We have another date!

Well, just when I thought I knew when we were having our baby, it changed!  I had my doctor's visit today and everything was fine.  We are at 1 cm dilated, so making some progress towards having a baby!  Sorry if TMI.  Just the facts of life.  :-)  The dr. was a touch concerned because the baby isn't moving like he used to, so I had to be monitored a while, and he still wasn't moving much.  They gave me a coke to drink and boy, that got him riled up!  He was moving then.  We concluded he's probably close to 8 lb. now and doesn't have much room to move and jab me like he used to.  It was weird, because the nurse and I could SEE my stomach moving, but I wasn't really feeling it.  Maybe I'm just that used to it???  I don't know.   Anyway, he's a healthy, strong boy.  I guess when in doubt, I'll drink a coke or my personal favorite....Mickey D's sweet tea!  :-)  Yes, I've broken quite a few pregnancy rules I would have NEVER broken with the twins. 
I also went to the hospital and had to pre-register in 2 different places. I was there almost 2 hours.   I found out there that I was on the books for the 14th, not the 13th.  So, we are having a little Valentine's Day baby!  I guess he'll really be a heart breaker!  LOL.  Apparently, they will not induce until you are exactly 39 weeks or later, and on the 13th I will technically be 38 weeks and 6 days.   So, we were splitting hairs over 24 hours.  I was bummed to have to wait the extra day, but my dr. is available that Tuesday as well, so all is back to being okay.  I was worried he wasn't available or in surgery that day......People shouldn't stress a VERY pregnant woman out!  Seriously!!!!  I hope that on my induction day, things will go smoothely because I think I signed a waiver for everything under the sun today.  I even filled out almost everything on his birth certificate.  Yes, even his name.  :-) 
I am very excited!  It's like "real" now.  Haha!  She was telling me how once he was born, they'd put him on a blanket on my chest.  I tear up thinking about it, I am most excited about that and Dustin was really excited too.  I didn't get that with the twins and I can't wait to have that moment with our new baby boy-the twins were whisked away pretty quickly, we had more time with Emmy than Carson.  It should be a much calmer, quieter birth than the twins.  We had about 12 people in the O.R. when the twins were delivered, everyone was on stand by for a c-section if necessary, the neonatologist was there.....I even declined to let any student dr.s or nurses be present for the delivery.  I WANT some quiet time with my baby and a calmer delivery.....they will have to learn on someone else this time.  Last time I was like, what the heck....it's already so many people, what's a few more????  We could have sold tickets to the twins' delivery!  Just kidding....it did feel like a spectator sport though. 
Of course I got all the fun info on the epidural too.....the stuff they have to tell you.  I was like "I don't care, I want it!".  Anyway, I hope getting all that hospital stuff done will be a big help.  I love the nurses at the hospital, they are so nice and kind.  I even put in my request for my favorite nurse....so we'll see if she's working the 14th.  I sure hope so!

As far as preparations go, I have a hospital bag packed, we have a crib assembled, I think we are close to being ready.  Last week I took the week off from nesting for some reason.  I did nothing.  I was so tired, I wanted to have my baby last week.  I was just exhausted.  I was being an anti-nester.  :-) This week so far is better, I got laundry and dishes back under control anyway.  I am really tired today from all my running around, so I am going to go take a nap!  I did get some shopping done in between appointments.  Carson & Emmy may or may not be getting  a couple new outfits in their Easter baskets.  I couldn't resist and anything to get ahead. The thought of trying to shop with 3 children is incentive to plan ahead for all holidays!  And doesn't Emmy need a "I"m a wild child" shirt and matching skirt?  Of course she does!   Boys clothes just aren't as cute as girl ones....it's a bummer.  I'm so glad I have at least one girl to doll up.  She IS a wild child though, so who knows how long I'll get to pick her clothes......I can't imagine what she would pick on her own.  She's a lot like my little sister though, so we may have peace signs and no more dresses in our future when she's old enough to choose......sigh. 

We have a date!!!!

