Rosenberg comes in, checks me out, and tells me he is going to admit me. WHAT? I just wanted some IV fluids. I beg him not to admit me. Just what I need, I will never get any rest in the hospital. He decides to try the Outpatient IV Center first. He won't let me drive so either someone from the office will take me or I call my mom to take me to the hospital. He literally orders the MA to babysit me so I don't drive myself. THANK GOD for this man. He intervened when nobody else was there for me and he made shit happen!

Off to the IV Center I go. They have no clue who I am, what is going on, who referred me. I hang out in the waiting room with all the old people for what feels like an eternity. Finally, they decide to treat me as a new patient and start an IV. The doctor says I probably need a PICC line (central line) but he isn't going to do it without clearance from my OB. The nurse is amazing and sends me home with my very own bag of fluids on a 24 hour pump. I just bought myself daily visits to the IV Center.

I continue at the IV Center for the rest of the week. It is this big open room where everyone sits in their own lazy boy with an IV pole and various meds and fluids being infused. The nurses at this place are amazing. Although they don't know quite what to do with me. Young and pregnant with twins is not their typical patient demographic. Hyperemesis is the official name for this: basically unrelenting nausea and vomiting. It is pretty depressing to be hanging out at the hospital on Christmas Eve. Luckily they gave me a 48 hour bag so I didn't have to come in on Christmas. The fluids make a difference. Not in the nausea but my fatigue and energy level. I don't feel like I am going to pass out anymore.

I am on my second IV site since the first vein blew out on Christmas day. They usually only last about 3 days which is why they would really like to do the PICC. Dr. P would like to continue with the IV because the PICC carried increased risk of infection and is more invasive. The IV Center doc just rolls his eyes. I don't care as long as they don't take my fluids away.

My little friends. This blue bag of fluids I have to carry around all day is the hottest accessory this holiday season. You know you want one :)

On Saturday, December 26, I am 11 weeks. Lets see how big those babies are.

The size of a fig. They are just over 1 1/2 inches from head to bottom.

This is why they make me laugh

A facebook conversation on my wall that took place while I was sleeping. I had just sent out my Christmas cards and these girls were anticipating the reaction:

LeeAnn Kohler Howard 5 bucks says Jane's facebook wall blows up shortly ;)

Thu at 10:56pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard and i cant wait! LOL!

Thu at 10:57pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak Now what in the world would it blow up about?!!?! ;-)

Thu at 10:58pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard hmmmmm... i wonder. LOL! ;)

Thu at 10:58pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard they are gonna have to shut her wall down. hahaah!

Thu at 10:58pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak I heard she sent out some Wrigley's Doublemint Gum with her cards!!

Thu at 10:59pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard sounds about right (thats a good one!)

Thu at 11:00pm · Stephanie Johnson Jeez, you two alone will shut it down!

Thu at 11:00pm · Stephanie Johnson I heard she sent some twinkies!

Thu at 11:00pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak That's what we're here for. :)

Thu at 11:00pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak I think she's tryin to bake some twinkies.

Thu at 11:01pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak a double pack, at that!

Thu at 11:01pm · Stephanie Johnson I like how 3 all of our profile pics are black and whites with our sons done by Nicole Barczak photography. We are so original!

Thu at 11:01pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard i was just realizing that too!! It was confusing me who was saying what!! LOL!

Thu at 11:02pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak HAHAHH. Mine's the truest.

Thu at 11:02pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard sure is! too cute!

Thu at 11:02pm · Stephanie Johnson Poseurs= LeeAnn and I

Thu at 11:03pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak That's how I feel everyday. My face is gonna freeze that way. I bet Jane will have a face like that after those Twinkies.

Thu at 11:03pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard i texted her at 9:30 and she hasnt answered.. must be to bed early tonight.

Thu at 11:03pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak Huh? Poseurs?

Thu at 11:03pm · posers?

