The Swan Song

My favorite time of year

2010-12-01T23:19:00.001-06:00

Hello…hello….hello….is there anyone home? Yes. I am sorry I haven’t blogged in awhile. Life has been good, but busy. I promise to go back and update many pictures from the past 2 months.

I love this time of year. The kids are so excited about everything Christmas and we have fun together. Tonight begins a 4 week series about the birth of Jesus at our church. The kids love going. The weather was pretty so we played outside and ate dinner at McDonalds on our way. Here are some pictures from our fun day.

Sweet Sarah loves to be outside. She often knocks on the door as her signal she wants to go outside. I love to listen to her laugh. Anytime Gameboy is near she is usually laughing. She really loves her bubba.

She had learned to walk and looks a lot like Frankenstein. If she is in a hurry, she will crawl and I know that won’t last long. Sweet Sydney loves to talk and points to everything. She has the cutest personality and loves all the Christmas decorations. If she’s not pointing her finger, she is clapping and trying to tell me something.

Princess and Gameboy love eating out. I love eating out too, but McD’s is not my favorite. Look how big Princess is getting!

She is such a big helper and mini mama.

The babies loved playing.

Sydney loved sliding! (look at the static in her hair)

Such a simple and fun day.

Here’s is today’s Advent reading: "If I don't have a vision, my hope in a joyful future can wane when faced with the realities of the world. If I'm serious about preparing for Christ in my life, I've got to know the world that He hopes for. I've got to learn to love what He loves." Lord, give me the longing for the richness of your reign in the now and the not yet. Isa 25:6-10

Happy Birthday Sarah & Sydney

2010-09-24T23:17:00.003-05:00

This photo slideshow created with Smilebox

11 Months Old

2010-08-25T22:05:00.000-05:00

My sweet girls are growing up so fast. I can’t believe they are almost 1 and are really starting to communicate! They both clap, dance, and wave all the time. Sydney can even say mama! I love to hear her chatter my name.

Sarah loves to clap and will do so anytime you say yay!! She also likes to blow raspberries especially if she doesn’t like her dinner.

They are EVERYWHERE!!!

They love to unfold clean laundry and play in the basket.

They also like to climb into the dishwasher. I know they are just trying to be helpful (HA HA), but right now they can make a big mess quickly. Good thing they are so CUTE. Sarah and Sydney love to take baths. Bath time often happens several times a day, because they are messy eaters and it can make them happy anytime. See what I mean.

Life is so full and we are blessed!

Waiting for the big kids to get home

2010-08-23T14:16:00.001-05:00

First Day of School

2010-08-23T09:54:00.001-05:00

As summer comes to a close, it’s time to get back to my blog. It’s been such a fun summer and I have lots of posts to catch up on. The house is so quiet and I am filled with mixed emotions this morning. I am happy to be back to a routine and some time to myself, but I miss the big kids already.

Gameboy was very excited about 1st grade!

He has grown so much from last year and is ready to see his friends.

Princess wanted to help make sure he was ready on time and Gameboy let her know he could do it all by himself.

The kids were really sweet to each other today and I love watching them.

Princess is off to 4th grade and I can’t believe it.

She is so kind, helpful and very organized.

We had lots of fun getting ready for school and she picked out her outfits for the whole week.

A Mom's Prayer On the First Day of School
Here we are again, Lord. Their backpacks are loaded and their faces are scrubbed and their lunch accounts are full.
And I know you'll walk with them, Lord. You always do. But a mom still has to ask.
Will You walk with them? Will You whisper to them what they need to hear, when I'm not there to whisper it?
Will You please, oh please, cover their school with the protection only You can give, and will You keep harm far away?
Will You make their minds strong and ready to learn? Will You help them understand that hard work honors the One who created them?
Will You guide their teachers, giving them patience and wisdom and creativity and more patience? Will You bless them for their efforts?
Will You love all those children there, the ones whose lunch accounts aren't full, the ones who feel alone? Will You teach my children to be kind and unselfish and to love those who are different from them?
Will You point them back toward home just as soon as you can?
Lord, I give them to You today and everyday, trusting them to Your care. Amen.

Beach Photos

2010-08-02T22:01:00.000-05:00

Sweet Molly took a few family shots on the beach.

Sorry for the picture overload! I had too many favorites. Which one do you like best?

