Coupon Craziness

I had a great run at Publix the other day and just had to share my savings.

My total before taxes was $46.78. After taxes it was $2.97...can I please add that Rory insisted I get him a 2 liter of coke(not pictured because it was gone before I could take the pic,) which I claim completely screwed up my savings! The coke alone was $1.79. Ugh the nerve of a husband ;)

For all of my local friends, my mom and I have decided to do a Coupon Workshop at the beginning of the year. After the holidays we all know money gets tight for folks and you try to save a dollar wherever you can. We're going to show you how to do just that! :) We're very excited. Over the next few weeks while we plan our materials please give us a day of the week that works for you and a time. We will try to make it convenient for all to attend.

I can't possibly do a post with pictures and not include a recent one of the kiddos :)

***I started writing this a few days after I got home from the hospital. I think I'm ready to share my story. Just a warning there is some pretty graphic stuff in this post.***

I haven't done a blog in a while and I have something weighing heavy on my mind. I've tried for a few days now to push it away, but I have this feeling that it is here to stay and will never go away. Ha...looks like some poetry is calling my name ;) No really onto the serious stuff.

About 3 weeks before the twins were born I had been introduced to a story that was made public on another blog I read and also had been on national tv. A husband and wife tried for years and years to get pregnant. They finally conceived and were blessed with a baby girl. A short time after labor the wife passed away and the husband had been left to grieve the death of his wife but forced to celebrate the new life of a child. How devastating!

I believe in God.

I believe in prayer.

I believe in fate.

and.

I believe in destiny.

On September 12th my destiny had veered off track. Thanks to God, prayer, and fate I got back on track.

At first it was hazing and there were doctors & nurses hovering over me. I couldn't hear them and could barely see them. Then all of a sudden they were yelling my name over and over. I kept telling them that I was there. Nobody heard me. I knew Rory was in the room, I saw him out of the corner of my eye. He looked white as a ghost and has a distant stare in his eyes. I wanted him to know I was fighting and I wasn't ready to go. When I said "I don't want to die" that's when I knew everybody could hear me and then the pain began. I felt doctors pushing so hard on my stomach that I had no idea some of those women had so much strength. I felt excruciating pain as a doctor was "pumpkin scooping" (I later found out that this is my husbands description along with "it looked like a murder scene there was so much blood") my insides. I was being poked and prodded with needles and IV's. I felt the most horrendous pain in every ounce of my body. Luckily, for their sake I was muffled by the oxygen mask that covered my face as I screamed in agony.

It wasn't my time and I sure as hell wasn't ready to leave my husband without a wife and my children without a mommy.

Here is what I remember. My day started out at 3:30am when I woke Rory up and told him that we needed to go to the hospital. I had my cerclage taken out 2 days prior and we had already been to OB Assessment once already. I knew he wasn't thrilled to probably just be sent home again like the night before but this time it was different. We got to the hospital and I was 5cm dilated. At 12:30pm I started pushing and 12:53pm Mr. Braiden Patrick O'Brien made his appearance. Six minutes and two pushes later at 12:59pm Mr. Conley Quinn O'Brien joined us.

We had the boys in the Operating Room just in case something happened. Delivery went perfect and we were headed to recovery. Rory joined me in the recovery room and we had just begun talking about how perfect our two little boys were...and how they looked nothing alike. My biggest fear the whole pregnancy was how in the world am I going to tell the boys apart? What if I get them mixed up? Nothing to worry about now. They are two different looking and behaving boys.

I digress.

Rory had just started talking about how bad he felt that he wasn't in the nursery with the boys, but he was torn because he also wanted to stay in recovery with me. I kept reassuring him that I was fine and he was more than welcome to go visit the boys. Just as those words had come out of my mouth I started getting a weird sensation in my feet. They began to tingle. My tongue was feeling numb. I rolled over on my side because I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and I couldn't breathe. I looked and Rory and said "something is NOT right!"

Later we found out that I had a postpartum hemorrhage. After childbirth a woman's uterus is supposed to "clamp down." Basically, it means to stop bleeding and start to go back to its prepregnancy state. Unfortunately, in my case that did not happen. Because of the twins and my uterus being stretched out for so long, it had basically been "traumatized" and was unable to clamp down and stop bleeding. On average, one pint of blood per minute (for a twin pregnancy) is pumped into the uterus to flow to the babies.

During the time that Rory and I were talking about our beautiful new boys and celebrating their health, my uterus was pooling with blood thinking the twins were still there to use the supply. I was bleeding to death and didn't even know it. I was given a blood transfusion, lots of fluids, iv iron and an extra day in the hospital.

I'm home now and the boys were able to come home with us. Rory and I are so blessed to have come this far even with the complications that started months ago with this pregnancy. We have two healthy boys that are thriving.

Today on a blog I visit was another unfortunate story. A husband lost his wife days after childbirth along with a newborn daughter losing her mom.

I can't escape the feeling that I could be with these women in heaven. (Please pray for their families.)

I'm not.

And I'm thankful for that.

The experience has put so many things into perspective in my life. There are things that need changing. Things I will strive to do differently. I want my husband and children to never have to question how much they mean to me. I want people to know how truly sorry I am if I've ever let them down or disappointed them, hurt them or caused them pain, or at any point caused strife in their life.

*****************************************************************
Reading this again to finish this post has me in tears. There are still things today that I need to do differently; however, I'm doing my best. I am no different than you or the person sitting next to you. I'm imperfect. I do know how lucky I am to be given a second chance. I remind myself of this each time Ava gets under my skin or Rory makes me upset.

Too few people out there get to say "this time around."

For me and my life:

This time around...I'm gonna do it right!

D

Alive & Active

Yes, I'm guilty. I log on the computer everyday going over my daily website list:

www.cnn.com
www.tmz.com
www.craigslist.com
www.robinsyardsales.com
www.fertilichat.com
www.facebook.com
www.hotmail.com
www.any-bill-that-is-due-that-I-can-pay-online.com

I usually average about 2 hours looking on all my sites yet I've managed to stay to myself. In all honesty I've probably been guilty of this even in my one-on-one everyday communications with friends and family. You see, I have this bad habit. When life gets stressful and obstacles get in the way I have this wall that I put up. It's something I've struggled with since about the age of 15. I put the wall up so I can protect myself from the possibility of being hurt and in the meantime everything else in my life takes a back seat. The backseat passengers have to be right there and no closer because if they get closer that means my energy is going to them and not towards protecting myself.

The whole "baby" thing has turned into somewhat of an unspoken stressful silence between Rory and me. We talk about the what-ifs usually once a week. I've been given the luxury of only having once a week doctors appointments now and also have been given the privilege of being off house arrest. That's right...not just couch arrest but I can leave the house! This all sounds like great news and I should be more than thankful. If you want all the medical terminology I'll give it to you. My cervix has shortened to a reasonable measurement 2.3cm, there is minimal funneling with pressure, Braiden (Baby A) weighs 1lb 12oz, Conley (Baby B) weights 2lbs. They are measuring a little behind from what they should but it's nothing to get concerned about right now just something to monitor. Had a little scare with my blood pressure but everything is fine. So all in all I should be very happy. In some small little hidden place I hold onto the happiness with dear life. All it takes is one second for something to turn your world around. I guess that's where the wall comes in handy.

Every doctors appointment, every twinge, every kick, every pinch, every headache, every heart racing and crazy pulse I think "this could be it, this could be the babies time to come." We all know it's waaaay too early for them to make their arrival.

I'm so grateful for everybody asking how I'm doing, but I think until I have two healthy babies in my arms I'm not going to be doing the same as I am today and as I was yesterday and the day before.

Worried. Concerned. Stressed.

