And the Ultrasound Said...

Today we had THE ultrasound--the one to tell us the genders of the babies. To our great delight, surprise, and excitement, we found out that we are having...two BOYS!! Daddy David had a big smile on his face (of course, I did, too!). All of the necessary parts were there, including arms, legs, hands, feet, heads, and hearts. They were beautiful! Of course, there were so many baby parts to see that the ultrasound tech had to keep explaining, "This is Baby A's arm" and "This is Baby B's leg..." Wow, and to think that they will keep growing??!!

The first picture shows Baby A's profile, and the second picture shows Baby B's profile (with the edge of his brother's head on the right of the picture). David is excited that he won't be so outnumbered now! When we first told the girls, Katie smiled really big, put her hand over her mouth in disbelief, and said, "That's just what I wanted!" And FYI--the babies are in separate sacs, which means that they could be either identical or fraternal twins. So, it will be a few months after they are born before we will know. If anybody has advice on boys, I'd be happy to hear it...I won't have any idea how to fix their hair, if I can't put a bow in it! :)

Roomies

A couple of nights ago we decided to try having the girls sleep together in Katie's room, since that is what will happen once the twins arrive. The girls were excited and fell asleep pretty easily. When I checked on them before going to bed myself, I was a little confused because I saw Katie on her pillow, but no Lauren. I hadn't heard her running around anywhere else in the house, so just as I was about to start looking for her, there she was...stretched across Katie, lying sideways in the bed (it was harder to see in the dark...the flash of the camera makes it easier to see in the picture). This wasn't a great surprise to us since we know, after having slept with her on a few occasions, that Lauren is a wild sleeper and changes positions MANY times during the night! David repositioned her and we went to bed. The next morning, about 6:00am, I heard a door open and then close. Sure enough, when we got up later that morning, I found that Lauren had gone back into her room and crawled into the crib. I think it will take just a few more nights of practice before she gets the hang of it!

Christmas Fun in Branson

Last week we went to Branson, MO for some fun and relaxation. We enjoy staying at Big Cedar Lodge on Table Rock Lake. While we were there, we had a lot of fun swimming in the indoor pool (well, not me, but David and the girls!), shopping, and looking at Christmas lights. We also went on a horse-drawn wagon ride around the Big Cedar property, and afterwards we made s'mores and drank hot cocoa. What a fun time!! On another night, the girls were visited in our cabin by Santa's elf. They read a story together, and Katie and Lauren told her what they wanted Santa to bring them. It's fun to witness the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child!

Exciting News in Our Family...

Well, most of you know by now that we are expecting a baby next spring. However, a few weeks ago we found out some shocking but very exciting news...we are expecting TWINS!! Yes, that's right, two babies!! I can not even tell you how shocked we were. I was completely speechless after the doctor announced, "Here's the head, here's the heartbeat...and here's the other head and the other heartbeat!" David didn't believe the doctor at first; he said "She's so gullible, she'll believe anything you tell her." My response: "No, honey, I think they are serious," to which the doctor replied, "Oh, yes, I'm very serious!" I found out later that we were the talk of the doctor's office that day because we were so funny (my wide-eyed, shocked expression, David's disbelief, my asking "How did this happen?").

The girls are very excited. When we first told Katie, she got a big smile on her face and then said, "Oh, my...OH MY! We're gonna have to get a bigger house!" We assured her we wouldn't do that just yet. As many people have asked us, yes, twins do run in both sides of our family, but after two pregnancies, I thought "Oh, what are the chances?" Apparently, pretty good! We should find out in December if they are boys, girls, or one of each. The picture above was taken during the ultrasound last week. The babies' heads are together near the middle of the picture; during the ultrasound they were head-butting each other and I said, "Oh no, they're going to be mean!"

Thanks for sharing in our joy! This has certainly taught us that, even though we may have things planned out ("We are only having three children, that's it, we're done!"), God has His own plan (and a sense of humor). The twins are officially due on May 9th but will probably come 3-4 weeks before that date. We will keep you updated with the latest news! :)

Halloween/Fall Festival Fun

Last week, of course, the girls had a lot of fun dressing up for Halloween. Lauren was so excited to tell anyone who would listen that "I gonna be Tinkerbell for Halloween!" In keeping with the "Princess" theme, Katie dressed up as Sleeping Beauty. Our church hosted a Fall Festival on the Tuesday before Halloween, and the girls had so much fun seeing their friends. It's amazing how much the kids change from year to year...I remember our first year to attend (Katie was 10 months old and dressed as a strawberry). My, how she has grown since then! And although Lauren is 2 1/2, she keeps up with Katie and her friends and insists on being with the "big girls."

A Mini-Vacation...Just for Adults!

Last week, David and I took a fun mini-vacation down to St. Petersburg, FL...without the kids (well, without two of them, anyway)! He was attending a Raymond James conference and I was just along for the ride (and the delicious food). We had never been to that part of Florida, and it was beautiful. We stayed in an old hotel (the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club) that had been refurbished years ago, and it was just gorgeous! It was right on the water of Tampa Bay, and there was a beautiful park nearby. I spent a lot of time sitting in the park reading (yes, a real book!) and watching the boats out on the water.

Apparently, the Vinoy is where the pro teams stay when they come to the Tampa/St. Pete area, and as luck would have it, we were there during the American League playoffs between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox. When we arrived at the hotel, the Red Sox were staying there. Two days later, after they lost the series in game 7 to the Rays, they left town and in came the Philadelphia Phillies for the World Series. I was sitting on the verandah of the hotel reading my book when four chartered buses arrived and off walked these young, athletic men in suits. At the end of the line were some wives carrying a "Go Phillies!" sign...so then I knew who they were! Although David and I don't really follow baseball, we caught the fever when in St. Pete so we are now rooting for the Rays (although as of this evening, it's not looking good for them!).