Summer Vacation to Galveston

2010-08-02T05:37:00.001-05:00

My sweetie planned a perfect week long get-a-way with the family at the close of summer. We rented a beautiful beach house and had some quality family time together. The babies were very good on their 1st vacation and it was nice to spread out in the house. Gameboy bunked with the twins and took good care of them.

We played on the beach and at the pool every morning and late evening. We played lots of board games. Even some oldies but goodies like Clue and electronic Battleship. We watched lots of movies, worked on a puzzle and ate delicious food. We got two day passes to Moody Gardens and I have tons of pictures to share from our time there. Waiting to go into the aquarium.

Sweet Princess enjoying all the beautiful sea creatures.

Sarah and Sydney were so good and spent most of the day here.

Our sweet friend Molly came along to help us with the kids. She was so helpful and fun! We loved having her join us and she took all these great pictures. Thanks Molly!

Princess and Gameboy at the butterfly exhibit. Here we are inside a rain forest. It rained on us!! My sweet pirates.

Who knew we could ice skate in August in Galveston, but Moody Gardens had it all.

Sweet Sarah and Sydney on the ride home from our fun day. Stay tuned tomorrow for some fun pictures of the beach. Thank you Lord for a wonderful trip!

Kids Camp 2010

2010-08-01T22:09:00.000-05:00

My sweetie and I have the privilege to work with 4th and 5th graders every Sunday at church. We love working with the kids and I learn a lot about Jesus in 5th grade Sunday school. One of the job perks is the opportunity to attend Kids Camp every year. It is awesome time to get away from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives and focus on the kids and learning about Jesus. We love getting to know each child better. Some of our favorite things about camp are rec time, capture the leader, worship, the kids talent show and cooling off with the kids in the pool. This year my rec team beat my sweeties and you would think there was a cash prize involved.

Go team PINK!!!!!

Every year the leaders dress up in camo and we play a giant game of hide and go seek. Here is a picture from a few years back.

I love to watch the kids worship at camp and it is really neat to see lots of light bulb moments when they learn something new about Jesus.

This year I thought it would be fun to tie dye shirts. It was fun, but after doing 125 t-shirts I won’t be tie dying anytime soon. My favorite park about camp this year was watching Princess enjoy all of camp for the first time.

She loved every minute of it!

Hanging by the pool.

Studying the Bible.

Thank you Lord for a wonderful camp. What a blessing!!!

10 months old

2010-07-22T22:06:00.000-05:00

My sweet girls are 10 months old and moving! They are cruising around the furniture and don’t want to sit still and have their picture taken. Here are some of my attempts to get a cute picture together. I wasn’t successful, but I guess it is a good snapshot of our life right now.

I love how they are always touching each other.

So sweet.

I wonder what Sydney is thinking here.

Whatever it was Sarah sure thought it was funny.

I think this is the best one of the day.

Really mom can we please go play?

Thanks mom!

Sarah is on the move always looking for Sydney. Sometimes there aren’t enough toys and it is funny to watch them wrestle for something.We try not to get involved and they usually get over it pretty quickly. Sarah and Sydney we love you!!

Gameboy is 7!

2010-07-03T14:35:00.000-05:00

See this cute baby who used to play peek a boo with me inside the kitchen cabinets. He is still cute, but he is definitely not a baby anymore. It hard to believe he is 7! The time has gone by so fast and this boy has brought so much joy to our house. He is funny, smart, and has a heart of gold. We wanted to celebrate his big day in a special way so we had a party at one of his favorite places.You can tell by the look on Gameboy’s face that he was so excited about his big day. In fact, it was his favorite birthday ever. He loved seeing his friends and playing laser tag. All the boys had a great time and their #1 goal was to beat Daddy!

Gearing up to play.

Everyone played lots of rounds, but Daddy always came in first. Then we ate pizza and cake. Gameboy wanted a giant cookie cake this year.

Gameboy is blessed with good friends who made his party special.

He got lots of great gifts. His favorites include legos, a portable Dvd player, Wii Mario Galaxy 2, and Wii Harry Potter. Gameboy I pray that this is a wonderful year for you. You are so special to us!

Celebration of Baptism

2010-06-27T23:15:00.000-05:00

We are overjoyed to announce the baptism of both Princess and Gameboy. Princess asked Jesus into to her heart a few years ago, but has been nervous about baptism. She started asking God to show her more about it and decided it was time for everyone to know about her decision to follow Jesus. It has been really neat to watch her grow in her faith. Gameboy has recently prayed to receive Christ and wanted to be baptized immediately. We encouraged him to take the pre-baptism class and meet with our pastor. It was neat to watch him explain his relationship with Christ to others. When talking with our pastor he compared reading his Bible to a super vegetable!