Dustin and I went for our ultrasound today and got to see our little son again.  He is so cute!  And he's not so little!  He weighs 7 lb. 6 oz. already and I technically have 4 weeks to go!  Wow!  However, my Dr. is going to induce me on Feb. 13 if I don't go into labor myself before then.  So.....three weeks from today I will be a new mommy all over again!  :-)  I'm really excited to have a date and hopefully can finish preparing everything.  I already added some 0-3 month clothes to my hospital "pile" in case he won't fit in the newborn stuff.  Hopefully the pile can make it into a bag, and I can get the carseat in the car, D can finish the crib, etc.etc.etc.  I am excited it's finally here and ready to meet my little man! 

A sleeping update- Emilynn did great last night, she went to sleep without incident.  I got up really early today and waited and waited, thinking she'd be up with the sun since she ripped the shades down in their room when she got up on her own the other day.  I finally fell back asleep and when I re-awoke, she was up.  She was just playing in their room with the Little People farm set.  Today she actually took a nap without protest (a shocker!!!) and has gone to bed.  So, I'm hoping it won't be too bad.  I'm sure there will be days where it is crazy but we are taking it nap by nap, bedtime by bedtime. 
My mom says she's getting her a toddler bed, so we'll see what happens with that. 

Dustin and I got a much needed supper out tonight, that was nice.  I completely stuffed myself and had leftovers for lunch tomorrow.....yum!!!  :-) 

Today Carson and I went to get milk and as we were leaving a man stopped me asking for directions.  Where did he need to go????  The courthouse!  Of all places.  I thought I was done giving directions to there when I quit working 2 years ago.   I never liked giving directions because I always felt like I wasn't very good at it.  It was very foggy today so who knows if he ever made it.  He was on our road, which is rural.....not sure why he left the main highway but he didn't want to go back when I suggested it.   It was interesting.  Just a random bit of knowledge I thought I'd share.  Kind of ironic.  :-)  Yes, I guess I still can give directions to the courthouse I realized. 

Well, I'm off to watch one of Dustin & my favorite shows....Lizard Lick Towing.  :-)  Then it's read and bed......Nothing planned the rest of the week, although I think we are going to have lunch with JuJu and Amanda one day since we missed today.  Guess I need to finalize my baby preparations while I can and catch up on all the laundry, etc. while I can.  When the twins were born unexpectedly early, my Dad and step-mom were so kind to do all of our laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, cleaning, etc. for us.  It took us literally 2 years to sort the laundry back out.  I'm not kidding, Meme had some of my maternity pants that I asked about this time when I realized I was pregnant, from 2 years ago.  They were in her closet and she didn't know it.  Dad wore Dustin's work pants to work which were way too big for him, we have socks no one from either house claims, it was a mess!  But oh, so helpful.  Meme has asked that I please, please get the laundry caught up this time!!!!!  :) 

The dawn of a new day......I am SO NOT READY!!!!

