Porcupine Hair

Bella drags Paislee in by the hand to tell me:

"LOOK! Paislee has procupine hair! It's sticking straight up!"

Then they both run out of the room giggling.

Time Out

At 17 months I never would have thought it would be appropriate to put a baby in time out. That is until Paislee came along. She bites and hits and pushes and pinches and then smiles and hugs and pats and kisses immediately after. She isn't learning her lesson! So I finally tried time-out.

It's actually been a positive thing for her. I have put her in time-out maybe 5-6 times. She gets it. When I tell her to go to Time Out, she walks over and puts herself in the chair (with a little boost from mom or dad). She cries a little, and those tears break my heart. But she gets the time away from whatever was upsetting her to relax a little and she starts out fresh when she gets to come out.

20 Week Ultrasound

The 20 week appt. went great. Is it weird to say I was excited to have gained back 3 lbs? Everything looked great on the Ultrasound...


It turns out though

that the baby is


actually






still a boy!

Hooray! And he is measuring about a week earlier than the due date. So my guess is he will be a big chunky delicious baby like Bella weighing in at around 9 lbs at birth.

While driving home from shopping:

B: Mom, I don't want black eyes. I want GREEN eyes!

M: You have beautiful BROWN eyes. Why do you want green ones?

B: So I can match you!

(One day, she isn't going to want anything to do with me. So I eat up these little moments and record them in my blog.)



B: Mom, I hope my Rolly Polly can find his way out. I hope he's not mad at me.

(Bella dropped a Rolly Polly in the car clear back in like, August and we never did find it. She hasn't mentioned it since.)

M: Your Rolly Polly, huh? Why would he be mad at you?

B: I dropped him. He's gonna be so mad at me!

M: No, Rolly Pollys are really nice. They don't get mad.

B: I sure hope he finds his way out!

Holiday Fun Weekend

It is so hard to get them ALL to hold still at the SAME TIME!

Kai's messy hair this morning.

Kailia's cold cold nose with her Papa

Levi with his sisters Star and Shilo

All bundled up


SLC Temple


What a great weekend we had! We went to our Ward Christmas Dinner and I was actually able to eat the Funeral Potatoes! Hooray! I love food! Then a fabulous cookie exchange party on Saturday, that Levi's sister Shilo hosted. I brought back 10 dozen assorted delicious cookies. I also claimed my title (for the second year in a row) of best overall presentation of cookies.

Then we went to our Church on Sunday. Our ward always puts on the best Christmas music. I loved it. The twins have not been to church in a couple months, though so they had a hard time sitting still. Those are the moments that are really difficult with twins. I was completely exhausted by the end. A family who has 10 month old twin girls sat right behind us. I was secretly laughing inside at them. Their whole world is going to change big time in a couple months when they start walking! ha ha.

After church, we went with Levi's family to Temple Square to see the lights. As always, it was just gorgeous. I love the strong Spirit there too. We did have a hard time finding a place to park. Next time we will definitely take Trax. It would have been worth it. We parked clear up a double hill on East Temple. Going down, not so bad. Going back up, pushing our double stroller was a challenge. Levi pushed them most of the way, while I trailed behind them. He was in super walking/hiking mode- which he says is a reflex from his mission in Brazil. I guess it is all hills there.

I had to take pictures of the girls in their Christmas dresses. Holiday dresses are the best when you have three girls. I have to say how proud I am of their dresses. I was so frugal. Bella's dress and button up shirt were hand me downs from our sweet neighbors = free. Paislee's was found at Kid 2 Kid two years ago = $6. Kailia's was a Deseret Industries find for only = $2! They are all from Gap or Old Navy and are similar styles & the sizes worked out perfectly. I love a good bargain!

I couldn't find either memory card for my good camera. So I'm a little bummed at the quality of the pictures. Maybe I'll try again next Sunday.

Bella's good dream

M: Bella, what did you dream about last night? (she's been having nightmares lately)

B: I had a dream about a WONDERFUL playground and there was nice friends. They wanted to play with me!

Christmas is coming!

I really can't remember a Christmas ever coming this quickly! I feel like it's passing too quickly and I'm trying to fit all the Christmas things in. This year I got the idea from a couple different craft blogs to do an activity advent calendar. I didn't make one, but used the pockets from a fabric one I already had. Instead of candy or treats for each day, there is a slip of paper with a Christmas activity on it that Bella and I (or the entire family) get to do that day. Bella gets so excited each day to choose the new activity and she hasn't forgotten once! Now that she's 3 1/2 she knows more about what's going on and it is so fun to get into Christmas with her.