Here they are dressed and ready to go.

Pastor Darren with the Princess.

Pastor Darren and Gameboy.

We were so blessed to celebrate with family.

Your love for Jesus Christ
Shines through in all you do
For there are many that will see
The hope of Christ in you
We thank the Lord for you
For bringing you to this place
To be baptized in His precious name
And to walk on in His grace.
© By M.S.Lowndes

Swim Team

2010-06-24T10:57:00.000-05:00

This year Gameboy joined Princess on the summer swim team and it was a great experience for both kids.

We were busy attending 4 practices a week at different times and our weekends were full with 9 swim meets. We appreciate Daddy so much. He got up super early every Saturday morning to set up our tent and make sure we had everything ready.

Princess loves to swim and all her hard work in year around swimming really paid off this season. She loves to be in the water, but also loves to hang out with her friends in between events.

Her favorite strokes are 25M freestyle (19.16 sec), 25M backstroke (22.85 sec), and 25 M butterfly (24.87 seconds). Her team does a great job of recognizing the kids improvements and Princess loves to get ribbons. She still displays them proudly in her room. We are so happy she found a sport she loves and are looking forward to watching her swim year around again this year.

Gameboy has come a long way this swim season. He started the year loving to be in the water, but never had a swim lesson. His first practice he did a cannonball off the block. Gameboy learned both the freestyle, backstroke and how to dive off the block. In the beginning, it took him over a minute and a half to get across the pool. He can now swim both strokes in less than 40 seconds. He too loved meeting new friends and eating snacks at the meet.

Here he is ready to go.

Lots of family came to watch and Gameboy loved hanging out with family.

Sarah and Sydney were troopers and were very good on the long hot days.

9 months old!

2010-06-22T00:08:00.000-05:00

I can’t believe these sweet girls are 9 months old! They are spending lots of time in the pool and love to play in the water.

They are the best babies! Always on the go…and such easy dispositions. They are both crawling everywhere. They love to explore the house, but usually travel together.

Here are there stats. The doc said they looked good, but he was concerned that they have not had a growth spurt. So we have increased their calories by adding more powder and less water to their formula. I am excited because he said they are ready for table food too.

Sarah Beth

Weight: 15 lbs 6.5 oz 3%

Height: 25 ¾ inches 5%

Head Circumference: 17 inches 26 %

Sarah loves to stick out her tongue. She looks just like Gameboy when she does this. She loves to play peek a boo and laughs out loud.

Sydney Anne Weight: 13lbs 14 oz -1%

Height: 25 1/4 inches 1%

Head Circumference:16 ¼ inches 1%

Sydney may be small, but she has a big personality. She now has two bottom teeth, and no longer sucks her two fingers. Princess gave her a binky and she loves it almost as much as Princess did.

We are so blessed to have you in our family!!

Big Helpers

2010-06-15T22:55:00.001-05:00

As I wondered about summer, I was so concerned about entertaining the big kids and I really did not think about how helpful they would be. Every morning Gameboy helps with the first feeding.

He can calm them down when they are sad and even make them laugh out loud. I treasure our time snuggling in my bed and it’s a great way to start our day.

In other news, Miss Sarah is now standing in her bed, instead of sleeping, so we had to lower her crib last night. Here are some pictures of the girls playing together while we adjusted Sarah’s bed. We kept the tool in the drawer because Sydney won’t be far behind her.

Hey mom look at me!

Please put her back in her bed so I can sleep!! I am so thankful for my family and I love them!

Princess is 9!

2010-06-09T11:42:00.001-05:00

My sweet baby girl is 9 and we had a blast celebrating with her! The celebration began with a trip to Schlitterbahn with our good friends the Kerr’s. She got to miss the last day of school and we missed all the crowds. We spent 2 days in the park and Ms. Penny made sure we rode every ride. Thanks to Grammy and Papa for taking care of the babies while we were away. We had a great trip and I loved hanging with the big kids.

I forgot my camera so here is a picture of us from our last trip there 2 years ago. I can’t believe how much everyone has changed.

Once we got home, we unpacked and began planning our Bunco Bash. We had so much fun together making all the decorations and prizes. I loved spending time with Princess and she is very creative. Here a few pictures of the things we made.

The girls arrived and we ate Chick-fil-a nuggets and bagel bites. Princess even made the plates look like dice.