I promise I'm not super depressed. A little depressed? Maybe. Wouldn't that be somewhat normal? I've been through a complete unexpected whirlwind that I've never had to experience before, so somedays it is hard not to feel a little down and out. This is actually given me a great opportunity to really enjoy Ava before the boys come. I'm afraid because of the whole ordeal she's getting a little spoiled. I just keep thinking in the back of my mind that this is all the time I have with her just by ourselves.

No more boo hoo'ing...if thats even a word ;)

Let me talk about my ray of sunshine. Little Miss Ava. This child never shuts up. It is pretty humorous at times and tiring other times. She'll talk to herself. She'll talk to her baby dolls. She'll even just sit in a chair and for 30 minutes she'll read books outloud. If you listen to her she says the funniest things. I like to think she gets her sense of humor from me but in all honesty it's probably from Rory because whenever she says something it sounds like something that would come out of his mouth. Let me give some examples. When somebody burps this is what Ava says "Daddy faah-t in his mouf!" No matter how many times you tell the child that it's called burping it doesn't matter, that's not how she sees it. Next example. Out of habit if I have to go to the bathroom (even just to pee) I usually tell Rory "I have to go to the bathroom" when I'm getting up. Don't ask...I have no clue why I must inform somebody that I'm headed to the bathroom. Probably because if you know me you know even if it's just to pee I'll be in there for at least 30 minutes. That's another post.

I digress.

Back to Ava. So, the other day I say to Rory as I'm getting off of the couch "I'm going to go to the bathroom." Let me paint the picture for you. Ava is sitting on the floor playing with her baby dolls completely in la la land. I make my bathroom comment and this is what I hear as I'm walking to the bathroom "HIIII HOOO DAAA DAAYY-WEE OHHH...MOMMY HAS TO POOT!" She calls pooping "pooting" just for clarification.

I might not know exactly where she gets her sense of humor from but as I'm typing this blog I see there should be no confusion of where she gets her babbling from ;)

All in all things aren't too bad around here. I have a beautiful and caring husband, a princess of a daughter, two (so far) healthy boys. I shouldn't complain about too much really.

How about I end this long post on a good note with some pictures. Proof that indeed we are alive & active.

When I make it into the office sometime this week I will scan the newest ultrasound pictures of the boys.

Two Timer

That's right. Rory and I are two timers. We are loyal to Dr. Boddy's office two times a week. Every Monday and every Thursday. The wait can take one hour and we've learned the wait can take three hours. I can't really complain. This is the man that saved the twins. He went against the "book" of medicine and did a procedure that was very risky this late in a pregnancy. Rory and I both trust him and if we have to wait hours to see him then that's what we'll do. In my lame attempts to talk Rory into letting me walk around and go somewhere, I use the wait to my advantage. I haven't come out successful yet and have a feeling I won't anytime soon. My logic is...if I can leave the house and be at Dr. Boddy's office for hours on end then how come I can't do it to run and get lunch per say? or go shopping for the boys? or go to work for a few hours? Who am I kidding. Rory is more strict on me then the doctor ;) That's why I love him!

So, Monday. Braiden is still head down snuggled up. He moves but doesn't like to make himself noticed too much. Conley on the other hand. Conley was heads up, right under the top of my ribs. He is the belly bully. He takes up as much room as he wants and dances all over the place. I came to the conclusion the other day that they love canteloupe or they are practicing jiu jitsu for the future. I still have funneling of the cervix and my cervix had not changed for the better or worse. Everything was basically the same.

Then there's Thursday. Braiden is still head down snuggled up (notice I'll probably be saying this repeatedly.) Conley decided he wanted to whisper secrets to Braiden so he somersaulted his way back down and his feet are now under my ribs. The boys are both almost 2lbs now and are measuring where they should. Here's the news. Funneling? Yes. Cervix change? Yes...FOR THE GOOD! Apparently there was only 2 tenths of a centimeter difference but the doctor was happy so Rory and I became excited. I actually thought that he would say I could get off "couch arrest." Something I'm learning throughout all of this is not to get my hopes up.

Monday is my next appointment. This is when the doctor will make the decision whether I can walk around the house at all. This doesn't mean I get to leave the house...dear God pray for me because I'm losing my sanity...but at least being able to get up and walk around a few times a day will be a blessing!

I know I haven't talked much about Ava through all of this but there's not much to say. Believe it or not she has adjusted better than I have. I never realized how resiliant children are, but she is showing me this everyday. She's done wonderfuly at school and she's been great at home. She's still our little princess!

Next time I post I will try to post a new picture of her and pictures of the boys.

Rory and I thank everybody for all of your continued support and prayers!

Brutal Boddy

I know I haven't said this yet but I absolutely am impressed with the Perinatologist and his staff of residents. From the very beginning Dr. Boddy has been open and honest but does not give a false sense of security. It is extremely difficult to hear such honesty when you're reaching out for an ounce of hope.

I had my follow up ultrasound this afternoon. Not only does the doctor treat patients from South Atlanta to Valdosta, GA. He also has his own private practice. There are now 11 women on this floor of the hospital with twins and 3 of us whom have been through a surgical procedure to save our twins. So, needless to say I wasn't expecting for the doc to stop in today. He came by tonight and thankfully Rory was here too. Speaking of Rory, we'll get back to him in a second. Brutal Boddy was once again honest. I will have another follow up ultrasound on Thursday. My white cell count is great, which means there is no sign of infection from the surgery. I will continue to get my antiobiotics every 6 hours through IV. My blood pressure has remained normal and I have had no other negative signs since prior to the procedure Friday.

I was hesitant to ask but I did anyways. The golden question "when do I get to go home?" All depends on Thursday. I did get the low down on "if" I get to go home. I will need a caregiver. I will be making 2 trips a week to Dr. Boddy's practice. I will basically be on the same restrictions at home as I am here at the hospital. I also inquired about a concern I had. If I go home and something starts to happen, how can I tell. I couldn't tell anything was truly wrong last week but Rory and I were on the verge of losing our unborn boys. I got a pretty big stab to the heart when I received the answer. If something is going to happen at this point, nothing can be done. The cerclage was our only straw. It was the only lifeline that we have saving Braiden and Conley. In a harsh but honest way if something is going to happen it will happen here at the hospital or at home, regardless. Since our golden ticket has been redeemed, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter where I do my bedrest.

It's hard to hear those words. It's hard for one of the best specialist around to tell you that you've "used your golden ticket!" Everything about this process is hard. It's depressing. It's lonely. It's discouraging. I do everything I can everyday to keep my head up (and God knows I've only been here since Friday.) Most of these women that share the Labor & Delivery Floor have been here for 1-2 months.

Rory keeps me going! He comes during the day and stays for hours. Yesterday he brought Ava and an all day bag, and they did just that...they stayed all day with me. I felt so selfish for them staying here that long. I don't want to be here. Hell...I know it's not fun for them. I cry everytime they leave & I cry every morning I wake up by myself. I cherish the time that Rory, Ava, and I have together.

We will continue to take this day by day. I might leave at the end of the week. I might not. I might leave with two babies. I might not.

Please continue to pray, God is hearing them!

Hospital Home

I sit here tonight lonely, bored, emotional and trying to settle into my new home...the hospital until further notice.

It all started weeks ago. I had my 20 week ultrasound appoint with my ob and shared some concerns I had with the pregnancy as well as how his staff had handled a few issues. One of the issues I brought up to him, he neglected once again during this very visit. Rory and I talked...well basically I did all the talking and I told Rory I was going to look for a new doctor. I was only 1/2 way through this pregnancy so it wasn't too late. I'm not one to put too much into dreams but I'll share the basics of a dream I had. I went to the doctor and shared a concern with him, basically telling him I was in labor. He looked at me and laughed saying "you're pregnant you're going to feel that way." Now in real life this is typically his response to things. In my dream I just didn't feel right, something didn't feel right so I took myself to the hospital. Another doctor was on call. I was in labor and he stopped my labor and I had the babies full term. Remember, this was just a dream. It stood out to me so much combined with the mixed feelings I had with my ob's office, I decided to switch.