Thu at 11:04pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard we posed for ours... you are original. :)

Thu at 11:04pm · Stephanie Johnson It's hard work making a buy-one-get one

Thu at 11:04pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak OH hahah! Got it.

Thu at 11:04pm · Stephanie Johnson She needs to sleep twice as much!

Thu at 11:04pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak Jane.. shopping a BOGO sale!!

Thu at 11:04pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard Jane and her sales...

Thu at 11:05pm · Stephanie Johnson Are my jokes too deep for you two? ;)

Thu at 11:06pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard hahahha.. uhm.... what?

Thu at 11:07pm · Stephanie Johnson Wait.

Thu at 11:08pm · Stephanie Johnson We should have that psychic do a reading for Jane. See if he's seeing double!

Thu at 11:08pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard lordy lordy

Thu at 11:08pm · LeeAnn, was that two lordies? One for each?

Thu at 11:10pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard yup yup

Thu at 11:11pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard maybe she will want some pizza pizza on friday. :)

Thu at 11:12pm · Stephanie Johnson hahaha! Or HA HA, I guess.

Thu at 11:12pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard she's gonna do a double flip when she reads this in the am!

Thu at 11:13pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak Her cards were twice as nice as the rest I got today

Thu at 11:15pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak But I did hear she and Adam were in for double trouble pretty soon.

Thu at 11:16pm · i took a double look, since it was two-sided.

Thu at 11:16pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak I think you were just seeing a mirror image of it LeeAnn

Thu at 11:18pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard could be, could be

Thu at 11:19pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak She sure was killing two birds wtih one stone this year...

Thu at 11:19pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard you can say that again!

Thu at 11:20pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak Did you hear they were getting a couple wombmates... I mean, roommates?

Thu at 11:24pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak I think they're leading a double life, to tell you the truth.

Thu at 11:28pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak although, it does take two to tango.

Thu at 11:28pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak Do you think their house is zoned for double occupancy?

Thu at 11:30pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard they should rent that one old movie from the late 80's.. with Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gosh... what IS the name of THAT movie?!?!?!

Thu at 11:31pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak I think they'd rather play Double Jeopardy

Thu at 11:31pm · They may even play Double Trouble.

Thu at 11:35pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard Yeah she might be getting another ticket, did you hear? She double parked!!

Thu at 11:35pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak she'll have to work double time to pay for that!!

Thu at 11:36pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak Did you hear about that awesome double whammy she saw at the Twins game last week?

Thu at 11:37pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard Oh thats when they had a double header, right?

Thu at 11:39pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak All the pictures she took were double exposed though

Thu at 11:40pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard She will have to retake them at the next double header. Better take two cameras next time, just TWO be safe.

Thu at 11:41pm · Denise Embley Gibb LOL! I'm totally laughing at this whole thread. ;)

Thu at 11:43pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard hahhaha. are you laughing twice as loud?

Thu at 11:43pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak she wasn't double fisting it at the game was she?

she prolly got mad and took of on her BIcycle.

Thu at 11:44pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak I swear I saw someone the other day that was the spitting image of her...

Thu at 11:45pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard or maybe she took of in her dual-exhaust car.

Thu at 11:45pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard Maybe a clone?

Thu at 11:46pm · Denise Embley Gibb Oh my word you TWO! You should go into advertising.

Thu at 11:46pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak Think I could use a duplicate of this post on my resume, Denise?

Thu at 11:48pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak I think Stephanie owes us 5 bucks. She'll have to double it since there's two of us.

Thu at 11:50pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard better include my name, maybe we could get twice as much money!

Thu at 11:50pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard ditto to that nic!

Thu at 11:51pm · Nicole Bevier-Barczak alright alright... night night!

Thu at 11:59pm · LeeAnn Kohler Howard You might have to read this twice Jane, to make sure your two eyes didnt miss anything. :) Night-night girls!