Here are some of the things we've done, or are still going to do to get the Christmas spirit in our house.

1. Today we put up our Christmas decorations
2. Today we decorate the Christmas tree
3. Today we write a letter to Santa
4. Today we make a gingerbread house
5. Today we make & decorate Christmas cookies
6. Today we make paper snowflakes
7. Today we pass out Christmas gifts to neighbors
8. Today we make a Christmas craft
9. Today we make Christmas cards
10. Today we listen to Christmas music
11. Today we make an ornament for the tree
12. Today we read a Christmas story
13. Today we watch a Christmas movie
14. Today we wrap Christmas presents
15. Today we make hot chocolate with marshmallows
16. Today we see the lights at Temple Square
17. Today we make hot chocolate with marshmallows (Bella loves hot cocoa)
18. Today we color a Christmas picture
19. Today we watch a Christmas movie
20. Today we read a Christmas story
21. Today we read the story of Christ’s birth
22. Today we go sledding
23. Today we make a snowman
24. Today we open one special gift early

Egg-cellent question

So Bella and I are watching a show about chickens and birds the other day. (We watch a lot of t.v. and dvd's lately as I am usually lying on the couch).

B: in deep thought, taps my shoulder.
"Mom, why did Heavenly Father put me in your tummy instead of a egg?"

M: taken off guard....really, what a good question! This made me think.
"Well, I am not sure. Maybe he wanted you to always be close to me so I could take really good care of you. You had to grow before you could come to this world."

B: seems satisfied.
"Oh!"

Now that I think of it though, maybe I like the egg method better.

the twins at 17 months...

P: will hit her sister, then immediately "shh" her while patting her arm or head. this is so horrible, and horribly cute!

K: always wakes up with the craziest hair do's. I would love to set up a video camera in her room to see what she does during her sleep.

P: is building quite the vocabulary- "uh-oh" "down" "i uh oo (i love you)" "cheese" "please" "day-doo (thankyou)" "dis" and she knows lots of sign language too.

K: is a wild monkey...climbs on everything, is pretty much fearless. oh wait, she is afraid of pink bath water and the loud noise the t.v. makes on the snowy channels when she pushes the buttons.

K: loves to play downstairs. you can't say the "d" word or she'll cry til you go down.

P: is so kissy and lovey one minute, then steals a toy or hits the next minute. it's kind of funny to see her mood swings.

K: when she is ready for bed, she is ready- binky, blanky, no tears.

P: cries 90% of the time we put her down to bed...she doesn't like binkies. Just likes to torment her sister by stealing her's.

when Papa Don was babysitting them once, he mixed them up. That must have been the worst night for Kailia...laying in the wrong crib watching her sister play with her binky....

P: is such a daddy's girl. she is the biggest dad fan. sometimes she'll go to him and push me away.

K: plays really well with Bella.

love the picture of them cuddling on the couch because it doesn't happen too often anymore. they end up bugging each other, pushing and hitting...

After a bad couple of days, I was at my breaking point emotionally and physically. Running on nothing for weeks now, I felt like I couldn't do it anymore. Lucky for me, my sweet Levi was smart enough to pick up on this and took care of me...

He watched the girls all yesterday afternoon while I went to the doctor and got some not so great news. If I don't start gaining some weight by 20 weeks, they will be putting me on a feeding tube. Yes, a tube that delivers calories down my throat and into my stomach. I am gagging just thinking about it. The good news is that baby boy's heart rate is great and we scheduled the 20 wk ultrasound for December 28th. We can verify that we are truly having a boy and make sure everything else looks okay.

As usually my doctor advised me to continue to eat/drink lots of sugar because that is all the baby can metabolize at this point. The feeding tube / IVs are just to keep me healthy! So that is a great assurance to me. It's good to be reminded that baby is doing great, it's just me starving. My Dr. compared me to a Costco store. The baby is getting everything it needs inside me. Kinda weird, but I give him 5 points for using an analogy.

After breaking out into tears (gotta love these pyscho pregnant hormones) not once, but twice at the doctor's office, I went to IV Therapy to get a new IV placed. After the nurse literally dug around my arm for a good vein, she finally got one. Are you feeling any pain? she asks. Well, yeah my arm is kinda sore. Sorry about that, she says. You don't have any good ones anymore. She asks me if I am okay, and I again lose it for the 100th time that day. I tell her everything and she helps me come up with new ideas to get some calories into my body. (She is a cancer survivor and went through a whole lot more nausea than I have had). She gives me a big sweet grandmotherly hug and tells me it's going to be okay. At least I get a baby out of the whole deal. I pull it together and she has me laughing by the time I leave.

