Pumpkin Pics

Favorite Picture #1

Favorite Picture #2

All pictures were taken before C got mad because I wouldn't buy a little pumpkin with a rotten spot on it. She proceeded to throw a HUGE screaming, crying and snot-infused FIT in the middle of the church parking lot! Lovely! So glad I snapped these beauties before all of that nonsense!

And just for LAUGHS, here is my favorite picture from the same pumpkin patch last year...my little schnauzer!

Maybe next year we'll make it through the whole excursion without tears...or maybe not!

Picture it!

Okay, so I can't take a picture of myself, so you'll just have to imagine it...

I can no longer sit comfortably at my desk and in my desk chair for more than a few minutes at a time. This obviously poses a problem and interferes with my productivity! Recently, I started turning my desk chair around and working with my laptop on my lap while my legs are propped up in another chair. That has worked okay for a while, but there is ZERO support for my back which is most of the problem. I finally gave up and came home to work this afternoon, and I must say I believe I've found a solution.

I'm sitting in one of our fold-out camping chairs (you know, the kind with the drink holders on the arms?) with a pillow on my back and my feet propped up in another chair. My laptop is on my lap and for the moment, there is not any pain or pressure on my body. I can lean back enough in the chair that my back is relaxed, and the pillow is just giving me that extra support. Ahhhh.

I will probably try and take this set-up with me tomorrow to work. The only problem is that we are STILL waiting on our living room furniture to come in and removing one of the camping chairs is going to equal removing half of our current living room furniture. Hmmm. Ryan said I could fold the chair up every morning and take it to work and then fold it up every evening and bring it home. Wouldn't that be a sight?

I'm TRYING so hard to maintain my sense of humor and keep a positive attitude, but my body is just entering a really uncomfortable phase much earlier than it would with a singleton pregnancy. I get frustrated with myself when I can't go and do certain things with C anymore because my body just says, "NO!" The only time I'm truly comfortable is when I'm laying down in bed...And oddly enough, that isn't too much fun to C!

I'll make it through this. I do not want to be a complainer or a whiner, but I'm told that folks can tell by the look on my face that I am struggling!

Going to the doctor on Friday for another check-up! Woo-hoo! We're taking C this time, so I'll be very interested to see what she thinks about her Baby Brothers!!

I carried a watermelon!

In "Dirty Dancing," Baby is disgusted with herself when all she can think of to say is, "I carried a watermelon!" That was all I could think of when I saw these pictures. I look like I'm carrying a watermelon! I promise, I'm not carrying a watermelon! Just two active little boys! Pics taken at 25 weeks and 6 days.

Big Girl Bed Update

Exhibit A: Big girl in her big girl bed after mommie and daddy FINALLY got it all set up! She was GIDDY with excitement when it all came together! She went and got her “friends” (Sammy, Lovey & Giraffe) and put them in the bed along with her “boppies” (pacifiers)! She kept saying, “Mommie, I sleep in big girl bed! Good night!”

Exhibit B: Big girl actually asleep in her big girl bed after wallering and tossing all of the pillows about! She’s slept in the bed the past two nights and has done really, really well! This picture was taken on the second night!

Corrie’s Tips for Moving a Big Girl to a Big Girl Bed…

1. TALK IT UP! Talk about it for a week before the switch is to happen. Point out “big girl beds” any time you see them on television or in books. Make it sound SO cool! The day of the switch, talk about helping take down the “baby bed” and putting up the “big girl bed.” Ask her, “Where are you going to sleep tonight?” to which she will reply, “My big girl bed!”

2. Let the Big Girl actually help put the “big girl bed” up. We gave C an Allan wrench, a screwdriver and a tire gauge (?) and she had the best time “helping” us work. We praised her like crazy and she was so interested in watching every step.

3. Get the Big Girl some pretty new sheets! We got some at Kohl’s with pink flowers on them. I made a big deal about all the pretty flowers in her new bed! When the sheets are covered up, she asks to see the pretty flowers!

