Friday, May 30, 2008

5 Days and Counting

This is ready


And so is this


I still need to pack my bag and pick up a few more things at the store. The girls are really excited. I am getting antsy sitting around knowing I still have a bunch of things to do. Yesterday Tyler worked from home and I was able to rest lots. He is back at the office today, so we'll see how it goes trying to keep off my feet and entertain these two monkeys.


They put together a show for me yesterday. Shanna had Kaci dressed up in rain clothes and fashioned a microphone stand together with the middle plastic part of a scotch tape roll, silly putty and a drum. They cut out rain drops and taped them on the umbrella, then Kaci sang "Rain Rain Go Away" while Shanna played it on the piano. It was really cute!

We'll see what all they come up with today to stay busy. Tyler's parents come tomorrow. It will be fun to have them here, and nice to have some help entertaining the girls.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

The Sun Is Shining This Morning

I woke up feeling like I received a gift last night. I slept ALL night long! My cold is feeling a lot better too. I think today will be happier!

I always dream about having nothing to do in a day where I can just sit and read and relax. But, when that has been prescribed, all you want to do is REBEL and clean and run around! I have never followed rules very well...

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Another day, another trip to the hospital

Well, the trip to the doctor this morning was not encouraging. My blood pressure was still high. They sent me over to the hospital to be monitored laying down. (This is all deja vu from before I had Shanna.) My blood pressure went down right away, and I stayed for only a few hours. Now, I am supposed to be on limited bed rest until next week.

So, first of all, I am thrilled I didn't end up with a c-section today. I am so excited to have her here, but I just don't feel ready. I have everything "ready", but am overwhelmed too. My house is a mess and I really don't feel at peace just leaving it all for a few days of staying in the hospital. Tyler and I both have colds, and I really REALLY want everyone healthy for when she is born.

I was so anxious and ready for the other two births. Why do I feel this way? One week from now she'll be here. Will I be ready then? I think once my mom and Tyler's parents come I will feel a little more at ease. There is a lot of pressure to keep the girls happy and busy and the house standing with how busy and stressed Tyler is. I am sure that both of us having colds and not sleeping doesn't help either.

On the other hand, just thinking of holding my newest daughter one week from today brings a smile to my face and makes me feel guilty for admitting that I'm not anxious and ready.

Am I just worn out, stressed and tired? Or can this be blamed on hormones?

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Chef Shanna

I started something new this week with the girls. One night a week, they get to plan and make dinner. Shanna got to go first, and made spaghetti, fruit salad and snow cones. She was so excited!

Kaci pretended that she "owned this place" and set the table and made sure that everyone was present when it was time to sit down.

Shanna was so proud of how her meal turned out, and it was a lot of fun to cook with her. I am excited to see what Kaci plans for Friday night!

Fun Weekend

We had a great weekend together. The weather was great, we got some projects done, we took the girls to the park yesterday and had all kinds of fun. We played on the playground, flew kites and played some softball. We had friends over for a BBQ last night... It was great!

My doctor appointment this morning was a little surprising. My blood pressure is high for the first time. I am going back tomorrow to have it checked again. It may be due to some Sudafed that I took during the night, so hopefully it will be back down tomorrow. I have been doing so well this whole pregnancy up until now. I guess I better get things squared away just in case!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Breakfast Tomorrow


YUM!!

She makes me laugh!

Out of nowhere, (and in a very serious voice) Kaci announced this today:


"Motorcycles can't go in car washes"

Friday, May 23, 2008

Last Day of School

Click to play Last Day of School!
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The Sweetest Song Ever

My sister in law sent this song to Tyler, saying it reminded her of him and our girls. It is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "Cinderella"

It makes me get all teary, just like when I hear "Butterfly Kisses."

I heard that this man's daughter was accidentally killed a few days ago. My prayers are with him and his family. I love it when it feels like someone created a song just to touch my heart.

School's Out!

I'm doing my happy dance... school's out today! No more waking a grumpy girl in the morning and being a Drill Sargent barking marching orders before 8am. Thank goodness the "themed days of May" are over too! (Today being the last one, "Clean Like Crazy Day" where I am still looking for the Mr. Clean eraser to send with her) No more waking Kaci up from her nap to go pick Shanna up in the afternoon. No more frantic calls about forgetting homework, book orders, or that her lunch buddy spilled tomato soup all over her clothes and that she needs a new outfit! WAHOO!