I asked around a lot and found a new ob. My appointment with him was scheduled for June 12, but as usual things change. On Wednesday I had called the new ob's office because Baby B was not moving and had not been for almost two days. He told me to come right in. He found both babies heartbeats on the doppler in no time. He explained that he had not received my medical records yet but I could come back after lunch (his ultrasound tech) already left for lunch or I could come in Thursday. Thursday would give him time to look over the records and schedule the ultrasound. Since both babies heartbeats were picked up right away and were good rates PLUS baby b started jumping around, I had decided just to wait until the next day to go back. I went back and this new ob did a full work up...exam and all. At first I wasn't sure why he was doing an exam but for the most part I respect physicians and their protocol. Thank goodness I didn't go against his wishes. He asked me to go home, DO NOTHING and come back at 8:30a.m. yesterday. I did just that. I went home 1.5cm dilated and did nothing. I was almost too afraid to even shower. I arrived at his office at 8:20 bottled with anticipation. By 10a.m. I was being admitted to the hospital. By 1p.m. I was being transported by ambulance to an out of town hospital to have an emergency cerclage put in.

All of this happened because I was 2 cm dialated when I went back to the ob yesterday morning. By the time I made it into surgery with the specialist I was 4cm dilated, 80% effaced and Baby A's amniotic sac was bulging through my cervix. The surgery is no guarentee; however it was a better attempt then to just sit on bed rest and do nothing at all. Both babies measure on target and will be 23 weeks gestation tomorrow. Thankfully, the hospital I'm at goes of birth weight and not gestation age to determine treatment when the boys are born. This is good in case they're born soon but have a viable birth weight.

Here is the information the specialist gave us last night. At this point, if the babies are born they will not survive. They both weigh 550 ish grams which converts to 1.2lbs. If we make it to 24 weeks the babies have a 5% higher survival rate and a 90% chance of a lifetime disabilities. 28-32 weeks and we can take home 2 healthy babies. So of course our goal is at least 28 weeks. Thats only 5 more weeks from tomorrow.

The surgery follow-up ultrasound was scheduled for Monday. The dr. said that the first 72 hours after placement of a cerclage are the most crucial. I'm currently surrounded by 6 other moms due with twins and 2 others who have a cerclage. Dr. decided to call in his u/s tech and get us all done today. After a little episode of bleeding this afternoon, the u/s news was the best news I had heard all day. Looking at the screen I saw a perfect sac and a cervix with lots of stitching. The dr. explained that the cerclage looks beautiful. I'm done to 3cm from 4 last night and most likely will not go down anymore but it's great it did go done 1cm. Now for baby A's bag. They were able to successfully place the bag back inside the uterus with no damage. During the ultrasound the dr did put pressure on the bag and as I was watching the screen preparing myself to see the begining of labor start by this one little move, God quickly gave me a reality check and reminded me that he's in charge and not myself. Baby A's bag did not budge! I believe the words the doc used today were "we're golden...for today." Tomorrow is a new day that brings new concerns and worries; however 1 day the babies stay inside are equivalent to 3 days of growth. Tomorrow remains our new normal. I lay in a bed for 23.5 hrs a day, watching tv, reading books, facebooking and text messaging. Phone calls have been saved for Rory and Ava, knowing everytime I hear their voice I hang up the phone and break down crying. I miss my husband and I miss my little girl. They came up here to see me today and Ava did very well.

It just hurts because Ava should not have to see her mom stuck with tubes all over and a catherter bag hanging off the bedside that you have to remind her not to kick it. It hurts me that Ava might not get to meet her brothers that she talks to everyday as she rubs lotion on my stomach. Its lovely to watch...her and her brothers bonding already and how in the hell do I explain to her if she never gets to meet them. I've gone through the highs and lows a hundred times in my head. I can't blame my first doctor for not looking into my complaints more seriously, when all of this possibly happened but I can be greatful that I found somebody who doesn't mind listening and treating a patient based on what they've just heard.

I can't not bring these boys home with me, yet I never underestimate that this is not my decision. Here I have come across blog after blog of miracle babies that I talk about on here, and during this little revelations I see prayer works! Please pray for Braiden Patrick O'Brien and Conley Patrick O'Brien. Pray that they fatten their tiny little bones up and they make it into this world breathing. Please pray that if this is not Gods choice that I can have understanding and strength to ever pick my feet back up and put one foot in front of the other.

Rory, if you're reading this I want you to know that I would never have picked a more solid perfect person to go through this with than you! I know I cry and that you cry but when you leave you leave me with a sense of peace and optomism. You leave me feeling like "I CAN do this" and not "I CAN'T do this anymore!" I love you for being my rock and reminding me that prayers and God really work...thank you!

Thank you to all of my friends, family and support system Rory and I truly would be lost without your encouraging words and power of prayer! We love you all!

I think I'll take advantage of this ambien I have sitting here and try to sleep for the first time in weeks. Good night and God Bless!

Liar! Liar!

I have some great stories to share about...

How'd you guess?

Ava, of course!

The girl is not even 2 years old yet and is lying.

Rory and I have been very diligent on trying to reinforce that "we do not color with crayons in our reading books, just on color paper." We don't have issues with her coloring on furniture or the walls. Hurry...knock on wood!

The other day I was reading one of her favorite books to her "Five Little Monkies." Yup, you know the story.

Five little monkies jumpin' on the bed, one fell off and bumped his head.

Ava's FAVORITE book!

So, I'm reading her book to her when all of a sudden we get to the last page and she gasps for air. I look over at her thinking that she's not paying attention to me reading anymore and has seen something on tv that caught her attention, but she has her hand over her mouth and is saying "oooooooo."

I said "what's wrong Ava?" (Still haven't begun reading the last page of the book which means I haven't looked at the last page of the book) Do you see where this is headed?

She said "my Daddy, ooooo!"

I said "your Daddy what?"

Do you see where this is headed?

I look down at the book and notice purple crayon scribbles ALL over the page.

Ava says "MY DADDY COLOOOR IN MY BOOK!"

I had to turn my head because I couldn't help but die out laughing. Once I composed myself, I looked at her and asked if her Daddy really did color in her book. Of course her response was "Daddy did it!"

Could you refrain yourself from laughing again? I couldn't! I looked at Ava and just said "Liar Liar!"

Official Notice: The terrible 2's have arrived!

Thought I'd share the newest belly pic too :)

Ava brushes her teeth in our bathroom, how could you tell!

Always Alot

There are always a whole bunch of things going on around us at once. It's been a while...a long while since taking my little blogging break, but I'm glad to be back.

I'll try to fill you in the best I can since the much needed rest.

Ava. Ava. Ava.