Well, I've known this day was coming, but I've been fighting it tooth and nail.  I at least hoped we could get through the transition to having the new baby at home first, but apparently that is not going to happen.  Remember the brand new crib tent that came last Saturday?  Well, Emilynn has destroyed it already.  She got out of her bed at nap and would not take a nap.  I didn't try to get her back in there, I was asleep on the couch myself, Dustin went in to get her.  She came and rubbed my arm and hair and woke me up.  So, Carson was the only one who napped today, although Daddy & I both desperately wanted a nap.  I tell you, I've been out of sorts all day about it.  Mainly because of the horror stories I've heard from others of not being able to get their kids to bed till 10 or 11 at night.  I can't even imagine that, yet that's where we could be headed.  Tonight we put the kids down at 9 sharp, as usual.  Emilynn stayed in bed and I think, hope, and, pray is asleep by now.  She wasn't the last I checked about 30 min. ago.  The blessing is she hasn't gotten up.  Soooooo....maybe I'll only have to stay in the room during nap to try to get her down.  I am very big and very slow right now, so laying on the floor is going to be loads of fun.  I just can't give up on nap entirely at this point.  She is WAY too grumpy at night if she hasn't slept.   I've been thinking all day of how I'm going to have to rearrange our schedule to accomodate this change.  I will now have to get up before the kids and shower, where as before I could wait till I heard them, then get a shower while they played in bed for a few minutes.  Dustin's alarm goes off at 5 am, which also has been known to wake Emmy up, and she would just go back to sleep.  Now, I don't know what will happen.  It's not like she could lay with me in bed, because neither of our kids will go to sleep with us because they never have before.  It's actually a blessing really.  Also, naptime is when I have been getting my dishes done, eating my lunch because I can't eat with the kids watching, they attack me!, laundry re-loaded and put away if necessary, etc. etc.  Basically everything I can't do with the kids awake, which is basically everything.  I know it is a mindset and I'm just going to have to re-think our day and schedule and the most important thing IS still spending time with the kids.  I think I am going to have to give up any extra things that don't involve taking care of the kids and let go of the guilt about it.  There's just never enough time in the day to clean everything and do everything, but I know I can tackle the dusting, cobwebs, and bathrooms when the kids are grown and gone.  For now they should be my top and only priority.  I guess we'll see where this new chapter of parenthood takes us.  I'm a little worried cause Papa is keeping the kids tomorrow while we go to my ultrasound.  I know he's banking on them being asleep......I'll have to update as to how THAT goes.  I'm hoping we can get them down before we go.  I think I'll go read my Bible now for some wisdom and go to sleep.  I will need to go to bed earlier now, yet nighttime is also a time for chores.  I will find balance!  I know I will.......just before our new little boy arrives and shakes it all up again!  LOL.  God is definitely keeping me on my toes!!!! 

By the way, I haven't forgotten about the birthday post.  I just never have the camera near the computer to load pics.  I will try to do that this week. 

Emmy was watching T.V. tonight before bed and saw something...I have no idea what it even was and put both her hands on her head and said "That's amazing!".  She keeps us on our toes AND in stitches.  She also kept telling Carson, "I got you boy! I got you boy!".  She followed it up with a choke hold wrestling move on him, so we had to put an end to that.  Not sure where that was learned either........ You never know what she will come out with, she knows words we don't even know where she learned. 

Riley Marie

Our new neice, Riley Marie, was born today at 9:58 a.m. this morning.  She was 8 lb. 3 oz.  and 20 1/2 inches long.  A good sized baby to most, a runt in our bunch!  All her sisters and brother were MUCH bigger than her at birth, so it was weird for her to be so small.  Dustin and I got some strange and rare alone time to go see her tonight.  She's cute and reminds me a lot of Carson and cousin Shelby.  I think she favors them, Dustin's side of the family.  We stayed a few hours and then headed home after getting Arby's drive thru.  Isn't that something?   No kids with us and we STILL ate in the car!  I just knew I was going to get a nice meal somewhere, but we visited and talked and had a good time.  So, we needed to get home to the kiddos.  My mom and Aunt Debbie kept the kids, along with Marissa, my cousin's daughter.  Carson loves Marissa.  He didn't want her to leave.  It was a trial run for them for when we have our baby in a few weeks.  I think it was fine, except they called once to find out how to work the remote control because Carson was trying to tell them how to put it on his favorite show, Mudslingers.  Dustin got him hooked on that, it comes on the Outdoor Channel and we watch it a thousand times......
Emmy's favorite show is Thomas & Friends right now.  Of course everyone loves Elmo still and Barney, Dinosaur Train, and Caillou are also big hits. 
Anyway, the kids were up when we got home, and I was secretly glad.  I wanted to see them even though it was past bedtime.  I always want to see them though, I really miss them when we aren't together.  I don't know who the hospital stay is going to be worse on, me or the kids.  :-( 
That is the part I'm dreading, but hopefully it will be normal.  I was in the hospital a total of 10 days with the twins.  I'm hoping for the normal 2 or 3 days this time, or I may have to bring at least one pack 'n play in my room for Carson.  Emmy doesn't mind separation too much, but she will ask for me when I'm not there.  She doesn't have meltdowns like her brother though. 
Dustin got home the other night and Emilynn hugged his leg and said "Da-da, I so happy to see you."  It was the sweetest thing ever!  She has Daddy wrapped for sure. 
All right, enough rambling....gonna go read and wind down. 
Tomorrow is "dance, dance, dance" as Emmy says.  The kids have been cooped up all week, we'll have to figure out something to get Carson out of the house too.  I miss them playing outside! 