Now, I just have to figure out how to keep her busy, the TV to a minimum, and keep the mood happy between the sisters. Shanna doesn't want school to be over, she really enjoys going. She got a perfect report card yesterday and was actually really worried about if she passed on to third grade or not! She had a great teacher this year, but has a funny way of wearing them out. Her kindergarten teacher switched grades after Shanna's class, her first grade teacher switched schools and now her second grade teacher is retiring. Hmmm... Those poor teachers really don't get paid enough for what they do for our kids!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Dear Baby,

I know it must be very cramped and claustrophobic in my tummy. I wouldn't like being upside down for that long either. BUT, as hard as you are trying, you aren't going to be successful in coming out on your own. All of the contractions and wiggles of your head aren't going to get you here any sooner. Your sisters both tried, but they weren't able to figure it out either. So please, let life be a little more comfortable for me and just chill for the next 13 days. The days will go fast, I promise. June's birthstone is much prettier than May's anyways. Maybe we could work some sort of arrangement where you could have a nice string of pearls for your 16th birthday. We are so excited to meet you!

Love, Mommy

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Cute Girls


Kaci is already awake, but they were sleeping just like this when I went in to their room yesterday! I don't know how they can actually sleep like this.
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Artichokes


Check out these artichokes! If anyone has any good recipes, (or want some artichokes) let me know. They are coming out of our ears now!
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The Turtle


These pictures still aren't working right, but I noticed that it finally uploaded the ballet pictures last night. Scroll down a few posts to see Ballerina Girl. Here's the turtle that we found last night!
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What lurks in your backyard?

I really wish I could get the picture to work, so you'll have to use your imagination until I can post one.

We were getting ready for bed last night, Tyler went outside to bring the dog in. He started laughing and told me to come look at something. I thought he had seen a snake or a frog or something.

Guess what was sitting next to Cocoa's bowl? A big turtle!

Cocoa had been barking while we were watching tv, but I never guessed he was barking at a turtle! We haven't seen this turtle for over a year. I am now convinced that they can come and go whenever they want. But, WHERE DO THEY GO? We have never spotted one while doing yard work or playing in the backyard.

Tyler picked it up and put it in the pond. I have my doubts he'll be there when I check later! Isn't Cocoa a good dog to just bark at it and then leave it alone? When he came inside, he had these big concerned eyes like he was trying to tell us "I didn't do it."

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

You've just gotta laugh sometimes

It's better to laugh than explode.

Me: Kaci, please carry these two glasses of water to your bedroom. One is for you, one is for Shanna.

Kaci: (coughs)

Me: Kaci, make sure you don't cough in your sister's cup.

Kaci: Do you want me to cough in mine?

Ballerina Kaci


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Is it time yet?

Baby's head is down, I can barely walk... I think that c-section actually sounds like a good idea now. 2 more weeks to go. I can do it, I can do it, I can do it!

It feels (and sounds) like groundhog's day. Kaci has a cough and runny nose, Shanna sounds congested. Next week when school is out, everyone is quarantined. No one leaves this house. (That's not really going to work, but it'd be nice!) If you're sick, don't even e-mail me! I have GOT to get everyone healthy for when the baby comes. This year has been the worst. I just don't get it... we eat healthy, take vitamins, get plenty of rest, wash our hands lots... why is it so hard to stay healthy? At least school is almost out, I think that is the source of most bugs.

I'm still trying to figure out why I can't upload pictures. I have some cute ones of Kaci at her recital. Tyler was up late last night fixing the server so that I could post, but the pictures still won't upload. He is so sweet to make my blog a priority with everything else he has going on!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

The Littlest Ballerina

Thanks, Magic Fairy. Your fairy dust worked miracles and Kaci was feeling almost back to herself and was SO excited to have her turn on stage! She was front and center and danced her little heart out! She instructed Tyler on exactly what she wanted him to wear (fancy clothes) when he went on stage to give her flowers. (She requested pink roses and got 2 dozen of them!) She had absolutely zero stage fright and was a little disappointed that it was all over so quick. I had happy proud tears in my eyes as I watched my youngest (not for long though) have her moment to shine.

Shanna danced her tap number, "Hit the Road Jack" and had such a beautiful smile and so much spunk and energy. She is a beautiful girl, and a natural performer. She was such a sweet sister helping Kaci and encouraging her. I am so proud of the love that they share for each other, and both are each other's biggest fans. Kaci kept asking when Shanna was going to be on the stage, and when she finally was, before the music started, she shouted "GO SHANNA!" Shanna was bummed that she had to be backstage while Kaci performed. It was a fun night, and I felt so proud to sit in the audience and watch two beautiful girls dance and smile and shine!