Fri at 12:06am · Sadie Bradley I can't believe I actually read all those comments. Very creative, girls.

Fri at 7:13am · Nicole Macklin McIntosh You guys are hilarious!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Stephanie Johnson: Shoot, I am doubly disappointed that you TWO kept this going after I logged off. Dualy noted. ;)


Jane, where ARE you? Defend yourself and your two bed-womb apartment!

Fri at 8:27am · Jane McIntosh Dawson I was TWO tired for words so I went to bed :) I did have to read it twice because you girls are crazy crazy!!

Pregnancy: Weeks 4-10

**While we didn't tell people we were expecting until about 10 weeks I did journal our adventure up until that time**


November 7, 2009 (Week 4)
FINDING OUT

I woke up on Saturday morning and still had not started my period. I was going to try and wait until Monday to take a pregnancy test just to keep from getting my hopes up yet again. I was pretty sure I wasn't pregnant because I was traveling for work this month during what I thought was a critical time. Grace was spending the night at grandma's, Adam was hunting. I enjoyed a quiet morning to myself and decided to make a Starbucks run. The funniest thing happened at Starbucks. I pulled up to pay for my Pumpkin Spice Latte and the barista infromed me the car in front of me "had taken care of it". How cool is that? I took this as a sign and stopped at CVS for a pregnancy test on the way home.

I peed on my little stick and sure enough a 2nd faint pink line showed up. I was afraid to believe it. I was even more afraid to be excited. Miscarriage robs you of that excitement and replaces it with fear. You can no longer enjoy the moment and are just afraid. You assume when nothing goes wrong that nothing is going to go wrong. When something does go wrong, you are on constant alert. I waited until Adam came home and told him the news. He too accepted it with some trepidation. I called my mom and dad and told them. I felt funny telling people because I wasn't excited or joyful. Such a different experience that the 1st or 2nd time around. We decided we were going to try and wait to tell people this time around. I will feel so much better when I see that little heartbeat.

We had supper club on Sunday. The girls knew immediately when I refused any alcohol. So much for keeping it a secret, lol!! At 4 weeks the baby is the size of a poppy seed.

November 20, 2009 (Week 6)
FIRST ULTRASOUND

I asked LeeAnn a week or so ago if I could come in to see a heartbeat. I think I will feel so much better when I see that little blinking heart. I am so lucky to have a friend who is a ultrasound tech so I can put my mind at ease. You can usually see a heartbeat at 5 weeks, 5 days. I am 5 weeks, 6 days today. My parents came over to watch Grace so Adam could go with me. I am nervous and trying not to get my hopes up we will see anything since it is so early.

No luck with the ultrasound. I am measuring a little smaller (?) so we couldn't see a heartbeat yet. Kind of a letdown but I am trying to stay positive and hope we can see it soon. According to LeeAnn's measurments I am 5 weeks, 4 days. So close!!





November 22, 2009 (Week 6)
HOLY CRAP!

LeeAnn offered to come in special for me on a Sunday so we could try to get a peak at that heartbeat again. I went by myself not wanting to go through getting a sitter again and not even knowing if we would see anything. Little did I know I was in for the biggest surprise of my life.

LeeAnn put the gel and wand on my belly and I of course can see nothing on the screen. I look at LeeAnn and she is staring very intently at the screen. I see her whole face kind of change and she says, "Uh....sorry but somethings got my heart racing here". My own heart sank as I thought, "Crap, she doesn't see a heartbeat and she doesn't know how to tell me". After a few moments she said those four little words that turned my world upside down ......."I think its twins".

WHAT?!!! Are you kidding me?!?

She then points to the screen and sure enough even I can see TWO blinking heartbeats.

OH. MY. GOD.

I covered my face with my hands and the first thing I said was, "Where are we going to put them? Our house is already too small." LeeAnn was just like, "I know" :) She then told me to hold on a sec while she went to get another tech just to make sure. The other tech came in to take a look and said, "Yup, definitely twins! Congratulations." I think I managed a weak thank you.