5 weeks!

5 weeks to go until our new little bundle arrives!  Actually, 5 weeks at most.  Who knows if he will come early???  I am getting more excited as it gets closer.  I must be wired backwards because most people I've talked to are MORE nervous the second time because they know exactly what to expect.  I feel so much more at peace because I DO know what to expect, even though every delivery is different.  It was a bit funny at my dr.'s appointment yesterday, because the regular nurses were both out, so it was a different lady and she told me he was going to check me to see if I was starting to dilate.  (Sorry if TMI, it's just a fact of life though guys!).  I know I had a strange look on my face because I felt like I did.  She grabbed my arm and tried to comfort me and told me it would be fine.  I snapped out of it finally and said "It's okay, it's not you, it's me.  I can't believe I'm having a baby in 5 weeks."  I think she still thought I was nuts.  It was a reality check I guess.  I really can't believe I did or said that.  I think it just hit me all at once.  It was weird.  Anyway, I left the appointment so at peace for some reason.  I think I was nervous about the appointment because the twins were born at 35 weeks.  I know, I know, they were multiples, but I was still holding that thought in the back of my mind.  I was worried I'd walk in to the appointment and leave heading to the hospital, just like what happened with the twins.  I had felt bad yesterday morning, then I started worrying about my weight gain, because that was a big factor with the pre-eclampsia.  At 34 weeks pregnant with the twins, I had gained 7 lb. in one week with that, plus had high blood pressure, tons of protein in my urine....etc.etc.  Anyway, I think once the appointment was over, I could be at peace that this pregnancy IS different, and I hopefully and am praying hard that I won't be faced with another emergent delivery situation.  Everything was fine with the appointment and I'm down to weekly appointments now. 
I am having an ultrasound next Monday, so I'm very excited about that.  I have stacks of ultrasounds from the twins because I was high-risk.  I have 2 sets from this baby.  :-(  I felt like we knew the twins before they were born because their personalities shone through the ultrasounds, even though we didn't know their genders.  I feel like I don't know this baby very well, even though I know he's a he.  I remember seeing the twins' faces, you could see their hairlines and noses in the 3D pics....it was neat.  I am so curious to see what this baby looks like and what his personality will reveal.  I know I won't get all that at an ultrasound on Monday, but I at least am excited about the opportunity to see him once more before delivery day.    We are doing the ultrasound because of a family history of BIG babies.  Dustin was about 10 pounds and all of my neices and nephews were 10 pounds plus, especially the boys.  Let's face it, I had 11 pounds of twins in my belly before my body called it quits and the pre-eclampsia started.  We don't want to be faced with a surprise like that in the middle of delivery, or be faced with an emergency.  So....hopefully we'll get a good estimate.  I also want to see how he's laying because I think I know, but I could be totally wrong. 
Anyway, I'm off to bed.  I'm very tired lately and the little guy must be laying on a nerve in my back, because it is very hard to sleep, my back is hurting a lot at night.  No real complaints though......just the usual pregnancy stuff.  :-) 
Our neice Riley is going to be born in the morning, so Dustin & I will go see her tomorrow night. 

It won't quit....

Well, I had been gone about 10 minutes this morning when I get a call from Dustin saying that Carson has diaherrea AGAIN.  Urrggghhhh.....Dustin is better though.  So.......he's back on the probiotics.  I had left early to go to a dress appointment to pick out our bridesmaids dresses for Nicole's wedding.  We found a dress - YAY!  We even ordered them.  Even with my pregnant belly.  The lady measured my pregnant belly.  Nice.  I won't even tell you the inches.  It was bad.  :-)   We then had a nice lunch and I must admit I may or may not have stalled a bit because I knew what was waiting at home-a poopy crib.  Dustin just shut the door and left it for me, as I had instructed.  Honestly, poop doesn't phase me.  I'm used to it I guess-is that bad?  We got it all cleaned up and the kids were in great spirits, so hopefully it's a fluke and nothing major.  They were so cute playing today and were sharing and being so sweet.  I ask them most mornings if the "cute bug" bit them overnight.  They just seem cuter every day and sweeter too- but I AM a touch biased!  :-)   Emmy's new crib tent came today too, so that is installed too.  Everyone is napping now.  Well, playing but soon to be napping I hope.  So....if we ever all get well, we will have to finish our Christmas visiting and deliver the birthday gift from the party we missed.  Maybe by summer???????? 

