Little Bambinos

Here are the latest pictures of the twinnies as of today. I didn't get as many pictures as I normally do because as the babies are getting bigger, I noticed how much harder it is to make out everything on the ultrasound screen. I had to keep asking the lady "what's that?" Anyways, they have me measuring a week behind what I think I am. I say I am 32 weeks and they say 31. But who knows? I have like 4 due dates flying around out there and I know I won't make it to either one. Well, they won't let me anyways. So both babies are doing well. They are growing like crazy! Today Baby A weighed in at 4 pounds 7 ounces and Baby B was 4 pounds! That's like 8 1/2 pounds of baby I'm carrying around already! Considering the high risk doctor thinks I will make it to twin term: 36-37 weeks, I'm scared to see how big these babies are going to be! As of now, this is over what Gracie weighed in as. She was 8 pounds at birth! Yikes! No wonder I feel so heavy in the middle and that I can't sleep! The only thing that concerns me now is that the doctor said to plan for a C-section. Both babies are currently breech and with 2 in there, it may be hard for them to turn. I was really hoping not to go that way but I guess if I have to, then I have to. So that's the update for now. I go see the OB-GYN next week so we'll see what she says too! In the meantime, I will keep cooking these little, I mean, big bambinos!

Feeding the Fish

A few weeks ago, before I was placed on modified bed rest, Gracie wanted to take a trip to see Grandma Patti and Grandpa Gil. She talks about them all the time. She knows Grandma Patti has a "zoo" in her playroom and she knows Grandpa Gil drives a a school bus. But I think the thing she likes best about going there is feeding the fish. She got a handful of fish food poured into her hands and then she got to throw it into the pond! That is all she wants to do when we are there. She fed them so much that Patti had to tell her that the fish were full and would get sick if we kept feeding them. She wasn't too happy. That was a few weeks ago and she still talks about feeding the fish at Patti and Gil's. So lookout fishies, Gracie will be coming to feed you again soon!

Chilling at Chuck E. Cheese!

Last week we decided to take Gracie to Chuck E. Cheese. She had actually never been there before and we figured we would go during the week when it would be less crowded. Well, it turned out to be the perfect day. There was hardly anyone there at all. When I walked in, I was amazed. I remember the old Showbiz Pizza. I even had a birthday party there when I was little with Billy Bob the Bear. In fact, I still have the record that they gave me! Anyways, things have changed in there. There are still tons of games but back in the day they had more slides, ball pits and rides. Anyways, Gracie had fun going down the slide and riding the carousel they had there. She played some games but mostly enjoyed putting the tokens in the machines. She tried her luck at Ski Ball but the cutest game was the "Whack the ABC's." (simialar to whack-a-mole). She even ate some pizza! When we introduced her to Chuck E. Cheese, she was scared and didn't want to get too close. Oh well, hopefully she won't be scared of Mickey because he is a cuter mouse. And at the end of the day, Gracie got to cash in her tokens for some prizes. She choose a crazy purple straw and a Chuck E. Cheese purple frisbee. Anyways, we had fun and will surely have to go back to have even more family fun!

Surprise!

Over the weekend, my friends pulled a fast one on me. My friend Dana has been talking about having this ice cream party for a few weeks now. She wanted to have it back when school started and I told her I wouldn't be coming because I would be too tired, stressed and crabby. Well then last week she emails me to see if I could come on Saturday night. I said I would go but I was like "why does she want to have this ice cream party so bad." But I called her to see what I could bring. We had a long day Saturday as we went to Disney on Ice and then expereicned Gracie's first allergic reaction. We took her to urgent care and then got her medicine. I was pooped! But I ventured out to Minooka anyways. We ate some food and then Dan brought out a package for me. It was the pack-n-play that we had wanted! We knew we had to get a new one as our old one got recalled. I was really surprised. I was not expecting that! I am very grateful though and now I have one BIG thing I can cross off the list of things to get and buy before the babies come! So thank you Dana, Erin, Anne, Lindsay, Jessica, and Annette. You guys are awesome friends and I love ya's! Soon Iwill be recuriting your help with the babies. The calendar will be coming around soon!

Disney on Ice!

Today was fun because Grandma, Auntie Amy and I took Gracie to see Disney on Ice! I remember these shows as a kid and I loved them. Well, Gracie loved it too! We have been building her up by telling her we were going to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and her new favorite "Nemo Fish." And we did, we saw all those characters plus many more that we dont' know yet. We saw all of the princesses including Belle, Cinderella, Snow White , Ariel, Jasmine and Mulan. We also saw the gangs from Lion King, Pinocciho, Toy Story, FInding Nemo, Aladdin, Incredibles, and they did a really cool song to "It's a Small World" with the characters dressed as the dolls from the ride at Disney World. Guess we will have to start watching more Disney movies! We have them all, she just hasn't really been interested in watching them too much until now. Gracie was captivated the entire time! She would point at the characters she knew and say their names. She clapped when a number was done too. And she even got some souvenirs: a princess pennet, a shirt, a Minnie Mouse doll, a coloring book, and a program book. Lots of goodies to remind us of the fun time spent today!

