36 weeks IN/OUT

This actually isn't my last pregnancy shot, but since I was going to be on vacation for a 37 weeks comparison I did 36 weeks instead. I have to say - I think I was looking pretty good for 36 weeks with twins. ;)

My goal was to make it 39 weeks with my girls, and I was well on my way. No bed rest, no pre-term labor, we were rockin' that twin pregnancy. But at 37 weeks we found out our last routine ultrasound that my sweet little Averie wasn't growing quite as well as she had been, which led us to believe that maybe her 2 vessel cord and/or placenta was starting to cause some problems. So to be on the safe side and to try and avoid any sort of emergency situation, we induced a little early at 37+2 (but great for twins).

It was quite the whirlwind those last couple of days and not exactly how I had envisioned or planned my last weeks or as it turned out days of pregnancy to be. And my labor and delivery, that's a whole other story. (You can read it HERE if you want).  But as any mom of multiples knows, you have to just hold on and ride the wave. It's might crash over you a few times and you might have some trouble coming up for air, but in the end; you'd do it all over again.

Happy 36 weeks my sweet twinsies. You my dears are the best little twosome surprise we ever got.
 

No Words Needed - Wordless Wednesday {Twins}

Kinder Performace - De Colores {video}

My third daughter is in a Dual Immersion/Two-Way Immersion Program. It is brand new to our district this year and it has been amazing. The teacher was awesome and I am so amazed at how much the kids have learned.

It's been an amazing year and I was looking forward to the Spring Performance and hearing one of the "known" Spanish songs that has been sung by my older girls and to see if the kids, especially the Immersion Kids, knew the words. :) Last week was the Kinder Performance. The kids worked SO hard and it was so much fun seeing their costumes and listening to the songs that they learned. They did such a great job.

And because I wanted to hear this song so bad - here it is. Also, I apologize for the shaky video. I wasn't planning on recording, so I didn't have my tripod and my toddler was tugging on my pant leg. But they sound cute! ;)

14 years and counting - Happy Birthday, McKenzie!

FOURTEEN. Yes, I said FOURTEEN. How in the world am I a mother to a FOURTEEN year old daughter?

This daughter.



This beautiful and crazy daughter. The daughter that makes me so proud, but also sometimes makes me pull my hair out.



I stepped into motherhood a fresh faced girl of just 19 and really had no idea what I was doing. Sure, I knew how to change diapers and feed her and love her, but to raise her? I knew I had to teach her and guide her and make sure she grew up to be someone that I would be proud to stand on the rooftops and shout "Yes, that is my daughter and I am proud to be her mother!" And just 14 years later I can stand on any rooftop and shout "Yes, that is my daughter and I am proud to be her mother!"



She is kind. She is loyal. She is loving. She is smart. She is beautiful; both inside and out. She is sensitive. She is daring. She is athletic. She is funny. She is a leader. She is creative. She is an animal lover. She is a wonderful big sister. She is a fabulous daughter. She is true to herself. She has integrity. She is an achiever.



In just a couple of months she will be starting high school and college at the same time. I know she will thrive and excel and amaze us all. I can't wait to see what the next year brings and how she will continue to make us all proud.

As I say every year; McKenzie, thank you for choosing me to be your mother. Even with all of your crazy antics, I couldn't have asked for a better first born daughter.

Love you to the moon & back.

Mom

Shopping with Twins (and more) = Lots of Looks

hen one has twins, plus 4 more kids, you get lots of looks when you go out. And lots of "you have your hands full", "twins?", "better you than me." Sure it's annoying as all get out, but that doesn't stop us from getting out and getting things done.

I've been going out with the twins since just a few days old and then within the first week I was doing my errands with them, the toddler and sometimes even the bigger kids. And yes, the majority of the time I was (and still am) by myself. I quickly became versed on how to push a double stroller and pull a shopping cart. But even before I had the twins, I researched and YouTube(d) how to tandem baby wear. There were lots of videos of moms (and dads) using stretchy wraps, woven wraps, mei teis, ergos.

I quickly found that while my babies loved to cuddle next to each other, hold hands and just be overall lovey-dovey with each other; they did not like to wrapped together in a stretchy wrap one bit! As soon as the other baby joined the first, craziness would break loose and I'd have 2 screaming babies instead of 2 calm ones.

So I scratched that idea and quickly became versed in how to wear two babies in my BabyHawk Mei Teis. Once my bigger twin got a little bit of head control, on my back she went - here I was getting some double practice in when they were just about 7 weeks old.

 

Then as they got bigger and more head control we graduated to wearing two Ergos. And this is how we go out and about to the store most days. I like the 2 Ergos better, since it's much easier to get just one off when needed and not having to unwrap/tie both in the BabyHawks.

Getting ready for a Target run.


And because I always have people ask "Did you put that baby on your back yourself", here's a little video of how it's done.

Moral of the story - wear your babies, be independent and get out there! You might get some looks, I know I sure do. But you'll feel like a total ROCKSTAR!