I have pictures to share, (of course) but I can't get them to upload. I'll post them soon!

Friday, May 16, 2008

To Jacob, Joey, Haylee and JJ


Hi, it's me... your kitty. I miss you! Shanna and Kaci are having so much fun taking care of us and have been giving us food and water and playing lots. Last night, we were cuddly... today we were hyper and playful. Kaci is determined to hold both of us at the same time, but we'd rather she didn't. Shanna got to experience digging with a shovel in our sandbox today. She didn't think it was that great and wants to know if any of you have to do that, or if your Mom does it for you. Anyways, I hope you are having fun on your trip and I will be excited to see you when you get home! Love, Kitty

(I'll leave it up to you to guess which kitty is writing you this letter because I have no idea which one I took the picture of!)

Ballet Recital

Shanna had her ballet recital tonight and was beautiful (of course!) Here's a look back at how she has grown!

This is her first recital - Pre Ballet 1


Second recital (Shanna is on the right.) Pre-Ballet 2


Third recital Pre-Ballet 3


Ballet 1


Ballet 2

Shanna preforms her tap number tomorrow night... and Kaci has her ballet debut!

However... there seems to be a glitch in everything we attempt lately, and Kaci is not feeling well. Please, please, pretty please cross your fingers that she wakes up feeling ALL better tomorrow and it can be her turn to shine. I can't tell you how many things she has sat through watching Shanna, knowing that she was too little to participate. It is heartbreaking to watch her be disappointed, and we always tell her that she can do it when she is older. She stores that information into her head and happily cheers for Shanna. It would break my heart (and hers) to have her miss her first recital tomorrow.

That's all for tonight, magic fairy, please sprinkle some fairy dust over our house while we sleep.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

A Future Problem

This is Kaci's baby stroller, which is more commonly used as a shopping cart. This is what it looks like on a daily basis. She loves to load it up and pretend like she is shopping. This makes cleaning up the playroom a very long process since she is very random in what she shops for.

We have had a rule for a while, that the only thing that is allowed in the baby strollers is ONE baby. (She used to "clean" up this way too. Just throw everything in the stroller and the room looks clean... right?)

Yesterday, this is what her shopping cart looked like when she was supposed to be getting ready for dance. When I asked her what she was doing, instead of mentioning anything about getting ready for dance, she said "trying to fit all of this stuff into my stroller."

Maybe she could be on that game show where you get to keep anything you can stuff in a shopping cart! Otherwise, we have a shopping problem in her future!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Why My Morning Started With A Smile

When I went to wake Shanna for school, this is how my angels were sleeping! Can you see them holding hands?

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

BPA Free Bottles?

I have been debating on this whole new BPA free thing. I am sure you have heard about it being in water bottles, tupperware and of course... baby bottles. The new tupperware I just bought a few months ago of course is labeled "7", and the new baby bottles I bought are not BPA free. For a while, I thought it was just a fad, a designer way to get you to buy new stuff.. but now I am starting to hear more and more about it and feeling like maybe I should shell out the extra dough to get BPA free stuff. That means new bottles, a new pump, new tupperware. What do you think?

Monday, May 12, 2008

Can she do that?

Kaci has decided that we were mean and inconsiderate when we decided on her name. First she was set on changing her name to "Sara" and naming the baby "Kaci." I guess that didn't work for her, so tonight she tried something different.

Her name is now Rebecca.

It is pretty darn funny, but she is so set on it. She asked for the salt to be passed to her at dinner, and we told her that Rebecca doesn't like salt, only pepper. No, that didn't work, because she is Rebecca, so she knows what Rebecca likes.

We'll see how long this one lasts...

Mother's Day

I had the best day yesterday. I woke up late (they let me sleep in!) and found two gorgeous girls, with their big blue eyes smiling at me, saying "Happy Mother's Day!" I am so lucky to be their Mommy.

The day was special and simple and perfect. Shanna wrote why she loves me and framed it at school. Kaci made the cutest card ever. Shanna helped her with the words, and drew a picture that Kaci colored. It is so heartwarming to see your kids work together.

Tyler made his famous omelets for breakfast and grilled steak for dinner. We played and laughed and planted some new flowers. I even got an afternoon nap! I felt so loved and special!

I always wish Tyler and I could be with our Moms on Mother's Day... I hope they felt our love yesterday even though we were far away.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Softball Time


Shanna had her first softball game last night. She is playing Awesome this year! You can see that she is her Daddy's girl - she has his natural upper body strength. She played 3rd base and she can really rip that ball over to first! Every time she was up to bat, she would smack it to the outfield!