The acts were cute little snippets of that Disney movie.

Here were some of my favorites....

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

It's a Small World Afterall

Finding Nemo

The Electric Parade

All the Characters!

Goodbye Disney on Ice! We had fun!

Fun at the Fair!

I know I am totally supposed to be on bed rest, but since I just went to the doctor and everything was great and it was a beautiful day yesterday, my family and I ventured out to the Sandwich Fair. If you don't know what it is, it is this HUGE fair in Sandwich, IL. It's really not a bad drive. We went last year and it was awesome. So we went this year during the week, when we knew it wouldn't be as crowded. (I couldn't be the only one left to sit at home right?) This fair has everything-carnival rides, games, animals, petting zoos, crafts, tons of food, demolition derbys. Lonestar is even performing there tonight I think! And they have contests galore. They judge animals but they also have all these buildings of crafts, anitquues, pictures, food, and they judge them and have ribbons and everything. Chuck's favorite part was exploring all these campers. They have all these campers that you can walk through.

Anyways, here's some of what we did.

Gracie had fun playing the duck game. She got to pick 3 ducks. Even though she wanted to pick more, she won a prize anyways. She even got to pick the prize so she settled on this pink dolphin that aids her obsesssion with animals.

Gracie also rode the merry-go-round 2 times! This is her favorite ride. We told her that she would be riding one before we even got there so she kept reminding us "look for the merry-go-round." She rode it with Daddy and Auntie Amy.

She rode the train with Grandpa too!

And this-have you ever seen a cow this big? Holy cow!

And here is Gracie with the first place biggest pumpkin. It gets me excited for fall.

So that's our day of family fun. I am tyring to spend time doing as much fun things as I can with Gracie now because I already feel guilty that when these babies come, I won't have as much time to spend with her. It makes me sad and I want to soak up every minute of Gracie I can now. But I know I need to rest too. So today, I vow to stay off my feet and get some scrapbooking done.

Bye-Bye Kids! Hello Rest!

Yesterday officially marked the start of my "modified bed rest" days. The doctors have been telling me all summer that this would be coming. I talked them into letting me work until my 29th week, which is also the 2nd week of school. It was definately not good timing on my part but then again this pregnancy was a complete surprise based on one shot! Anyways, I am currently no longer able to work, cook, clean, lift anythingover 10 pounds and no shopping! When I first heard about bed rest coming, I cried my eyes out. But really it won't be so bad. I am tired and sore and it is hard moving or walking very far at all. I have a lot to prepare for in the upcoming weeks such as picking names, digging out baby stuff, deciding where to put everything, picking godparents, getting Gracie ready, buying some things, and my project I need to work on the most is scrapbooking! I have Gracie's books only done up to her year birthday. Well considering she is 2 now, I have a long way to go. I just ordered like 400 pictures so I have my work cut out ahead of me. But I figure I will work on it the days Gracie is at the babysitter. Yes, I am still sending her 3 days a week there 1-to keep her on a schedule and 2-so she is around the other kids. It is too hard for me to be alone with her all day now and I hardly get rest with a toddler running around. Sure I feel guilty but until I win the lotto and can hire a nanny to help me, this will do. IT will be the only way to get my books up to date. If I don't do it now, they will never be done! Plus I need to whip up a quick pregnancy book too! And although there are still errands to be run, I am counting on my friends and family to help me with that. I know my mom will keep close tabs on me now. Today she was kind enough to wheel me around the mall while I did a few things. As far as work, I am left my kids in good hands with the same sub who covered my first maternity leave! I'll miss the girls at work but they are just an email away and Iwill still see them on Friday lunches. The only thing that is stressing me out about this bed rest now is my work and them making me feel like I am being punished for having babies in the middle of the school year. That and the bed rest thing isn't helping my sick days any either! Oh well, I am NOT rushing back to work because I ran out of days to use. I will just get docked and we will find a way to deal with it. The job will always be there but the babies will only be babies for so long. So there you go-bed rest is officially underway! I will keep you updated on my adventure!

Mama on the Move

So as I am getting bigger, my doctor's have told me that I really need to limit my activity. Although I honestly haven't stopped moving so much yet, my mom is keeping a close and watchful eye on me. While at Target the other day, my mom insisted I ride in a wheelchair. I was hesitant as Iwas on school territory and what would people think of me if they saw me? Well then the Target lady came up and told me to use the electric scooter. Again, I was unsure but then she said pregnant people use them all the time. She showed me how to use it and told me to not take out anything. So, there I go scooting along the aisles of Target. My mom and my sister were making fun of me. I decided to be brave and try to manuever around some racks. Little did I know that when you back up, the thing makes this loud beeping noise. So of course I felt like everyone was staring at me wondering what that fat cow was doing. Oh well, I got the hang of it and only ran into 2 people I knew. I have to admit is was sort of fun so maybe we'll try it again! Sometimes pregnancy has it's privileges!

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