I must say that I was so impressed on this trip...David had made arrangements for several activities during our stay and surprised me with them! We went on a carriage ride, a sunset cruise on a sailboat, and ate at the best restaurants on the water. We really did have a wonderful time! I'm already looking forward to going back (although for me, it probably won't be next year...mommy duty calls!)! :)

Flu Shot Fun

Today the girls and I got our flu shots...yes, a fun adventure. After I got mine, Katie and Lauren started fighting over who had to go next. Finally, I grabbed Katie and plopped her down on the table. A little screaming, a couple of tears, and it was over. Then it was Lauren's turn, and she is usually the "tough" one. Well, not so much today. She cried when she got the shot, she cried after the shot, she cried while I tried to put her shoes back on (the shoes had nothing to do with getting the shot, she was just entertaining herself while waiting for the nurse to come in). Finally, when it was time for the sticker, she calmed down and all was well with her world. The nurse explained that, since she was under age three, she was given a different dosage than Katie and I were, and it might have burned more than ours did.

Well, tonight while I was giving Katie a bath, she explained to me that Lauren had not wanted to take off her Band-Aid during her bath because she had gotten the "patriotic" shot. I asked her, "Lauren got the patriotic shot?" And she said, "Yes, she got the patriotic shot and it probably hurt more than ours did!" She was right...Lauren had gotten the pediatric version of the shot!

Have You Heard??

Well, have you heard the news? Our family is growing! Yes, Baby Shoesmith is on the way. He/she is due May 9th. The picture above was taken at 10 weeks (David says you can't even tell...but I sure can! HA!). The girls are so excited. They don't quite realize that it will be a long time before the baby arrives. A couple of days ago, Katie asked me, "Mom, when is that baby gonna pop out of your tummy?" If only it were that easy!

Fall Fun at the Pumpkin Patch

This past Saturday we went to the Pumpkin Patch here in Bartlesville. I'm not sure who has more fun there...the kids or myself. To me, it's just the perfect place to visit in the fall. We were very lucky because the weather was BEAUTIFUL...sunny and warm (but not hot). David was along for the ride but not quite as enthused as the rest of us. Something about allergies and hay...

Here Come the Brides

This past weekend we had a lot of fun attending the wedding of a relative in Arkansas. The girls just idolized April, the bride and our second (or third?) cousin. They followed her around during the reception and wanted to dance when she was dancing. The next day, April's mom gave the girls each one of the bridesmaids' bouquets to take home. Once we arrived back in Bartlesville, Katie immediately put the flowers in some water and told us, "Now the flowers will be ready for us when Lauren and I get married!" David tried to explain that, even in water, the flowers wouldn't quite live for another thirty years or so! :)

Class Field Trip

Today Katie's preschool class went on a field trip to the library. Since they were walking there, the teachers asked for some parent volunteers to help corral the kids so Lauren and I tagged along. It was a perfect, sunny day for a walk through downtown Bartlesville. Lauren even had a t-shirt that matched the "older" kids, so she felt like (and looked like) a big kid, too.

Labor Day Fun

We had a nice, relaxing Labor Day weekend. Most of it was spent with David's family as his grandparents from Topeka and his sister and her family from St. Louis were visiting. The girls enjoyed playing with Cousin Emily and Cousin Andrew; the kids went to Kiddie Park on Saturday night...always a fun time!

David took the girls to the lake for a little tubing on Monday. He told Katie she needed a hat...so, she went to her room and came back wearing a stocking cap David brought her from Chicago when he went on a business trip. We tried to explain that type of hat would just be too hot to wear, but she wasn't convinced. Sometimes they just have to learn the hard way...

Out of the Mouths of 2-Year-Olds

Isn't it funny how smart 2-year-olds can be? Last night we had spaghetti for dinner, and of course, Lauren had it all over herself by the end of the meal. She wanted a wet rag, and I asked her why. She said, "For my feet--they are dirty." I asked, "Why are they dirty?" She said, "They have miss...missbeggies (spaghetti)." I asked again, "They have what?" And she replied, "Sauce and noodles!" :)

Katie and Lauren both started "school" last week; Katie now attends preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays at our church, and Lauren attends Kids Day Out on Thursdays, also at our church. The picture of them with their backpacks was taken on their first day, last Thursday. Don't they look ready to tackle "school?"

I've also included a couple of other pictures taken this summer when we were in Branson. Hope you enjoy them!

Welcome to Our Blog

Hello to our friends and family! I am trying my hand in the world of blogging so that those of you who don't live near us can stay "in the loop" with what's going on in our lives! We have had a great summer, full of vacation days, play dates, lazy days, and trips to Kiddie Park, Bartlesville's own version of an amusement park for the little ones. Katie (age 4 1/2) and Lauren (age 2 1/2) grow so much every day--they are quite the "big girls" now! In fact, as I was struggling with Lauren trying to get her to take a nap today, she was crying and waved her finger at me as she proclaimed, "I don't wike you anymoe, Mama!" I thought that would come a little later, maybe around 16?

Here are a few recent pictures...the one of Katie by herself was taken when she had vanilla bark on her mouth after eating a cookie before it had time to set up (just couldn't wait!), and the picture of Lauren with a red mouth was taken after she used a stamp all over her face...I guess she was making her own "lipstick!" :)

Please check back often as I will do my very best to keep this blog updated with funny stories and crazy pictures! For now, enjoy!