The child keep us busy. She still loves Montessori and excels in all that she does there. She is still potty trained and doing great. We have an occasional accident but not compared to some horror stories I've heard from other moms. The girl loves to talk. The "terrible 2's" have made an appearance and from the looks of things aren't leaving any time soon. She's not a horrible child by any means, she's just a bit demanding at times. When she wants her space she does not hesitate to tell you "WALK AWAY!" I however love to use this to my advantage and when I need space. It's wonderful that she comprehends it both ways, so I can also tell her "walk away!" She really has gotten into puzzles and "reading" books, at least she thinks she's reading a book. She is also doing good with me being pregnant. She talks to the babies and if you ask her "what's in mommy's belly" her response is "TWOOO babies." Watching her grow & learn has been the most amazing thing to experience, and I know she will make a wonderful big sister! One last thing about Miss Ava...can you say "Daddy's Girl!" I think that statement speaks for itself. ;)

The twins. Rory and I found out at 16 weeks that we're expecting two boys. We are definitely excited! When I was pregnant with Ava and we were told that we're having a little girl, well, I cried. At first it wasn't a very positive cry. I had always envisioned myself being a mom to a little boy. Not having the greatest relationship with my own mom scared me with the thought of expecting a girl. Now that we have Ava, my little princess, I can't imagine life any different. I'm now scared of little boys. Especially after potty training...lol. I told Rory that he gets to accomplish that task when the day comes. The pregnancy has been pretty uneventful. It is VERY different from having one...to say the least. At my appointment last week (20 wk mark) I was told that I'll basically have the same symptoms of being 28 weeks with one. Our level II ultrasound was done at this appointment as well. Both babies measure the same (weight, size, and gestational age) which is wonderful. "Baby B" does have white spots on his heart. He has a strong heartbeat and has all 4 chambers that work properly. We are told not to be overly concerned at this point; however, we'll check for any change at our next appointment and go from there. It's hard not to worry but I think Rory and I are both trying our best to keep our composure and pray our little guy gets better.

Other than being a wife, a mom, and a pregnant woman...I'd have to say that things are pretty good on this end. Rory has been very supportive in everything. He does the majority of housework & caring for Ava. If I'm not able to put dinner on the table then most nights he cooks and cleans. I'm not sure I could do this with anybody else. He has really been the rock in our household and I'm so thankful for that!

I've got work piled on my desk from the holiday weekend so I better make an attempt to get rid of it and not blog.

Open & Operating

Just wanted to give a heads up that the blog is up & running again. I'm going to work on the layout this weekend to get it updated but until I post Saturday our update, this should keep you entertained!...Remember to turn your volume up :)

Temporary Timeout

I'm going to be taking a little hiatus from the blog world for a while. It's just going to be temporary. This pregnancy is really taking a toll on me physically and I can't keep up with everything. You wouldn't think a blog is time consuming but it is very much so. Once you've made the commitment to update people on your daily life then the expectation is there to always have a post containing news. As grateful as I am that the blog gets read, I need to refocus on my health and this pregnancy with the twins. I hope you all understand and I promise I'll be back again soon.


In case you didn't wander over to Kellys Korner blog the other day, here is a the video she posted. It is close to 9 minutes long but it is the best 9 minute investment you could make in your life :)

I hope I've left you on a wonderful and amazing note :)

God Bless!

~Danielle

Stellan's Stay

I will post tomorrow on our trip to the beach. Until then, there is a more important issue to deal with.

Months ago I asked you all to pray for a sweet little miracle named Stellan. He wasn't supposed to make it past birth and he defeated the odds and is here with us today.

Once again I'm asking you to come together again and pray for him. Unfortunately, Stellan has a temporary stay in Children's Hospital right now. MckMama has been updating her blog and you can read about his newest heart condition.

You can click on the picture or click on MckMama's Blog

Also, our friends Nicole & Adam are going to be traveling back to the States after being in Singapore for the last year. Let them have a safe trip home! :)

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." II Corinthians 4:17

Beach Bound

Things will be pretty slow around here for the next few days. Rory, Ava, and I will be taking a much needed weekend getaway. We're headed to the beach and we will be enjoying every second of it. I will be thinking of all you who are sitting in freezing cold windy weather :)

To get prepared Ava decided she was going to try on all 8 of her swimsuits. This was the only picture the little model would let me take.

I hope all of you enjoy your weekend, I know we will!

What do you love the most...the Pebbles hair, the sexy shades, or the lovely diaper hanging over the top of the swimsuit...Gotta give props to Jill for pointing all of this out :) I should add, her legs are cropped out of the picture because she refused to take off a pair of tennis shoes she had on that were 5 sizes too big. :)

God is good!

Praise Patty

I hope everybody out there celebrated this fantastic St. Patrick's Day. Being part of the O'Brien family you can't help but embrace this holiday. I wasn't lucky enough, like most, to take the day off of work and celebrate...BUT...I was lucky enough to spend the whole day with Rory on our anniversary! We had a wonderful lunch date and exchanged gifts over dinner. We were excited to give Ava her present. Unfortunately, when Rory opened it all of the little people were missing. After a phone call to Fisher-Price to see if they could send a replacement, I was told they are out of stock and possibly discontinued. I wanted to start a Little People collection for Ava and out of every set possible this would be my luck. The cutest Irish set is going to be discontinued. Let's keep our fingers crossed that Fisher-Price brings this back next year. Maybe we can get some Luck of the Irish! An Irish Princess can't be without her little people doing the jig on the St. Patty's Day train. Maybe they'll pop up on Ebay at some point. :)

Until then, instead of playing with Fisher-Price Little People...well...Rory and I got to play with our little person.

We wish you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This Thursday

Things in the O'Brien world have been not so chaotic lately. Actually it's kind of a nice break. Easy going, relaxing, calming...what more could a pregnant wife and mother to a toddler ask for :)

Over at Angie's Blog I tend to find inspiration. During a recent visit to Angie's blog I found Lindsey's Blog. Many people might agree to disagree that Angie and Lindsey are very different people. After become a loyal blog reader to both sites, you'd be amazed at how similar these two woman are. Both of them are truley inspirational. So today, this Thursday, I'm feeling compelled to write on faith after reading Lindsey's post. I'm a little dissappointed in the things some readers have said in their comments to her.

I'm a Christian. At least I'd like to believe that God thinks I am.

I'm a normal imperfect human being. There are somethings I've done in my life that I'm happy with and other things I'm disappointed in. I'll spare you the details of each and every event but let's just say there are many on the each "The Good" and "The Bad" side.

Since the time that Rory and I began our attempts at making a family, I'd say my faith took whirlwind turns. When I'm in struggle mode it's very difficult to keep my head up high and "believe" that everything is just gonna be alright. What can I say, I'm just being honest. Sometimes I get mad at God and I demand answers of "why." I think at different points in our lives all of us have been there in one way or another.

When Ava was born, something changed. It's kind of like when you get married. People will tell you while you're engaged "things are different when you get married." You ask them, well what is it. They can't explain. Their answer is usually "I dunno, but something changes." That's kind of what happened after I had Ava.

I can't truthfully say that most days I don't do my best to strive as a "perfect Christian." I do strive to be a decent person in society, a good wife, and a good mother. When you have a child your priorties change. I want to be a good role model for my daughter (and future twinlets.) I want her to grow up with happy memories of sunday school lessons, family dinners, annual family vacations, etc. I want the work that I've done here to influence my children to be good people.

The older Ava gets the harder it has been on me for us, as a family, not to be involved in a church. I can say that I'm not really impressed with some of the churches. Why is it okay that some Christians can go to church on Sunday, sit in the pew with their perfect posture, and pretend to lead the perfect life. Then, no sooner do they leave church they are cutting off the old lady in the left lane of traffic for driving 5 miles under the speed limit. I just have a hard time with those who put themselves on a pedestal, yet they are no different than you or I.

I don't preach that I'm perfect or that I have no faults.

I love scripture. I love sharing with people the things I'm grateful for. I love God.

How many churches did you attend before you found the one you love? How do you deal with imposters within the church (besides prayer ;) We all know that would be a common answer?)

Love, Love

This posts speaks for itself. Just make sure your volume is up :)

Where's Waldo?

Let me rephrase that title before I go any futher. How about "Where's Ava?"