The crazy part is even though I was shocked and stunned I immediately went to mom mode and fell in love with those two little blips on the screen. Even though I had no idea how I was going to handle two babies all that really mattered was if they were okay. They were mine now and all that I wanted was for them to be healthy.

LeeAnn and I continued to stare at the screen in amazement and she took some pictures for me to take home. She said it looked like they were identical since they were in the same gestational sac. As I got up to leave she said, "How are you going to tell Adam?". I had no idea. As I stumbled out into the hall LeeAnn was like, "Are you okay to drive?" I was so dazed I wasn't sure. I told her I felt like I was going to throw up and she said, "Me too". LOL!

When I got home Adam had started a fire and was upstairs giving G a bath. Little did he know I was about to rock his world. I just walked into the bathroom and said, "It's twins". He just kind of looked at me and said, "Your kidding......Shut up......your kidding." I started laughing and crying and showed him the pictures and said, "Do I look like I am joking?" All the color drained from his face and he bent over like he was going to pass out. I think he said something along the lines of "HOLY F%#@"

I called my parents and Adam called his. I told my mom and she ended up laughing and crying on the floor and my dad had to take over the phone for her. The weird thing is I has this feeling. I had a feeling it was twins on the Friday before my first ultrasound and the only person I had said anything to was my mom. I told her on the phone earlier in the day that I just had this weird feeling it was twins. Intuition is a crazy thing.

My brother said in China they put their babies in drawers so what did I need a bigger house for? Nicki just laughed hyterically. They both said if anyone could handle it it would be us. I called my other brother Mark in Kansas City. He laughed too....and I think said better you than me.

We just kept looking at eachother the whole night like a deer in a the headlights. We couldn't quite wrap our heads around it and the more we thought about it the more the reality of two babies, at the same time, sunk in. We didn't get a wink of sleep that night and it consumed our every waking thought.

Introducing the Dawson twins...

They (OMG they! they!!) are the size of a lentil, about a 1/4 inch long.

November 28, 2009 (Week 7)
START SPREADING THE NEWS

The big news is still sinking in. LeeAnn and I came up with a clever way to tell the rest of the girls I am having twins. They all came over for pizza on Wednesday. LeeAnn gave me a baby gift. I pulled out one pair of pajamas, then another identical pair of pajamas. Nicole screamed, "OMG YOUR HAVING TWINS!" Lots of screaming and hugging. We told Katie the same way that night and her response has to be one of my favorites, "OMG I feel so bad for you" hahaha. She then felt bad she said that and said she didn't mean it that way. I laughed becasue I knew exactly what she meant. It not going to be all unicorns and rainbows and thats okay :)

We told extended family on Thanksgiving and the day after. Thanksgiving Day we told the Dawson extended family. The day after Thanksgiving my mom and I went shopping with the Dawson girls and told them at lunch at Anna's. We made quite the scene when Beckie started screaming and about jumped over the table when I told her the news. Someone in the restaurant sent two little choclates over to the table as a congratulations.

In other news, the sickness is really starting to set in. I am throwing up a lot. Most of my Thankgiving dinner came back up. Not sure if I can ever look at Turkey the same way. I started to get sick with Grace around 7 weeks too. Seems like it started in a little faster and harder but there are 2 of them!

Here is their 7 week photo:

They are the size of blueberries, about a 1/2 inch in length.

December 5, 2009 (Week 8)
YUCKO

I am still struggling with the sickness. I just feel nauseous all the time. I called Dr. P's office for a Zophran script this week. Luckily they called it in for me. I have a hard time even keeping the pill down though. I told my coworkers this week, they were pretty surprised and feel bad that I am so sick. I am puking through our meetings at Panera.

We decided we are going to tell everyone in our Christmas card. LeeAnn personalized our 9 week ultrasound picture and we are sending it out with our Christmas cards to surprise everyone.