Quick Update

Well.....Dustin is worse today.  I've been taking care of him and the kids and now I feel a little
sick myself.  I hope and PRAY I don't get this stuff.  I can't afford to get sick in my condition. 
Please say a prayer this passes through our house VERY quickly and uneventfully.  I have put
Dustin on the same brand of probiotic that helped Carson, but I can't take it.  :-( 
Anyway, I'm off to find something I can take and get ready for the kids to get up from nap.
They took a late one since I had an eye dr. appointment and we had a long list for Walmart of
stuff Dustin wanted.  Will update again soon..............

That's What I Get For Thinking....

I was just thinking we were over the hump and on the mend.....then at about 10:30 this morning, the door opened and Dustin walked in with the stomach virus.  I think his must be at 24 hour thing, because he seems much better this evening.  In the 9 years I've known him, he's only left work one other time for sickness.  He must have really felt bad today.  He rested most of the day and the kids never realized he was home until supper time when he's normally home anyway because he stayed in bed. 
Carson is much better, I am just trying to get his weight back on that he lost.  He's already a shrimp!  I can't get rid of my cold, but that's okay.  It's better, just lingering.  Emmy's had a runny nose and this evening Dustin was holding her, trying to clean it.  She started kicking her legs and said "I cannot believe it."  You really never know what she will say.....we were cracking up at her.  She's SUCH the drama queen. 
I have been cleaning like crazy around here.  You probably couldn't tell if you came by, but we are getting more ready for the baby each day.  34 weeks down, 6 at the most to go!!!  The baby's room is just about ready, we just need Daddy to put the crib together.  I have the cradle in our room, set up and ready to go.  His clothes are all put away, I have the bottles and nursing supplies in the dishwasher right now, and I cleaned our bathroom really well tonight.  That had nothing to do with him, it just really needed to be done.  I don't think the whole house has ever been somewhat clean and straight at the same time, because we've always had a junk room since we moved here right before the twins were born.  I must say, it is nice NOT to have a junk room.  My outdoor shed is pretty full, but we've purged a lot and I hope to purge more.  Our bedroom has more stuff than I'd like in it, but it really can't be helped.   It's now the "office" in addition to our room.  I also have the vaccuum in here because I don't know what else to do with it right now.  It hasn't found a home. 
I still need to pack the diaper bag, hospital bag, put the carseat in the car, and put the bedding on the crib once it's put together.  I also have some cute things for his wall once the crib is up.  The theme is based on the bedding set Amanda found for me for $15- it's transportation.  It has fire trucks, cars, etc. on it and is so cute.  Anyway, we are well on our way to being totally prepared for our little guy!!!  I am getting more excited each day, and more at peace with having to leave the twins for delivery.  I'm not happy about it, but I am praying about it and finding peace.  I am glad to know I can send Dustin back to spend time with them if needed.  I don't want them away from both of us for possibly 3-4 days. 
Well, I have cleaned a lot today, so I'm off to rest.  Tomorrow I go back to eye dr. to check new contacts and the kids are going with me.  Before you think I've lost my mind....my grandma will sit in the car with them.  We may have to run an errand for her, and I'm sure the kids will be glad to get out of the house.  They like to get to go places. 
More later.....