Many of you know that Rory and I chose for Ava to go to a Montessori School. We both had been impressed with the Montessori way from the beginning and were very interested in the method. Before Ava started the school we had been practicing some of the methods at home. Allowing her the freedom to sleep in a bed and not a crib was one of them. We made this successful transition when she was about 9 months old. We bought an antique bed from an auction. It was a dark wood color so we painted it white and Rory cut the legs off of it. That way it basically sat on the floor. When we bought the bed it looked like a twin size bed. When we attempted to put in a twin size mattress it didn't work. Length wise it did but not width. We cut open the mattress and cut the coils down so it would fit. Ava now had her own "custom" bed, and she didn't have any trouble at all with this transition. She always slept great in the bed and never caused us any trouble with it.

A few months ago, while she was sleeping her diaper leaked. In the 19 months we've been blessed with this child this has only happened a maybe a handful of times. All of the times had been prior to her "custom" bed. It was my mistake that we didn't have a waterproof mattress cover on the bed so we had to throw the mattress away. Not willing to buy a twin mattress and cut it again, Rory and I decided to just buy her a normal toddler bed. We thought about a twin but that is too high off of the ground for our comfort, even with side rails.

Yes, I'm still a first time mom and worry about these things.

Needless to say, Ava got a new toddler bed. I'm not too sure she likes it. Every morning when Rory wakes her up, he's learned he's on a manhunt. It turns into a game of "Where's Waldo" or in this case "Where's Ava?!?"

We've gotten a little heartfelt joy over her ability to find comfort no matter where her head is resting for the night.

The proof is in the pudding.

Monday Mayhem

In all reality there is no mayhem today, it's just a typical Monday. The day after the two days that I lay on the couch and bribe myself into at least getting up to shower. Pathetic, I know. The "twinkies" keep getting bigger and bigger. I have a picture to prove it. ;)

I am 9 weeks and finally got a tenative due date of October 5th. Baby A and Baby B are both "thriving" and doing great. Rory and I have decided that they will get the same treatment as Ava and at 16 weeks we'll do the 4d ultrasound to find out the gender of them. I'm excited to begin the countdown. It helps me keep my mind off of...well...puking my brains out. Zofran has not been quite the lifesaver as it was with Ava, then again, she was solo so there was not as bad of hormone spikes. Speaking of hormones. Poor Rory. He was so nice and made lasagna with garlic bread the other night. MISTAKE! While he and Ava chowed down on this nice Italian meal, I secluded myself to the bedroom for 2 hours with the window open to try and escape the smell!

I'm getting nauseous thinking about it. Moving on.

Ava has become a little acrobat lately. Here's an example:

She likes balancing on things, jumping off of the arm on the loveseat, scaling the dining room chairs...We need to put her in a padded room. Thankfully she has not hurt herself. Rory and I try to stop her, but kids are quick. They do stuff before you know it. We have hemmed and hawed about signing her up for the Tumblebus. It's a school bus that has been converted into a mini gymnastic rec center. After this weekend, I think we've finally concluded...she will have a monthly membership :)

Now this wasn't bad was it...only 3 days since my last post. I'm trying to get better. Now go out there and find that miracle drug for me that takes morning sickness away :)

Ask Ava

These days you can ask Ava anything and she'll answer you. You might not get the answer you want, and usually her favorite response is "noooo."

When I get in the car to take her to school, I ask her if she knows where she's going. She quickly shouts "scoooo scooo scoooo!" Then we sing our School Song that goes a little something like this:

Ava's going to school, to school, to school. Ava's going to school to play with all her friends!

When she comes home from school I ask her if she had fun. About 99.9% of the time her answer is "yesh." The other .1% of the time is "NOOOOO!" I think once she comes home from school she is in meltdown mode for a while. It's like we have to do a little detox with gummy fruit snacks and a drink before I can get her to answer anything besides "NOOO!"

The cutest thing about asking her questions is that she knows exactly what we're talking about. You tell her something once and she remembers it.

It just brightens my day when I ask her: "Ava, how many babies does mommy have in her belly" and she points to my stomach and says "TEEEEEWWWWW."

How lucky are the twins going to be to have such a great older sister! She will definitely keep them on their toes no differently than she does me and Rory :)

Now or Never

If I didn't sit down to do this post now, then I'd probably never do it. It's not that anything is going to be super important or extra special. It's just that this pregnancy is making me neglect everything in all areas around me. These twins are already kickin' my butt!

I must admit, I've been a little slow at work lately. I stay caught up and I get the job done, but if I really focused then I could get it done faster. Everything has slowed down for me. The twins are draining every ounce of energy I have. Rory has completely picked up the slack, and I don't know how he does it. Sometimes I get more exhausted just by watching him go...go...go! The guy never stops. He has continued to get Ava ready every morning (something he's done since she's been a few months old,) he's picking her up from school (because I've been going home at 3 o'clock...to sleep,) he's been coming home and cooking dinner, cleaning up, giving Ava her bath and putting her to bed.

Basically my husband has been "Super Dad" as I like to call him!

I couldn't be more proud than right now to say that he has truly come through for our family. He doesn't stop or slow down and somehow he finds the strength to just keep pushing through. I really look up to him in so many aspects of his life. He's a successful business owner, a great father, and a fantastic husband...need I say more?

Right now I'm home early to sleep, so I'm going to log off the computer and do just that. In the meantime I can't promise I'll be posting daily, but I'll do my best during this 1st trimester to post weekly. Maybe I can move up after that when I get some more energy back and dedicate more time to the blog. I didn't even do a Valentine's Day theme layout...pathetic...I know ;)

Hang in there with me...just think...when the twins come the blog will turn into twice the fun!

Wanted: Weatherman

So, how many of you are qualified to read a weather map? I'm looking for a weatherman to tell me what these to black spots mean?

You guessed it...

TWINS!

I can't lie, Rory and I were in a little bit of shock but we are super excited! I know Ava is going to be a great big sister! We go back in two weeks for some super mega big daddy ultrasound where I'll have a more set in stone due date. Our unofficial due date is "the end of Sept./the beginning of Oct."

I'm going to keep this short and sweet, as it's way past my bedtime.

God does answer prayers!

Terrible Twos

I shouldn't be saying this phrase for hmmm...5 more months or so. Well unfortunately this is the reality. The diva has been struck by the terrible twos at 18 months. Just our luck! You could say to Rory and I "well you're just getting payback for the way you were when you were younger." It is my understanding that for the both of us, we were pretty well behaved when we were younger. So that excuse just isn't going to cut it for me. ;)

First of all I think that Ava can "sense" something is different with me. About a week or two before we found out that we're expecting #2 she started acting very strange to me. I just chalked this up to a "phase." Anytime your baby changes something they do, people just refer to it as a "phase," so that's just what I thought of it as. She doesn't want me to bathe her, she doesn't want me to get her dressed, she doesn't want me to give her her bedtime milk, she sure doesn't want me to cuddle with her before bedtime. Can we say...DADDY'S GIRL! If Daddy's not doing it...then it just doesn't cut it for her. This has caused a little bit of tension between her and I. I try to be cooperative, but at times it can be difficult.

Most of the time she is just simply defiant. Time outs use to work when she was afraid of me. Now that she's getting older she thinks I'm funny and not really scary or threatening. It's okay though because her humor in situations tend to help ease the stress. I tend to just walk away laughing as well. I'm not really laughing with her but at myself for allowing this little tiny child take advantage of me.

She sure is going to be spoiled...wait...she already is. I'm not naive enough to think that she'll stop crossing every line I draw and pushing every button I never even knew I had. I brought this child here and I will joyfully care for her, BUT in the meantime, I don't have to enjoy the terrible two's! I try to find encouragement and strength to enjoy these moments in this song by Trace Adkins.

I know one day I'm going to miss this, so pray I can continue to embrace this "phase."

Abra Bow-Dabra

Have I been slacking in the "did I tell you how much I love Ava" Dept? If I have then let me refresh your memory.

I love this child! Of course this feeling is probably natural, but I'm scared she won't know how much I love her when her sidekick comes.