Here is what the beans look like this week....

They are the size of kidney beans, just over a 1/2 inch in length


Even though these little beans are only a 1/2 inch in length they are already making their presence known. I am already getting a baby bump! It's crazy. Here is a comparison of me at 18 weeks pregnant with Grace vs my belly right now at 8 weeks. They look the same!! Dear God I am in trouble!!

December 12, 2009 (Week 9)
LET THE WORRYING BEGIN

I had my first doctors appointment this week. We discussed how sick I have been and the nurse midwife gave me some tips. Unisom and B12 3 times a day. Sweettarts of all things. At this point I will try anything. I am keeping very little down. Saw Dr. P as I was checking out and told him it was twins. He really enjoyed teasing me about this since he has twin boys of his own. I mentioned that it appears that the babies are in the same sac and we don't see a membrane seperating them. This concerned him and he ordered an ultrasound for next week. If they are in fact in the same amniotic sac then they would be callled Monochorionic, Monoamniotic twins or "Mo-Mo twins". They share the same plancenta and amniotic sac which can be very dangerous and high risk. I would probably have to be refered to a specialist. The reason it is so scary is becasue they have nothing seperating them the umbilical cords can get tangled and cut off oxygen and nutrients to one or both of the babies. This is especially true as they get bigger. MoMo's are usually delivered early, as early as 28 weeks, becasue the risk of being in the womb is greater than being outside. It is VERY scary stuff and I can't help but worry and obsess. The more I read on the internet the more freaked out I become. It is going to be an eternity until that ultrasound and I am hoping and praying these little ones each reside in their own little amniotic sac.

On a happier note, here are the little blobs.

LeeAnn thought she saw a membrane between the two of them. This hope will help me get through until my ultrasound next Tuesday.

They babies are the size of grapes this week, almost an inch long





December 15, 2009 (Week 9)
GOOD NEWS

It was confirmed today that the twins each reside in their own little fluid filled home. After getting mixed messages from just about everyone I finally heard from Dr. P's office that they are in their own amniotic sacs but share a placenta (which is typical of identical twins). This is beyond wonderful news and such a sigh of relief.

After this little experience I have determined that nobody really knows what the hell they are doing with identical twins. They just don't see them very often. This resulted in me crying in the ultrasound room and a lot of stressing this week. BUT alls well that ends well.

Got great pictures of the babies, they are really starting to look like something. Truly amazing.

December 19, 2009 (Week 10)
UGH

I am still unbelievably sick. I can barely make it through the work day. I end up throwing up in a plastic bag in the car. I have to pull over sometimes. My manager decided to ride with me this week which sucked. As if I wasn't miserable enough. I ended up throwing up in front of him multiple times. Seriously dude? Can you give me a break? I feel like I am barely surviving and I am not sure how much longer I can do this.

The wee ones are the size of kumquats this week, a little ove an inch long.

Christmas Tree

I think Miss G has seen me behind the camera a little too much. She likes to take pictures like mommy. We went to get our Christmas tree on pretty much the coldest, nastiest day of December. It was last Wednesday when it was blowing snow sideways. We picked it out in about 2 minutes flat.

We decorated the next day. Grace was a big helper this year. She put all the ornaments on the same branch at her eye level. It was so cute. She understands Christmas a little more this year and it is fun to have her be a more active part of the festivities. Can't wait until "Kissmas morning when Ho-Ho comes". :)

Christmas Questions

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I like to coordinate a couple of different ones. One for my side of the family, another for Adam's side, and one for the kids. Totally my OCD coming out.


Real tree or artificial? Real, of course. We go with the Douglas Fur. Nothing beats the smell of fresh pine. It just smells like Christmas. Hate the needles, love the look.