4. GET A BEDRAIL! The one we got is from Target. It was affordable (around $35, I think) and it has two small pockets on the inside where C has her “boppies” stashed. She is so jazzed about the “boppies” being so handy! She keeps saying, “Boppies go in there!”

5. Do your normal night time routine and when you are saying prayers thank God for the “big girl bed” and then put the Big Girl to bed like normal. Turn on the monitor and wait! The first night Ryan had to go in there once and remind her to close her eyes and go night-night. Last night, she didn’t make a peep!

We’re very relieved that things have gone so well. She did have one incident yesterday afternoon when she asked to play in her bed. I put her in the bed and left the room. A few minutes later I heard a thud and then some serious crying. She jumped out of the bed, fell out of the bed or slipped out of the bed. She’s got a red pop-knot on her head, but I think she learned a valuable lesson…Call mommie or daddy when you are ready to get out of bed! Later yesterday evening, I heard her say, “Mommy help you get out!” The girl picks things up SO quickly!

Flu Shot Finale!

I promise this will be my very last post about the flu shot issue. The way things ended is just too good not to share, though!

I posted yesterday about finally giving up on my quest to find a preservative-free seasonal flu vaccination for myself. A friend’s mom had offered to save a vaccine for me and administer it, but it was going to be the regular kind and not preservative-free. After talking about it with Ryan, praying about it and weighing the pros and cons, we decided it would be wisest for me to just get the regular shot.

I felt really peaceful about the decision as I waited for my 3:00 appointment to get the shot. I knew that God was bigger than any shot and was much bigger than any issue that getting the shot might cause.

Well, when I walked into the office a little after 3:00, I was greeted with the news that the single-dose syringe that had been saved back for me WAS in fact the preservative-free kind! I couldn’t believe my ears! After I got the shot and walked back to my car, I stopped for a few minutes to think about what had just happened…

God had asked me to trust HIM. Not science, not “my gut”, not my own misgivings, and not statistics. When I stepped out on that faith in Him alone, He provided in ways beyond all of my expectations! He didn’t want the “victory” to be mine in this situation. He didn’t want me to be given credit for “finding” the preservative-free vaccine. He wanted me to trust Him…vaccine with preservative or vaccine without preservative. When I finally let go and was willing to do that, He got to shine and do His thing!

There isn’t a lot of coherence to the items I want to post, so I’m opting for a numbered list. Humor me!

1. As of today (Monday) I am 25 weeks and 2 days pregnant. If you look at the ticker on the right, you’ll see that we cross-over into double digits this week. Woot-woot! At my appointment on Friday, both boys were weighing in at 1 lb. 11 oz. each. I am very thankful to report that they both have lots of fluid and that my cervix is still measuring at 5 cm. My doctor is pleased with how things are going with the pregnancy and we’re continuing to thank God for good reports! I am taking Nexium for pregnancy induced reflux and nausea, but I can’t complain about that! No big deal! One boy is breech, but I can’t remember which one. Here are a couple of pictures!

This is Reid (Twin A). Thankfully, Chase moved his booty out of Reid’s face so the sonographer could snap this photo of his cute little nose! And I know he looks an awful lot like an alien, but don’t you think he kind of looks a little like me? Maybe an alien-version of me?


This is Chase (Twin B). He’s a fan of sucking his thumb, and I think it is just adorable. He seems to be kind of smirking like he’s thinking, “I’ve got my booty in my brother’s face and there’s nothing he can do about it!”

2. My quest to find a preservative-free flu vaccination for myself has regrettably failed. We have decided that the risks involved with me actually getting the flu are far greater than the shot itself actually causing a long-term problem. All I can say is that I did my very best and exhausted every avenue and there just isn’t one to be found. It is a complete blessing that I’m even able to get one at all! (Thanks Lauren and your sweet mom!) I’m thankful that C’s vaccine was preservative-free. I will continue to be vigilant about the vaccines my children get being preservative-free!