Everyday she amazes me. She ALWAYS is making Rory and me laugh. She definitely knows how to light up any room. It took Rory and I a long road to become blessed with Ava. It was extremely physically and emotionally draining. I don't think there was ever a point in my life that I could say I gave my whole heart to attempting something. I gave more strength, love, devotion, dedication...you name it...I gave it just to be blessed with this beautiful child. I just want her to always know how special she is to my heart.

Yes, Rory and I had to tread those same waters this time around, but it was different. Something wasn't the same as it was the first time. Do you ever get use to the roller coaster of infertility? I don't think so! I especially wasn't prepared for it a second time after successfully conceiving Ava. I thought after having her I could be "normal" like everybody else in the world. Rory and I could want a child, try for a child, and become pregnant. That's not what happened. Honestly, I don't know what happened this time that made it so different. I guess because I mentally (as much as possible) tried to prepare myself for the ups and downs of fertility treatment. The only inner struggle I had going on was feeling selfish. We've already received Ava in our lives; however, what on earth makes me so important to think I can just simply "want" another one? The more I ran that through my head the more selfish I felt I became.

Sometimes you just have to let go. It's not simple nor is it fun. I hate to sound so ridiculously cliche when I say this, but I followed the mantra of "whatever will be...will be!" That's it. It was that simple. I had to let go of the strongholds in my mind and that surrounded me. My therapist told me a long time ago "if you're not mentally healthy for you, you sure can't be healthy for anybody else." It's so true.

I'm overwhelmed with joy that God has allowed us to be blessed twice, especially when I know people out there who are still fighting for their first.

No matter what happens from here on out, I just want my children to know how much I appreciate them being in my life, how great it is to have unconditional love for them, and how I will never turn my back on them.

I didn't mean for this post to become a little on the deep side, hence the post title.

So let me introduce you to...

A TRUE SOUTHERN GIRL WHO LOVES HER BOWS...MISS AVA O'BRIEN

Now can't you see why I love her so much?

Psalm 107:9-For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.


Lord knows...I'm thirsty!

Silence & Secrets

I hate secrets. I can't stand people who keep them and I can't stand people who tell them. I've been like that as far back as I can remember. I snoop when I think somebody is keeping a secret. I can't help it.

This is what usually happens in my house...I buy gifts for people early. I just like to be prepared. No matter the time of the year, if I see something that I think would be a good gift for somebody then I'll buy it. This is where the problem comes. I'm a softy when it comes to keeping things from people, especially Rory. I buy him gifts before his birthday but since I can't keep them a secret and I get so excited to share them...

You guessed it. I give him his gifts early and then buy him more so he's got some to open on his actual birthday.

Can you say "guilty as charged!"

This brings me to today.

I'm breaking the silence (Rory and I are in agreement.) Well I should say, Rory and I are breaking our silence.

Ava is going to be a BIG SISTER!!!

We're so excited! Early on we chose not to share this with many people, but since Ava's birthday we've had to take the fertility route again. Hence my comment in last weeks post that said "Patience pays off!"

Speaking of patience...

Please be patient with us, and understand why we've been hesitant to share the news. It's not that we're not excited, we're cautious and leary. When you've experienced miscarrying then you can probably relate. The more people you tell early on then (if sometime happens) the more you have to share the loss and relive the pain. We've been there, done that, and really don't care for the shirt.

This time we've decided to embrace each day. We're going to celebrate this new life as long as we can, and we will be so honored when we get to meet our new baby.

Now comes the hard work. Preparing Ava. Cross your fingers. Cross your toes. Say your prayers for us :)

God Bless!

***update*** picture of the tutu that was promised. The pic is by far magazine quality but I'm learning ;)

Photoshop Phenomena

I can't apologize enough for the blog becoming blogless lately. It's not intentional that posts have been few and far between. I will explain later. Maybe tonight. Maybe another day. Soon enough you'll be on board the train, I promise!

I promised something else. A picture of a tutu. I can't post it yet, because, well...it's simple. I have yet to take the picture. The tutu is sitting here in the living room and every time I walk by it I think to myself "hmmm I should go ahead and take that picture for the blog." I just haven't.

Which brings me to Photoshop Phenomena...

Rory surprised me with a professional SLR digital camera for Christmas. I was so excited! It's not your typical digital camera. I see all these pictures on the internet that are beautiful taken from the same exact camera. I've taken about 600 pictures since Christmas and I'm a little embarrassed to say, that even after reading the book for the stupid thing...my pictures look NOTHING like others on the internet. This is where I came to my first conclusion. It must be me, right? It must be the way I'm taking the picture. My choice in lighting, backgrounds, surroundings, etc.

WRONG!

I did a little "research." Okay, not really research. Let's face it, Google doesn't know eeeeverything. Does it?

Back to what I was saying. I was online looking up photos that have been taken on the same model as my camera. I came across a photographers site that instantly boosted my self esteem! He teaches you step by step how to photoshop a picture to look a certain way. He also includes before and after photos.

I'm feeling good folks...real good. I pull up the before and after shots. The before shots...They look JUST LIKE MINE! The after shots...They look like they came out of a magazine!

I'm totally convinced now, I must learn photoshop. I have too, otherwise I could let potentially beautiful photos slip right through my hands. Let me rephrase that. My family is beautiful; however, I have no problem "enhancing" MY teeth to look whiter or even "smoothing" out some of those fine lines starting to wrinkle up by MY eyes so I feel beautiful! :)

Any suggestions of what Photoshop version to start out with?

Oh, The Diva got her 18 month shots. Daddy took her to that appointment. I can't bear it anymore. I just can't stand seeing my little girl get jabbed in the thighs like a wild animal getting sedated. Dad did great and so did Ava! :) Mommy is proud of them both!

Well let me get to work on this tutu photo and maybe over the weekend I'll have posted a magazine quality picture. Basically that means I'm going to email my sloppy pic to Sydney and beg and plead her to skip a frat party this weekend to help her fav gal pal look technologically intelligent!

Thanks for being patient with new posts and coming back to check on me. One thing I've learned lately "patience pays off!"

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

Why Wait?

Why wait you ask? Why wait for what? Wait for anything. We might have our own goals and our own time lines that we live off of, but in reality we are on God's time. Things might not always be in black and white. Usually they are very gray. Not always can we see clearly of what God has in store for us.

Guilty as charged!

I'm extremely guilty for this. I'll admit it. I pray and pray for things that never seem to happen. I torture myself continuously wondering why something is not going my way. Then I have to stop dead in my tracks and give myself a reality check. It's NOT my way. It's NOT my plan. It's God's plan.

Sometimes we get in such a hurry and want to rush things to the end, that we don't enjoy the wait. We don't embrace the patience God has taught us to have.

There are so many cliches that drive me crazy.; however, the more I think about them the more truth I see in them. One of them is "All good things come to those who wait."

It seems to me that in the process of waiting and wanting (because if you're waiting for something you're wanting something) we don't see the good things that have passed us by...so how on earth can something good come out in the end.

When I realized that the Bible contains a verse similar to this cliche, it help bring light and truth to me.

"The LORD is my portion,"
says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one
should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD."(Lamentations 3:24-26)

Don't rush things, okay? Take time. Remember you're taking the Lords time, not your own. Don't be selfish, pushy, or ungrateful. Embrace each day and good things will come!

Seriously Slackin'

I bet you thought I'd never come back and update this thing *coughs* kinda like Michael & Andrea's Blog *coughs again!* By the way, I'm still waiting to see pictures of my nieces first birthday. I will cut them a little bit of slack. Everybody has been sick and Andrea's sister had gallbladder surgery.