When do you put up the tree? Usually the first weekend of December. We are the only people in my family with a truck so we are usually trying to coordinate with my mom and dad and Scott and Nicki. We don't cut our own but go to the farm and pick one out that has been freshly cut. It is quite the process. This year we picked the coldest windiest day ever. After about 2 minutes out there I said, "I don't give a *bleep*, that one is FINE!!!!". Merry Freaking Christmas :)


Do you like eggnog? I do like eggnog. Never had spiked eggnog before though. Its one of those things you can't drink a lot of.


Favorite gift received as a child? The Christmas I was 5 or 6 I got my first Cabbage Patch Kid. It was the hot thing that Christmas and I hoped and prayed Santa would bring me one. Her name was Debra and she had red hair.


Hardest person to buy for? Parents, especially fathers. My dad asks for the same thing every year. Socks or a book. You can only buy so many socks and books over the years. I have no clue what to get my father in law so this is the one present Adam is in charge of. He usually is out on Christmas Eve buying for his dad (and wife!).


Easiest person to buy for? Do I count? I tend to subscribe to the whole one for you, one for me theory of Christmas shopping. Adam is probably the easiest. I love buying him things for some reason.


Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, and I absolutely love it. It is the Willow Tree set. My mother in law has purchased it for me over the years and now I have the complete set!


Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail for sure!! I love planning, sending, and recieving Christmas cards. I especially like when there are pictures or a letter.


Favorite Christmas movie? Oh National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, hands down!!! The scene where he is emptying the shitter: "That there's what you call an RV!!!" We used to watch it every year in high school at Chrystal's house.


When do you start shopping? I usually start the day after Thanksgiving. This year I started the weekend before Thanksgiving and haven't done anything since. I will probably finish not this weekend but the next.


Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I always think I might but then I don't keep it in my house long enough. Off to St Vincent's it goes!!


Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom's peanut brittle and swedish wafers. Oh so good and sinful.


Lights on the tree? The big colored lights


Favorite Christmas songs? O Holy Night by Celine Dion. Gives me goose bumps every time.


Travel at Christmas or stay home? We do the Dawson shuffle. Our families live so close we end up going everywhere to see everyone.


Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. Only reason I know that is that G likes to be read "The Night Before Christmas" every night before she goes to bed.


Angel on the tree top, or a star? Star


Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? All on Christmas morning. You have to wait!!! It is part of the tourture of being a kid!


Favorite ornament theme or color? We don't have a theme. Just ornaments we have collected since the year we got engaged. That first year I had to put those little red bows on the tree because we didn't have enough ornaments! I love looking at them and seeing how our life has progressed. We try to pick one up on vacation and we have been given a lot by family and friends. We get one for Grace every year that has meaning and that we will give her when she has her own tree.


What do you want for Christmas this year? Happy and healthy family and friends. I know it sounds cheesey but I love the giving as much as the getting.

Looking for...

a cute Advent Calender for Grace. Not a wooden one with doors but a soft one where you put something up each day leading up to Christmas. Like this but Christmas:

Thanksgiving

The beautiful "adult table"

The kids table

Those turkey plates are the cutest!!

Gray and Calvin

Gannon and Ally

The Gilbert's Chocolate covered Oreos were a hit with the kids

the BFFs, these two are so funny together

They ran, they licked mashed potato beaters, they talked to each other across the table, they played in the toliet. A relationship like no other.... :)

Gracie loves her Bookie. She wanted to "stay night at Bookie's house!!" instead of going home

We had Thanksgiving at Scott and Nicki's house this year with my mom and dad. My Uncle Jared and Aunt Collette and their 3 kids Gannon, Gray, and Calvin also joined us. Scott and Nicki did a beautiful job. The tables were beautiful, the food was great, and the company was even better.

I have so much to be thankful for:

• My Sweet Girl and Incredible Husband: there is not enough love in the world to express how much these two mean to me
• Our Parents: there whenever we need them no matter what. I really do not know what we would do without them
• Our Family: we are so lucky to have family that is close and that we see a lot. It is so nice to have family that you would also consider friends
• Our Friends: I feel especially blessed here too. I can't tell you how much my girlfriends mean to me. We live and die daily life together and it never fails that these girls put a smile on my face
• The wondrous gift of life. If I have learned anything in the last six months it is to enjoy each day because life is a gift. I have learned that I am not in charge and God has really shown me just how precious and amazing life is. I feel his presence in my life stronger than ever

Daddy

Grace says to me this mornig, "Dada go hunting today?"