Kaci was entertaining, as usual!


...And Happy


How did I marry the most gorgeous man in the world??

Science Fair

Shanna (and her #1 fan) after the science fair

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Baby Date!

I just heard from the doctor, and our baby is going to be born on June 4th! That's less than 4 weeks away! I am so excited to know the date and get everything planned. I think Shanna was born one day too late, she's on the 5th of May, Kaci is the 4th of October and baby is going to be on the 4th of June! Grandmas... start your planning!

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Would you wake her?


Aieaiyaaiii... where do I start??? Let's just say "it was a day" and leave it at that. Anyways, little miss stinker finally got her nap, but 30 minutes later, it was time to run again. I had to make the hard choice on to wake a peaceful (for the first time in the day) princess or let her sleep. I chose to wake the sleeping dragon... and paid for it.

Shanna had a good time at her science fair, she didn't win anything but overall it was a good day for her. I took a picture on the other camera and it's in the car... I'll post it later. We are off to a softball game. I feel like lately I could be an air traffic controller. I make sure the planes stay in the air with the right people in them at the right time, with the right equipment. More later, this plane is ready for departure!

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Regional Science Fair

Since Shanna won first place at her school science fair, she is going to the regional science fair tomorrow!

She is not really that thrilled, she is missing a field trip and from 9-12 she has to sit in front of her project. *Parents are not allowed during that time. Sounds dumb, huh? I guess it forces them to be responsible for answering the judge's questions on their own.

I am trying to talk it up about how much of an honor it is, but I guess for a kid missing the first field trip of the year it isn't that great. I'll take a few pictures and post them tomorrow! Wish her luck!

Wanna See Cute?


Here is Kaci with her first little bun! It was picture day at ballet.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Happy Birthday Shanna!


Happy Birthday To My Sunshine Girl!
May 5

Here is a look back at 8 fun years! (Make sure you have the sound turned up!)

Shanna, you are beautiful, sweet, smart, silly, creative, graceful and fun to be around. I hope that your birthday is a happy, fun day!

Love, Mom



Click to play Happy Birthday Shanna!
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My Happy Moment


Flowers from our yard, beautifully presented by my sweetheart! It's how we keep Colorado close to us. We also had our first artichokes from the garden tonight... yum!

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Fun Party

We had Shanna's party today and had a blast. We were pretty worried about the weather, but about 15 minutes before the party, it all cleared up and was perfect! She had 15 friends come and everything went really smooth. It is great to watch so many kids have fun in our backyard. They played on the slip and slide, the trampoline, the play set and with golf clubs and beach balls. I made a sandcastle cake. The picture doesn't show it off very well, but I was pleased with how it turned out!


We are exhausted tonight, but it was a good day all around!

Friday, May 02, 2008

8 years ago

8 years ago, this whole motherhood journey began. On May 1st, 2000 they checked me into the hospital to have Shanna. My blood pressure was high, and silly me, I thought I would have her that night.

That was my first clue that kids don't come with an instruction manual. It turned into three days of labor, followed by a surprise c-section, but on the night of May 5th, my beautiful daughter was born.

I always reflect back, but since I am so pregnant this year, the memories seem a little easier to recall. I remember her first cry, I was so surprised by the sound. Then, when I kissed her head for the first time, I remember thinking how hard her head was, how real she was. Those first intense feelings of love that I felt that night will stay locked in my heart forever.

I remember the first few days home with her, how I had to keep reminding myself that she was mine and no one was coming to pick her up and take her home! Each time I realized that she was mine to stay, I felt so lucky.

I always knew that the connection between mother and daughter was so special from being with my mom. But becoming the mom gave me a new appreciation for the love and the bond you share with your daughter.

A lot of changes have happened in 8 years, she has grown up so much and my role has changed and grown with her. I look at her now, so tall and beautiful, her feet are almost as big as mine... yet I can still snuggle her up in my lap and hold her and kiss her forehead like I did 8 years ago.

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Little Braids

Check out Kaci's little braids! She is so proud to have her hair done like Shanna's.

Afraid of a clown?

I have always thought it was funny (sorry, that's kind of mean) when I hear about people who are afraid of clowns. Grown people afraid of a clown?

When we were picking Shanna up from school yesterday, two clowns came out of her school. Two kids dressed up as clowns. Kaci grabbed my hand tightly and looked up at me.

"Mommy, I know those are just people dressed up."

She was telling herself that, but I could see the terror in her eyes. I was a little amused, but she is 3 years old. I gave her a hug and reassured her that those were just kids with make up and dress up clothes on.