3. My daughter, “Eva”, (that’s what she calls herself when we tell her she’s a diva!) will be moving into her big-girl bed either tonight or tomorrow night. I found a cool comforter on clearance at Bed Bath & Beyond and bought her some cute sheets on Overstock.com. We bought a bed-rail at Target and Ryan’s parents delivered the bed last week. The sheets and mattress pad are in the dryer and the comforter should be here this afternoon. We’ve been talking up the “big girl bed” in hopes that the transition will be smooth! I’ll keep you posted!

4. Additionally, “Eva” enjoyed riding her daddy’s bucking bronco leg this weekend. She laughed and laughed and laughed. Her daddy is simply hilarious! And yes, she wore her 12th Man Jersey EVEN though we got SMEARED! She’s no 2%’er!



5. AND here’s the audience participation portion of this post. I want some opinions because I’m really clueless. Some sweet friends are going to give me and the boys a baby shower in early December. So sweet. SO kind! I am just struggling with who to invite. Some people have so many friends that they worry about leaving someone out. I am the opposite. I don’t want to invite someone and have them think, “Why the heck did she invite me? We’re not BFFs or anything!” I mean, I don’t have a huge social circle here. I have many acquaintances and several folks I don’t talk to often but who I would help in a heartbeat if they needed me. I have great work-friends, and they are giving me a shower on their own. Should I invite people who have invited me to their showers in the past? Many of my close friends live far away, but should I invite them anyway even though I know they won’t be able to attend? I’d love any advice!

I hope you are all enjoying some of this glorious fall weather! I soaked up some sunshine this weekend! The boys got some much needed Vitamin D! Keep it real, friends!

WATCH this video!!

I promise you'll want to watch this video! (Teaser...Clara and I are famous TV stars!)

I must say that my mom completely outdid herself this weekend! Not only did she get the boys' room completely painted, she brought with her their completed bedding! I thought I'd share a few pictures of her AMAZING work!

After she painted, R and I got the cribs put together. Only one bed has a mattress currently because the other crib mattress is still in use. R also got C's new chest of drawers assembled so we moved the changing/dressing table from her room into the boys' room. C's Mimi and Papa (R's parents) are giving C a trundle day bed to use in her "big girl" room. I'm a little nervous about the move to a "big girl" bed, but I guess it is part of life! (Any tips?) The toy box in the boys' room was also moved from C's room to make space for the "possibility" that she'll get a play kitchen for Christmas this year! :)

The room isn't complete yet (of course!) R just ordered a Texas A&M basketball court floor rug for in there. I'm pretty sure he wishes we could have one in the living room, but I have to put my foot down somewhere! I've ordered wall letters to spell out each boy's name and those will go above each crib. R also has a cool Texas flag framed in barn wood that will hang up in there too. The only other accessory I'd LOVE to have in there is a framed picture of my Grandaddy and his twin brother, Wayne, when they were little boys. My Aunt is on the hunt for that! So I'll post more pictures when the room is "done" but it has come a LONG way in one weekend!

And Miss Priss. How could I do a post without including some of her most recent antics? She loves to "help" when I'm getting ready in the morning, but when Gammy is here C prefers to "help" her. This morning, after mom put on her makeup, C wanted the brush to play with. Below you will see the result! I'm thinking we've got the next Sephora makeup model on our hands! Check out those blues too!

And I must be feeling REALLY secure with myself to post this next picture, but I think it is hill-ar-i-ous! C loves to get my undies out of the clean laundry basket and wear them around her neck like necklaces. At one point today, she had on 3 pairs and was running around the house saying, "Woo-woo!" Mom captured this picture of her peeking through one pair making her face framed in a perfect heart!

So, needless to say, nothing is dull around here. I'm feeling good about how the house and the projects are coming together. I'm also feeling pretty good physically and I'm SO thankful for that! I'm growing like crazy! I plan to post a new belly picture soon. None of my medium maternity clothes are fitting anymore. I've resorted to sleeping in R's XL t-shirts and THANKFULLY, my mom bought me a new pair of maternity jeans and 4 new fall tops this weekend. The boys are very active--my favorite thing about my condition! :) I go to the doctor again on Friday and will report more then!