I stop at the grocery store, and load up on every fatty and good that I would normally like if I weren't pregnant and nauseous. $120 later, I head home determined to eat my little heart out.

I walk in the door. Only this isn't my house. This home is sparkling and beautiful and clean! What the....There is Levi, the twins, and Bella in the kitchen making lunch. The girls are all clean and dressed. And most of all everyone is HAPPY. The house is peaceful.

I again...start to cry. Once the flood gates open, there is no going back. I am sobbing into Levi's shoulder telling him how much I love and appreciate his patience, thoughtfulness, and love for me. He is the best husband and father for my children. I couldn't ask for anything more. My Father in Heaven is watching over me and given me all I need and then some.

It has been a while, hasn't it?

I haven't been feeling well, so anything other than the necessities has been put off. Life is good, though. Here is a run down on what's new with us:

Bell: Started preschool and loves it. She also has been doing gymnastics for a couple months and it is a perfect fit. She has so much energy (like all kids) and it's a fun and productive way for her to use some energy. She is learning a lot and loves "super hero training" and swinging on the bars. She is good at forward and backward rolls, donkey kicks, and balance beam. I really enjoy watching her in class. Bella is a very sensitive and sweet girl. Although she can get her feelings hurt easily sometimes, she also looks out for others and is a great helper to me. Her most commonly used phrase is, "Mom, I love ya in the whole deep ba-lue ocean!" What would I do without my Bell Bell?

Kai: Little Miss Independent & feisty. She knows what she wants and is determined to get it. She knows how to work it...The other day at McDonald's she wandered over to a table with lots of food, reached up to the mom, who picked her up. (Did I mention it was a complete stranger?) She didn't care one bit. She had her eyes on the fries and worked her cuteness. Have you seen her cheeser smile latley?...that's her money maker. Kai's newest little trick is attempting to jump. So dang cute. She also goes "Da da da DA...(charge)!" and "bahhhh" for "Brrr...."

Pais: She is such a sweetheart. She gives lots of loves and kisses to her family everyday. She is so quick to give a "sorry" hug and kiss when she makes someone cry. She is the best sharer, too. I love watching her feed grapes or fish crackers to Kai. So sweet. She really fights the naps lately, though. Her newest thing is "Nah nah... Nah Nah...." ("Knock, Knock...Who's there?") which she learned from big sis. It works, because we laugh every time. She is a monkey- always climbing out of her high chair and onto sissies' or the table....

The girls get along well for the most part. There are fights & plenty of tears, but they are such good friends. Lately, they have been going downstairs and playing for 1-2 hours without mom having to intervene. I love the break.

Levi: So super busy. He just finished up some remodeling projects and is now framing an actual new construction house from start to finish. He hasn't done that in over a year! He loves the satisfaction of a full day of work and seeing the progress. He just got his new tool trailer all organized. I was really impressed with how much he fit in there. I'm usually the organization freak. He works so hard to provide for our family and to make it possible for me to stay home with the kids. We sure love him lots! He is very outnumbered at home, and is probably the most excited about our new addition being a boy!

Me: 16 weeks pregnant and gaining a few pounds back from the 16lbs lost from hyperemesis (all day morning sickness). I am on home health care getting IV fluids everyday and anti-nausea medicine. I hate to "jinx" it, but I feel like I am finally coming out of it. I just miss food so much, I can't wait to have a plate of nachos at El Azteca or some molten lava fudge cake from Chili's. (Can you tell I think about food a lot?) While this pregnancy has been hard, it is no where near as bad as I was with the girls. I am barely getting the necessary things done- family fed, house somewhat clean, etc. I feel very challenged with spending individual time with each child, and don't know how I'll balance a fourth in May. I love my family. They are everything to me. I am excited for the holidays and spending some more time with family and friends.

There it is

some new little things to remember always

Lots from my Bella this week.
This is exhauster-ating!
Our home is delightful.
This drink is schmooper good! (it was actually orange soda and she liked it)


K found a new trick where she goes up and down on her tip toes. She gets so proud.

P is the kissiest, loviest baby I have ever seen. I get at least 20 kisses per day from her.

K & P are so love-hate lately. One minute petting each other, kissing, and hugging...the next pushes, shoves, hair pulling, sitting on each other. It is so fun to watch the relationship of identical twins.

It's official

in may we will have four kids aged three and under. (that is, until june, when bells will turn four). we are excited to have a baby.

i am not so excited about being sick for the next 7 months.

Mad Hairs

So Bella points to Levi's eyebrows yesterday and says, "Those are mad hairs."

L: What?
B: They are mad hairs. Because when you are mad you go (Makes a mad face using eyebrows). That's why.

ha ha. I love it!