I said, "Yup, daddy is hunting".

Grace, "I looooove him"

Awwww, melt my heart.

Flashback Friday

This was our Christmas card picture in 2005. Before Dooley, and Grace. We were on our way to a MSU football game, back in the day when we had season tickets. I can't believe this was 4 years ago!!

The funny things she says

This kid has been cracking me up lately. Some of the things she says:

Me: you have to wear a coat, its cold outside
G: Yeah, it's cold out like a Penguin

G: Mama, too dark, turn on lights
Me: At night its dark and the moon comes out
G: Like the book! Goodnight moon, goodnight mouse, goodnight bunny, goodnight kittens...

G: Where dada go?
Me: He is at work.
G: No...dada hunting

G: Look daddy, I have jam-jams on!!
Adam: Wow, which ones?
G: The monkey ones!!

Other G-isms:

MY DOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

MY PICK!

I tooted and its stinky

I watch Cailou

I run run nakie

Brush teef mama!

Laaaast one?? Last one, mama???

Thats nice!

washcloth is a "coff coff"

she was "Pebbles Pinpone" for Halloween

Ho-Ho come and give me presents

Teeny tiny babies

any R sound us a W sound, like "I'm a big Gurwl"

She says these funny things and it is just too cute. You can carry on a whole conversation with her now and she will tell you a story about her day. It amazes me what she picks up on and she remembers everything.

Not Me Monday

• I definitely did not fail on posting every day in November on the SECOND DAY. I would for sure last longer than that
• I most certainly did not lose my gas card for the second time, call to get a new one, only to realize I had not put the new one in my car
• I absolutely am not addicted to The Howard Stern Show on Sirius Radio. I would never listen to such sexist, trashy radio
• I clearly don't go to Panera to get work done because if I go home my two year old has other ideas. I surely would never use a chain restaurant as my office
• I without question don't freak out every time my manager rides with me. I have been doing this job for 4 years so I am definitely used to it by now

That's it for this week! :)

Yabba Dabba Doooooo!

We have been talking about Halloween with Grace for a couple of weeks now. We would tell her she was going to wear a Pebbles costume and go Trick-or-Treating and get candy. She would reply, "and then Ho-Ho comes and brings me presents?" She is so confused, lol. No matter how many times we told her she insisted that Ho-Ho was coming and she was gonna get some presents. As if a bucket full of candy isn't enough?

As you can see we went as the Flinstones. We went to The Barczak's for a Devil's Night Costume Party Friday night. It was fun to do a family theme and to see all of the adults dressed up too. Saturday we started the night at my parents where I guilted Scott and Nicki into coming over so I could get some pictures of the kids :) They were so dang cute. Ally was Hannah Montanta and Luke was a monkey. You can see Grace is acting like a monkey in the picture of the two of them. Those two are monkeys all right.

We then made the rounds to Gma Dawson's and the Rumseys. We ended the night at the Tylutkis. Beckie was the original mastermind behind the Flinstone / Rubbles idea. Give me an idea and I am off and running! Be careful what you say Beck!! Most of the costumes were courtesy of my very creative husband. He refused to go to JoAnns but he did use my sewing machine.

Surprisingly, Grace enjoyed the Trick-or-Treating. We took her an Noah around the neighborhood and man was it cold! They both went right up to the doors and held their buckets out for complete strangers to give them candy. Grace insisted on eating every peice of candy as she got it. She didn't quite get the whole gather it and save it for later thing. She ended up running around like a wild indian most the night, crying when we had to leave, and passing out from a sugar coma in the car. A successful Halloween indeed.