Be blessed, friends!

Help, please!

**UPDATE**
Thanks for your advice on this one, guys! Luckily, I was able to find a pediatric, preservative-free vaccine for C at the Health Department. She will be going tomorrow for that. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find one for myself. My OB and my family doctor are both out. The Health Department has no adult vaccines on hand, and every "quick clinic" (HEB, etc.) I've called is out. SO C will be protected and the rest of us will wait!

Okay, folks. I'm getting kind of desperate and need some advice...

My OB wants me to get a flu shot. No problem. R and I have decided that it will also be wise to get C a flu shot since her brothers will have limited immunity when they are born. No problem.

WELL there is a problem. I refuse to give C any vaccines that contain thimerosol basically because I'm not completely convinced that there is absolutely no autism link. And, why take the chance?

I've done my research and found that FluZone makes a single-dose pre-filled syringe for infants and toddlers 6 months-3 years old. That is really the only one I'm open to use for C. Our doctor's office only carries FluZone in the multi-dose vials and those vials contain a full dose of thimerosol. I've talked to our nurse and she's done her best to call pharmacies to see if they could fill a prescription for the single-does pre-filled syringe of FluZone, but she's had no luck.

Does ANYONE have ANY ideas? Do you think I should call other doctor's offices in town and see if they have the vaccine we want? Do you think they'd give it to someone who isn't an established patient?

There are several other options for me...Mostly pre-filled syringes and single dose vials. You can get more information here. And BTW, if I wasn't pregnant I wouldn't care about getting a dose of thimerosol myself, but since I am pregnant and responsible for what I put in my body and its potential to harm the boys, I'm being overly-cautious!

I'm desperate and looking for advice or help. Please share any ideas that you have! Thanks!

I can’t convey how much I appreciate the kind and encouraging comments, texts, emails and even one real-deal card I got after posting last week! I was in need of some affirmation, and you guys certainly came through. I’m thankful for the prayers that accompanied the words. Things are going to work out. We’re all going to survive and THRIVE! Thanks for walking with me on this journey!!

We went to the doctor on Friday morning and got to see the boys again! Chase weighs 1 pound and 5 ounces, and Reid weighs 1 pound and 4 ounces. That is only a 4% discrepancy and totally normal. We won’t worry unless the discrepancy goes to 20-25%. Both boys are still boys and are moving around LOTS! I start going to the doctor every two weeks now, and as of today I am 23 weeks and 3 days! We were thrilled and thankful for a good report!

(I have some pictures, but none are scanned and ready to post! I'll add them soon!)

I had to break down this weekend and go to Wal-Mart to buy bigger (granny?) underwear and a bigger bra. Sorry if that is TMI for anyone. Things are just growing and I put it off long enough. I hate spending money on stuff like that, but things were beginning to get unbearably uncomfortable!

I have noticed myself doing a lot more grunting when I’m moving around, bending over or trying to get up from being on the floor with C. I guess it makes me feel better to do it, but it is totally involuntary! I am large and getting larger, but it will be totally worth it when these baby boys are born big! I’m praying for 6 pounds each and that I’ll be able to carry until at least 37 weeks!

Princess C has been nothing less than a delight lately. Not even once have I had to threaten to sell her on Craig’s List (okay, you must know I’m kidding!) She must be in a growth spurt because her eating has reached a new high level! I wish there was some way to quantify the things she’s learning every day…It really just blows my mind! She loves “Wonder Pets”, apple slices, M&Ms, playing with sidewalk chalk, looking for bald eagles (?), and swinging outside. I took this picture of her this morning enjoying her apple slices and a little “Wonder Pets” before it was time to head to Nana’s house. I've been putting a little "gel" in her hair to keep her curls tight all day!

My mom is coming this weekend to paint the boys’ room. We’ve got the cribs and hope to get them set up as well. I’ll post pictures when it starts coming together!