Quick Health Update

Okay, here's the skinny on us.  Carson has a stomach virus, whatever is going around.  The pediatrician did not need to see him (thank goodness), since he's not been running a fever.  She gave me the name of a medicine (a probiotic) to mix with gatorade for him to hopefully help with the stomach issues.  Soooo....I waited in line at the Walmart pharmacy FOREVER and spoke to the pharmacist and got the stuff because they keep it behind the counter, but it's not prescription.  He drank it down no problem, after I let him stir his own drink up and pick his gatorade flavor.  Silly boy.  He seems kind of puny today....but he was sad when his cousins left this morning(Papa and the cousins babysat for me, I was home by 10:30 and had a ton of stuff done, I'm so productive today!) , so I think that had something to do with it.  He loves playing with them.  I hope he's close to being on the mend.  And I hope, pray, have my fingers crossed no one else gets it.  I'm glad we have been staying home and not spreading these germs around. 

I had an eye dr. appointment this morning, I am happy to have new contacts-YaY!  I can see again.   My old ones were too weak for sure.  I'm glad it's done because I tend to procrastinate just a bit... :-) 

My check up Monday went well.  I am 33 weeks along now.  The baby has a strong, healthy heartbeat and he is VERY active!  I go again on the 16th, then I'll be down to every week visits.  Yikes!  We will have a new bundle of joy before you know it.  I'm starting to get more excited and less overwhelmed.  We'll see how that changes once he's here and I'm sleep deprived.  :-) 

The twins had their 2 year check ups on the 23rd.  Here are the stats:

Carson- birth weight 5 lb. 4 oz. 19 1/2 inches long.  NOW- 28.5 lb. 34.7 inches long
He is in the 50th percentile for everything, he's just your average boy.  But not to us- haha. 
His speech is SO much better than his 18 month check.  He only said about 3 words then, now
he's a chatterbox.  I knew he'd catch up no problem.  He also had infantigo on a spot by his mouth, so we got meds for that.  It's cleared up nicely.  He likes taking medicine and actually reminds me about it.....wonder how long that will last.  He would come up to me and point to the spot for me to apply the cream.  He also likes his Benadryl when he's sick. 

Emilynn-birth weight 5 lb. 9 oz. 19 1/2 inches long.  NOW-33.5 lb. 36 inches long
She is in the 95th percentile for height, off the charts on weight.  She has no issues though
and is healthy as a horse.  It is nice that both kids are so healthy and right where they need to be, we are so blessed! 

As for percentiles...I never understood them before I had kids, and I don't weigh too much into them except it's interesting at times.  So, in case you're wondering....
if 100 two year olds were lined up, Emilynn would be heavier than all of them, and taller than 95 of them.  FYI. 

Oh, and we got busted for having cups in bed.  They do have milk in them so that's okay, right?  That is truly our only bad habit-no binkies or bottles or anything like that......We'll see if we can break it....I don't know that I'm sold on the idea yet.  Will keep you posted on that......

Well, I'm being beckoned to the lunch table....gotta run.   Oh, and no shots at our 2 year visit-yay!  We are good to go till next year!  :-)  Good thing cause I'll be running the baby back and forth for all those initial visits you do when they are newborns. 

Catching Up

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a safe & happy new year.  We rang in the new year...sick. 
Dustin woke up New Year's Eve with a throat on "fire" and was sick for a few days.  My cold is still lingering....but much less bothersome.  Emilynn is fine, Carson is mostly over his cold.  He now has diaherrea and has thrown up once each day.  Poor guy.  This has been going on since Monday.  Now before you go thinking I'm a bad mom and all.....he has had no fever, has been very active, and it hasn't been constant.  I AM going to call the dr. tomorrow and possibly take him in to get checked out. 
I hope we are getting all this sickness out now.  I feel like we are quarantined.  We missed a birthday party, church, and our weekly dinner at Nanny's over the weekend, and I have yet to take my Granny her Christmas gift.  Maybe next week???  Tomorrow is going to be busy though because I'm going to the eye dr., then possibly take Carson to pediatrician, then dance, then a Relay for Life meeting.  Lots to do.  We've done nothing most of the week, so I will be exhausted tomorrow night. 