Well folks I feel like I'm seriously slackin' lately. Ever get into the pits where you feel like you can't get anything done no matter how hard you try? It hasn't mattered if I open Door Number One, Two, or Three but behind every door there has been something that slows me down. This week I feel like what better way to handle this than to "roll with the punches" and "ride the waves." Why fight it when you can join it, right? :)

Ava was sent home from school on Tuesday with a fever. Wednesday I believe a little case of pink eye set in. Thursday...well...Thursday was just simply a "play hooky" day for her. Finally today she was back at school. She never seemed to have a fever while she was home all 2 1/2 days, thankfully! I think on top of the congestion and cold a stomach bug has also taken over her body. She's not a puker; however, the past few days seem to have made up for the lack of puking over the last 18 months of her precious life. Right now she is sound asleep in her own bed. Which of course is a big horrah if you've ever had a sick child. We did manage one night to snuggle up on the couch together. Although I love cuddling with my daughter, her attempts at laying sideways on the couch made for a loooong night!

Today I was feeling a little more motivated with fewer obstacles. I tried my hand at tutu making. I'll have to post a picture tomorrow. I was pretty impressed with the way it turned out. Seeing how I did it at my desk the last hour of work, since I was able to get all of my work finished. Two days worth of work finished in 1/2 a day, yeah, I'll pat myself on the back for the one.

I'm sitting up waiting on a load of wash to finish(remember the puking thing...otherwise I would not be doing laundry at midnight on a friday) and my washing machine just let me know there are only 3 minutes left. Gonna run for now.

Before I do, I wanted to share this with you. I did not become familiar with this verse until tonight after watching a 20/20 special. There was a lady that was attacked my a mountain lion and had her face mauled. Her Pastor read this verse her first Sunday back to church after her recovery.

2 Timothy 4:17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth.

We all have our "lion's" to fight but when the fight is over you can walk away stronger than before you were when you entered the battle.

God Bless and Good Night!

Helping Harper

Baby Harper needs our help. She was born to the most wonderful parents Kelly and Scott. They are devoted Christians whose faith is currently being tested and tried. Harper was born last Friday (January 16th) and seemed very healthy; however, she was born with a bad case of pneumonia and it has put her in critical condition. She was not able to be taken to AR Children's Hospital because they were full, so she's is in Tulsa.

Little Miss Harper has hundreds of monogrammed clothes at home that she needs to start wearing.

Please pray for her and the other 40 babies in the Tulsa NICU.

Pee Pee Progress

Not in a million years did I think that I would be talking of topics such as peeing to people I dont even know. Trust me, it's just the Mommy in me.! I don't normally talk of bodily functions on public websites...well...wait a second. Yes, I sometimes do. As a member of a world wide web fertility forum, I can say that YES I have spoken of bowel movements, urination, cervical blah blah blah discharge blah blah blah, etc. As a woman and a mom you tend not to be so censored. I guess I'll speak for myself on that, right? ;)

Rory and I were not 100% dedicated to the potty training this weekend. Not only do we not have a training potty or the little tykes version of a toilet seat to set on top of ours, but we weren't home most of the weekend.

We took Ava to Monkey Joes. ***Pictures on Photobucket***The place that has all the indoor inflatable bounce houses. We met up with my sister and niece and enjoyed a fun day running around and playing. I think Rory had more fun that any of us. I just played paparazzi most of the time, snapping shots when I could. Then we took the kids to Burger King, home of the indoor playground filled with snotty nose rug rats that smell like nursing home pee. Regardless of the aroma, it was a fun time!

I digress.

Yesterday afternoon I ask Ava if she has to go potty. Her response was "yeesh." So I put her on the toilet while managing to hold her up under her arms so she doesn't fall in ,as my arms were getting numb by the second. She didn't pee but she tried...wanna know how I know? She let out a little toot, so I know some pushing was being attempted from somewhere down there.

Last night I am in the process of putting her in the bathtub. Before I put her over the side of the tub, I ask again if she has to go potty. This time I get the same response "yeesh." So again, I hover her up over the toilet (might I add...I dont know how this is not traumatizing for a kid. A huge water hole below you and your parent dangling you above it) she agggain doesn't pee. I put her down on the floor to try and get the feeling back in my arms.

I then said "I thought you had to pee."

She said "uh huh." (which usually means yes)

I said "so you DO have to pee pee?"

She said "yeesh."

I said "well are you gonna pee pee in the bathtub."

Her response "yeesh."

Now just to make sure I knew that she knew what I was talking about, since I kept getting the yeesh answer, this is how the conversation finishes.

I said "Ava, mommy is confused. I thought you said you have to pee, baby. You don't want to pee on the potty?"

Ava says "nooo."

I said "well don't pee in the bathtub, okay? The bath is to wash up and get clean."

Her response "k."

Did any of you realize how I just completely set myself up for what is about to happen next? For what you ask. Usually after I get Ava out of the tub I always let her stand up on the bathroom countertop to look at the "baby"(herself) in the mirror. This bath night is no different than any other. I dry her off with the hooded ducky towel and lift her up on the countertop. No sooner do I put her down...SHE PEES ALL OVER!

I said "Ava did you just pee because mommy told you not to pee in the tub."

Naturally her answer is "YEESH!"

I love being Ava's Mom!

Potty Patty

It's time. It's official. It begins this weekend.

The official potty training.

Yesterday Ava told the teacher (she insisted Ava said it as clear as day) "I have to go potty."

I've tried to encourage her for the past few months to get her interested in the potty. If I'm using the bathroom and she wanders in there then I explain that I just had a drink and I'm going potty. You all thought the bathroom was my most serene place in the house, didn't you? Now tell me sorry, as you can see with this new trend it's hard to find any serenity in this house lol ;)

The past month or so she has begun this new "copy cat" mode. She wants to do everything you do. Whether it's brushing teeth, putting on perfume, taking Libby (our dog) outside. She wants to be involved and she wants to do things too.

Rory and I try to make Ava aware of things but do not really push her to actually act on them. I've always lived with the philosophy that she'll do things in her own time. We've done this with everything from crawling to walking, bottles to cups, etc. There never seems to be a problem when we let her go at her own pace. She is now giving us the signs that she's ready to use the potty.

I've thought about this Potty Patty to try with her. I just can't justify the money. Ninety dollars for a doll that pees. Won't I have enough of cleaning up pee to deal with until Ava gets in a routine? I mean, I'm just curious. I've crate trained Libby but I have this tiny inclination that Ava might be a liiiittle different from the dog. I can't just stick her in her room with a puppy pee pad and tell her to go there. There's a process. This is a system.

I need prayers people, lots of prayers. I'll keep you posted on our progress this weekend! :)

Growling Girl

I'm gonna keep this short since American Idol has started.

Just take a moment and prepare yourself before you press play, and I'll set the atmosphere for you.

Rory, Ava, Sydney and me were sitting down to eat dinner. Usually this is when Ava thinks it's time to place herself on center stage. All of her performances go on at the dinner table along with the exploitation of her newly learned words. I wish I could have captured more, but I was a little unprepared and not fast enough getting to my phone to record. Prior to this moment I had sneezed. That's all. Just sneezed. Ava decided to take this opportunity to make fun of me. She mocked me by sneezing again and then began doing her "silly face." If you have seen her silly face then you'll know how hilarious this must have been. If you haven't been able to see it, well you'll just have to come back another day and hope I've posted a video of it.

I kind of got a little annoyed (as funny as it was) and Rory reassured me that she only did it because we are her parents and she gets her sense of humor honestly.

Back to this video. I sneezed. Got made fun of. All of a sudden I hear this growling noise. I look over and this is what the kid is doing...***turn your volume on***

We did NOT teach this to her. I swear! Until the other night we've never even heard her make the noise before. She's absolutely hilarious! Hope you enjoyed as much as we did! :)

Weekend Wildness

This was a weekend? What? Did I miss something? I don't think Rory, Ava, or I stopped for two seconds this weekend to just sit down and chill out.