Boutiques!!!

Levi and I have been making and selling wooden things like shelves, plaques, blocks, etc. to Associated Food Stores (Macey's etc.) for 8 months now. It's something we both enjoy doing together. He is always baffled by the things women buy. But I think they are so cute! We got into it because of Levi's mom. She is the floral manager at Macey's PG and wanted to give us the work instead of ordering through someone else. The other nice thing about it is it means extra money. We're not talking tons of extra money, but the construction industry is so up and down and it's really nice to have something extra that I can help bring money in with.

Why am I telling you all this? We need your help! We are going to be a vendor at the Holy Cow Boutique in Pleasant Grove this November and possibly a huge on called Santa's Workshop in St. George. We need some help coming up with the things we will be selling. We want to volume produce things that a lot of people like so we can best utilize our investment.

Will you help us out by telling us what you like best and what you would buy. I'll be posting pictures soon of the things we make! We'll also have polls. Thanks a million!

Chilly Hockley

Bella is one of those cool people who comes up with the trendy words we all pick up on and copy (remember "Ron Juber"?).

She picked up her newest from her sisters' talking My Little Pony. I think the pony's name is Chilly, and it says "Chilly hungry".

Well, Bella's interpretation is "Chilly Hockley".

Now what exactly is Chilly Hockley? It means many things, but we'll name a few:

* Boring
* Frustrated
* Cool
* Fun

Tonight:
B: I don't say it anymore, cause I'm sooo bored of Chilly Hockley
M: What do you say now?
B: Lots of fings...horse, sleigh...all the fings I know.

We'll keep you up to date on the new cool phrase as soon as Bella decides what it is.

Drips

Yesterday, Bella is watching a cartoon about an elephant. I am in the other room getting ready. I hear Bella yelling "No!" and "OH!" and "OH NO!" She sounds pretty stressed.

M: Bella are you okay?
B: (comes running in to my room all intense) The bad guy is going to shoot the elephant!
M: He won't get the elephant. Come on let's go watch.
( We sit down and watch as the elephant gets away. I look over and Bella's eyes are filled with tears)

Bella, are you crying?

B: No. I just have drips in my eyes.

Okay, first, I didn't realize how scary and intense the cartoon, Babar could be for a three year old. Second, she didn't want to change the channel she had to see what happened to the poor elephant. But, third I love that she calls tears or crying "drips in her eyes"! So cute.

The latest

So I am talking with Bella the other day and here is how our conversation went:

B: When I was really little I swallowed something really tiny...and it went in my body (shows me her abdomen) and I had to go to the doctor and he went like this (pumps hands on stomach) and it came out of my body.

M: oh really? I don't remember that happening. hmmm....

B: Yeah, and it came out of my body. That's why you don't put really tiny things in your body.

(Once when she was two, she put a very small bead in her ear. Levi had to take her to the ER to get it out....maybe this is what she is remembering. I don't know.)

I just love her stories. I try to write most of them down, because she has such a vivid imagination and gets so animated when she tells them.


We are driving on the free way:
B: Mom! Look at that guy! Wow!
She points to a biker dude on a motorcycle.
M: Wow. He's pretty cool.
B: I want one of those. I want one that's my age. (size?) Not a da-tend (pretend) one, a REALLY one!)
M: Ummm....maybe some day.....

She really is a big girl. She talks so well and has even being pulling a little attitude at times, but is quick to apologize when made aware of this.

"What's the big difference?" is her most common attitude phrase. She picks these up from her older cooler cousins. She'll also say "Dude! I dropped it!"

But then her sweetness comes out with:
"Know what mom, I love ya in the whole deep blue sea."
"If you need anyfing, just call me."
"I won't let anyfing happen to ya dad."

The twinners are getting to be more fun every day.

Paislee shrugs her shoulders in this adorable little way. She'll do it over and over. So cute.

Kailia dances to music, beats, whatever. I love it.

Paislee has now taken up to 8 steps on her own, but really chooses not to overall. She doesn't seem confident. So we help her out here and there. She'll walk more when she's ready, but sometimes she feels left out from her two older sisters.

Kailia is where the action is. She walks really well now and can get almost anywhere. Her favorite is to pick something up and walk with it or put her arms in the air. In the tub she stands almost right under the faucet so she can play with the stream of water coming out. Kai will be held by almost anyone.

Paislee can be a little timid...loud noises scare her so do strange people. She is the biggest daddy's girl I've ever seen. She is so affectionate and loving. She is famous for her arm rubs and pats (sometimes hard slaps). I love it when she opens her mouth and puts it on mine and does the "ahhhhhh" noises. She is such a playful girl.