Christmas was wonderful, it was much slower paced than in years past.  Dustin wants to stay at home even more next year, so we'll see if we can re-arrange some stuff for that to happen.  As it was, we all got naps each day which helped.  We let the kids play till lunchtime too, so that was nice before heading to our first stop-my grandma's house.  Dustin woke us all up on Christmas, he was more excited than the kids!  The biggest "hit" from Santa was a Step 2 Train Track table.  The kids both loved it!  They didn't even look at their other toys that day and they played really nicely together with it, which surprised me.  Emilynn did get a Graco twin doll stroller, just like our big one, a pack and play for her babies, a carrier.  The train thing was technically Carson's, but they both play with everything.  They also got books, 2 movies, clothes, new bath towels, Melissa & Doug play food-another big hit, toy vaccuums (from us), and of course the usual socks, underwear, undershirts....can you have Christmas without those?  I think not.  A fur-real kitten was also a big hit, and kid sized bag chairs.  As far as other people go, Meme & Poppy were kind enough to give us a baby grand piano for Em & a drum set for Carson.  How thoughtful right?  They are a hit, but I have relocated them to their bedroom for my sanity.  :-)  Boo Boo gave Carson a tool box with his name on it and tools inside, which he loves.  Emmy got the chunkiest baby doll ever from Aunt Amanda, which we have named "Chuckie Sue" off of Sesame Street-one character has a hamster by that name.  Oh, and Emmy got those plastic play high heeled shoes from my Nanny, she loves them.  A monster truck from my Nanny is also popular with both kiddos because they watch Monster Jam with Da-da.  All in all, they got lots of neat toys and things.  I have packed some away for the long winter when we can't go outside.  Oh, and their b-day was filled with more toys and fun-will post on that later with cake pics.....
I am glad I don't have to think about Christmas for a while, cause you know I start thinking about it in the summer.... :-)   I need a break for a spell.  We did do a good deal of riding to look at lights, and all the church services throughout the holiday are so nice.  It really helps keep things in perspective about the true meaning of the holiday.  The twins are really into birthdays now, so I hope next year we can focus even more on Jesus' birthday. 
Now I'm on to working on the baby's room in full force, since all the gifts are out of there.  I have washed about 6 loads of stuff for the little guy.  I got his crib bedding done, cradle bedding done, blankets, burp rags, newborn clothes, 0-3 month clothes in case he's a chunk :-), car seat cover, big blankets for winter travelling to and from places, and other stuff I'm probably forgetting.  I've had the machine going non-stop. 
One thing about being sick, I got SO behind on laundry and housework.  It's hard to keep up when I'm not sick.....and all the new stuff doesn't help because the twins drag it all out every day.  The toys probably are the hardest thing to keep picked up, even with them helping to the best of their ability. 
I have found that I need to do a load of laundry every day to keep up.  It's good to run the dishwasher too every day, but sometimes I can let that slide two days. 
Well, as a resolution I've been trying to get to bed earlier these days.....so I'm off to read a while before bed.  Oh, I almost forgot....MY favorite Christmas gift was....an Amazon Kindle Fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I LOVE it!   Call me out of the loop, but I had not even heard of it.  Yes, I am not only quarantined but cut off from the latest and greatest gadgets.  The thing is, I have a kindle, the first one that came out actually.  And I love it.  And I'm always kind of frugal, so I hate to splurge on me.  Especially because my other Kindle worked just fine.  Or so I thought.....until I opened my gift from my grandparents and there it was.  I still had no idea how cool it would be until I asked my technologically saavy sister Abbey that night what I could do with a Kindle Fire.  She was immediately jealous I had it, so I knew I was on to something!  Hehe.... Christmas night it took me all of 5 minutes to set up, transfer all my books over, and start surfing the web.  Here I thought my laptop was convenient.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!!!!  I had asked for Amazon gift cards to buy some new releases that I wanted and boy was I surprised with my new toy instead.  I did get a gift card from my Dad & Dawn, so I got the Kindle and new books.  Awesome!   And I know I've gone on and on about it, but it was a true surprise and I don't know when I've gotten so excited about a gift, especially as I've entered my ahem....thirties.
Anyway, I'm off to read and then call it a day.  More later....I will update on ALL of our recent dr.'s visits.