Saturday started by having a yard sale in Hawkinsville. We were up at 4am and basically possession less (except for the things we wanted) by 9am. Rory and I made some good money but it was sad. Months ago we decided to move to Warner Robins (something we've been wanting to do for a year or so now) to be closer to work and have more time with Ava. The Hawkinsville house finally sold and there was so much that I did not want to move and/or keep. It's amazing how many "things" you can accumulate over the period of time. You don't realize it until you clean out every nook and cranny in your house. So needless to say the house has to be empty by Feb. 1st. Mission Accomplished! :D

Today we took our wonderful Squidtastic back to Atlanta. If you don't remember her she is the beloved babysitter that we miss so much. She has been consumed with beer, boys, and from what I hear a little class every now and then. I guess that's what happens when you got to school at Georgia Tech or any colleges. It's called prioritising :) Just teasing Syd. She's a terrific person! She came down to watch Ava while Rory and I were having our sale. Ava was sad to see her leave. We did get to spend time at the Georgia Aquarium for the day with Sydney and her new beau Leo.

We took quite a few pics that I'll upload on photobucket when I get to work tomorrow. Remember, if you need the name and password just send me an email or leave a comment, and I'll get it to you.

Besides all of the weekend wildness things were pretty calm. Wait a second. I take that back! Ava has gotten a head start on her terrible twos. She's not terrible, she is just persistent on testing her boundaries. Sometimes I just laugh at her and walk away and sometimes it's just plain old aggravating and sometimes even a time out or two gets her under control. This weekend was one of those weekends. She was on a testing the limit marathon.

If you want to know the truth...I've escaped to my secret hideout (maybe not so secret to most of you) in order to write this blog tonight. Otherwise if I were in the living room this is what would happen...Ava would climb on the couch the second she saw the computer. Then she would jump on top of my lap trying to tackle the laptop all while smashing the keyboard. If that were the case then this blog might say something like

"alkdjfaoiwjerofiajdfknasdhnfaiuy8ewn;aklnm239e80a9eufaoijdfalknmalkhf98wu082u098u3."

Hard to understand? Yes, I know. I don't have to mention again why exactly I'm in my hideout room now do I :)

Hope your weekend was as eventful and fun as ours has been!

Wax What

Are you curious what the end of my post meant yesterday? I know you refreshed the screen until you had carpel tunnel to see if I updated today didn't you ;) I won't flatter myself.

Let's start from the begining. I'll take you back to mid November...ish.

I went to a new dermatologist. Here's what happened in the 30 minutes of my life that wasted away in boredom. I sat down. The dr. asked what was wrong. I said "I'm 27 and randomly my face will break out...oh, and I'm getting these crows feet things in my eyes when I smile." He said "Okay, here's a prescription and I'll see you in a few months."

I thought that was pretty easy. I was expecting my face to get poked and prodded. I guess I'm just a dermatological virgin.

Do you see anywhere in the above information that says "DO NOT WAX ANYTHING ON YOUR FACE!?!"

*rereading*

NOPE! NO WHERE DO I SEE THAT.

Now let me bring you back to earlier this week. I tell it like it is, right? Women feel the need to look good for themselves and their spouses so we wax. At least I do. I don't know about you but I'm not ashamed to admit I wax my upper lip. I take that back. I wasn't ashamed to admit it until this past Tuesday.

This is how it went down. I get out my little wax strips. Rub them really fast in between the palms of my hands. The heat warms up the wax strip and then you slap it over the hair you want out. Then you grab the sheet the wax strip is on and TEAR really fast in the opposite direction of your hair growth...kind of like ripping a bandaid off .This will take the hair right from the root and you'll be mustache free for weeks.

I got what I wished for and more! Not only did the hair come off with the wax but so did LAYERS of my skin!

Can I just say excruciating pain! No seriously. You know when you accidentally burn your hand in the stove getting the cookie sheet out. The burning sensation that hits you for the first few minutes, as you're running cold water over it to try and cool it down. Imagine that feeling times 5 and it lasts all day, on your upper lip! Doesn't sound fun does it? I can attest. It has not been fun.

It never clicked to me that the prescription the dr. gave me might just make my skin extra extra sensitive. Ya I know you don't have to tell me. It makes complete sense now...after the fact. I called the Dermatologists office and the nurse says "oh nobody told you not to wax." Here's your sign lady! If somebody told me not to do it would I be sitting here in tears on the phone with you because I'm in such pain.

SORRY DIDN'T GET THAT MEMO.

Lesson learned kids. Beauty isn't always on the outside.

1 Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

Tired Tonight

***update: Rory just got done with his Wii workout session and I'm proud to announce for him...his new Wii Fit age is 25 WOO HOO! Now we don't have to take him to the retirement home! ***
Ever have one of those days that nothing really happens? Not one thing amazing happened today to grab my attention and not one thing terrible happened. Why am I not thankful for a day like this?

I guess I'm use to something ALWAYS happening good or bad.

I'm super tired tonight. I even fell asleep about an hour ago on the couch and when I'm done with this, I'm headed to bed. An uneventful day calls for an enjoyable evening wrapped up in a blanket snuggled in my bed! :) Funny thing is I don't think Rory minds one bit. I don't know if it's because maybe a new episode of Monster Quest might be on tonight or both of his girls will be in bed sound asleep and he can have a quiet evening all to himself. Can I just mention how much I hate Monster Quest. Whoever came up with that show...ugh...Big Foot doesn't exist people!

Now that I'm off that soapbox.

Well, The Diva is becoming more and more independent every day. She can officially eat with utensils. Whether she adheres to this at mealtime is a different story but hey we try ;) She can officially put her jacket without any help. It's called "Tag to Toes" I recommend every mom and dad teach their child this. Here are instructions on how to do it: http://mommylife.net/archives/2008/11/putting_on_a_ja.html

I'm tired tonight y'all and my pillowtop mattress is calling my name.

Oh and for all you women (and maybe men) out there who wax your eyebrows, upper lip, anything on your face...well...stayed tuned for tomorrows post. It contains some advice, I mean, not that I found out the hard way or anything...

Fit Happens

We had a few "fits" going on in our house today. That's nothing out of the ordinary, right? Of course it is! Well...not at least the first fit.

The first fit is brought to you by none other than *DRUMROLL PLEASE* The Diva! Surprise huh? ;) Now I do have a little tee tiny ounce of sympathy for this precious child. She's been out of her normal routine for the past two weeks and today was the first day back at school. Granted she acts like a perfect angel for the teachers in her class and not us, but hey what can ya do? I know when she came home she was just extremely exhausted. As was I. She wanted a snack. She wanted it right then. I was busy starting dinner and baking a dessert. Rory was busy. Ava had a fit! I love her to death, but Lord have mercy on my soul. Fruit snacks are gonna be the death of me and Rory. It's like an addiction to her. If she doesn't get her fruit snacks...watch out! Ever see the movie Exorcist...joking...not thaaat bad.

The second fit is brought to you by Nintendo Wii. I have a new love affair. His name is Mr. Wii Balance Board. This cute fella told me that I had a Wii age of 26. I wasn't too happy about it until I asked Rory how old I am. Don't laugh, you know you don't keep up with your age either. Plus, it's easier to ask him then to do the math from my birth year until now...we did just start a new year ya know. So my Wii age is a year younger than my real age.

Confidence Boost...CHECK!

My BMI was in the lower end of the normal range. I can't remember the exact number but my avatar girl didn't explode, so I was happy.

Self Esteem Boost...CHECK!

Now I cannot volunteer Rory's information but lets just say he's pushing "geriatric age." Rory, I love you! ;)

Remember laugh, play, have fun...keeps ya young!