I love my girls!

My photography learning journey...

I am seriously loving photography more each time I pick up my camera. I love my camera so dang much. I love being able to capture a moment in time that evokes feelings every time I look at the picture. I love discovering the beauty all around me. I love my husband for buying this camera for me. Best birthday present ever (well second best). Remember when I got to take my twins home from the NICU ON MY BDAY??!!! It's pretty hard to beat that one...

These pics are some of my favorites of Bells right now. To see more click here.

Thanks for letting me share,
Lyndsy

Twins' (or is it twinses?) 1st Birthday!

The twinies' birthday was bitter-sweet for me. They are no longer my tiny little babies! They are getting bigger and learning more and needing me a little less.

We had a carnival themed party in our backyard- nachos, snow cones, cotton candy, the water slide, you name it! We had about 25-30 people come which stresses me out. But it was a ton of fun!

They each got their own cake. Kailia was totally diggingin, Paislee not so much. Poor little Pais had a fever and just didn't feel good.

Bella's 3 birthday (2 months later...)

Bella's birthday was a lot of fun. We took her out to lunch at "The fancy restaurant" she always points to when we drive past (Olive Garden in American Fork). she was so excited to eat there! The look on her face when we told her where we were eating for lunch because of her special day....PRICELESS.

I let her choose this year what kind of party to have. I told her we could swim, bowl, or have a party in the backyard again. She chose bowling which surprised me, because she has only been bowling like once in her life! Bowling worked out great, because at Fat Cats in the summer, kids bowl free! You just have to pay for the shoe rental- which only cost two bucks a person. Including the balloons and party favors (her Nana bought the cupcakes) we spent less than $30.

Most of her cousins came, and a couple friends. We had so much fun. She got a table and chairs from Nana and Papa, a fish from Aunt Star which she named Mystery, a Dora couch/bed from Mom and Dad, Littlest Pet shops, a purse and shirt from the Johnson cousins, a Furreal duck from Jayce, and more! She loved everything. She ate probably 3 cupcakes, and stole the princess rings out of most of them.

It was a great day, celebrating Bella's life. We are so grateful she got to be in our family. It wouldn't be the same without her!

ImagiNation

This is a picture of Bella holding her "watercan"

Bella is wiggling and holding herself- obviously needing to go to the bathroom.

M: Bells, go sit on the potty.
B: O-Kay! Fine! (with a little bit of attitude)
M: Hurry! Before you have an accident!

Bella runs to the bathroom, but doesn't go in. She turns around and sits on our stairs. I watch with curiosity. She slips something imaginary over each sock covered foot.

Bella stands up and "skates" her way back, gliding to the bathroom. Sits down and takes care of business.

M: Are ya done?
B: Yep!
M: Good job!What did you put on your feet? Ice skates?
B: Yeah! I put on my ice skates so I can skate!

Bella, never ever lose your imagiNation!

We love summer!

Happy Birthday, America!

ha ha i'm sneaky....Paislee with her Nana. Pailsee was so miserable on July 4th, from lack of sleep. Luckily, Nana rocked her.

Me and my best lil' buddy Bell Bell

Fourth of July at Nana's house

Park days are the best days.

Bella's face totally tells it all.

Bella and Jayce at Strawberry Days

We got to go to Park City for 4 days in July. This is the incredible view of Main Street from our private deck. We were so spoiled.

Our own private hottub at the condo we stayed at. So fun!


Bella is CRAZY! They went so fast down the Alpine Slide. She immediately wanted more! She takes after her dad...I'm a chicken.


This picture cracks me up of Paislee. I had her all bundled up in my moby wrap. We couldn't fit all our stuff plus the double stroller, so we had to get creative.

Kai's mode of transportation while visiting Park City for 4 days.

The Twinnie Mini's first time swimming. This is Park City. We had an absolute blast.


Pais-a-Roo

My little KaiKai

Levi loves being outnumbered!

Paislee still crawling- which is just fine with me!

This is Kai walking some of her first steps! (note the shiny travertine floor that I refinished)

My best friend from like 4th grade Tiffany...isn't she gorgeous? We were sad Chelsie couldn't make it, she got strep on vacation!

Bells swimming with the cousins at nana's.

First picture taken with my new sweet camera Levi got me for my birthday. After I saw this picture, I knew it was a good camera! (not that Levi isn't naturally stunningly handsome!)

I am really sad that summer is coming to an end. We have been indoors a lot just because it's hard with two little tinies and just one me. But we have had a lot of fun nevertheless. These are our pictures in no particular order.