Then we taught everyone to play the game. They caught on quick and had a blast.

Mimi and Grammy came to help keep score.

The cake was so cute and delicious.

Princess was so sweet to include Gameboy too. He had fun playing the game.

We gave out prizes and opened gifts. Then everyone jumped in the pool. It was a great night.

Princess has some great friends and we are so thankful they were able to make her day special.

Princess you are a beautiful girl inside and out and I am so proud to be your mom.

The Tooth Fairy

2010-05-31T23:58:00.000-05:00

Sweet Gameboy finally lost a tooth!!! It is so interesting to me how different our kids are. Princess lets her teeth hang on until she looks like Nanny McPhee. She wails and cries and is very relieved when Daddy pulls it out. Not Gameboy…he wants the tooth out and will wiggle it until it is loose. After the tooth fairy came, he pulled his second tooth out which wasn’t loose just to make money. We constantly have to keep reminding him to keep his hands out of his mouth. He sure looks grown up now.

We love you, Gameboy!!!

Wrestle Mania Swan Style

2010-05-30T15:02:00.001-05:00

8 months old

2010-05-28T19:05:00.002-05:00

Papa came to visit and took lots of great pictures of us. We had a nice time visiting with him.

Sarah Beth and Sydney Anne have spent lots of time on the floor.

Learning to crawl and playing with toys.

This is really fun, but sometimes it wears us out or we get frustrated.

We are getting teeth and chew on everything!

Sarah is working on her top two teeth and Sydney is working on her bottom two teeth.

We have lots of drool and mommy changes our clothes often.We are all smiles most of the day.

Especially when Princess and Gameboy are around.

We love hanging out together. We crack each other up. We can make each other cry over toys. But we make up quickly. Being 8 months old is good.

We love you Sarah and Sydney!

End of the year CrAzInEsS!!

2010-05-13T12:55:00.001-05:00

The school year is coming to a close and I have mixed emotions. I looking forward to the relaxed days of summer and not living by a strict schedule, but I am going to miss my quiet time with just the babies. My role shifts a bit from taxi driver to cruise director and the big kids have high expectations. I am not sure how I will measure up this summer, but I often feel torn between all my kids. I am really trying to schedule lots of breakfasts with my sweetie and lunch dates with friends. It is much easier to go out with 2 kids instead of 4. Tomorrow I am using my spa gift certificate before it expires and I need to get my hair colored. If I think about the summer, I get overwhelmed so I am going to take it one week at a time. I think some hired help may be necessary too. Our schedules have been jam packed with end of the year madness. Field days, teacher appreciation week, book fair, daily swim practice and t-ball. Here’s a picture of Princess presenting her science project Measurement Man to the class.

The babies have been very good through all the craziness and have spent a lot of time in the stroller. They really love to go out and see what’s going on.

But it’s Houston and hot and they are relieved to come home to the air conditioning. Lately they spend lots of time on the floor.

I hope you all are enjoying your last few weeks before summer. I know I am.

Little Slugger

2010-05-11T21:05:00.001-05:00

Gameboy is playing t-ball again for the 3rd year.

I think he looks so cute in his uniform and has grown so much from his first year.

He isn’t playing in the dirt as much and he’s starting to understand the game.

He still loves to hit the ball and slide. White pants have been a laundry nightmare.

We motivate him to run his fastest with a Snickers bar. He’s kind of like Po in Kung Fu panda.

His daddy helps coach the team and he loves hanging out with the boys.

Go Gameboy! I can’t believe there are only 2 games left. We are so proud of you.

Happy Mother’s Day

2010-05-09T17:34:00.001-05:00

I am so lucky to have this lady for a mom!!

Don’t you like our matching haircuts? My mom took such great care of me and we have a special relationship that is hard to describe. I have so many fun memories of my childhood with her. Making monster cookies, driving in the car to all my activities, marathon shopping trips looking for the best bargains and spending time together.

She is the first person I call with all my good news. I love to get her opinions when decorating my house or buying clothes. She has spent countless hours sewing for me. She listens to me and encourages me. My prayer is that I can be as good a mother as she has been to me. I am so blessed. Happy Mother’s Day Mom! I love you.

God is Good!

2010-04-28T17:35:00.001-05:00

Gameboy and I went to the ENT today for a follow up visit and we have great news to report. His hearing has been restored 100% and he has no infection!! I am so happy about the news and loved how the doc told him he had no excuses now. He can no longer say “I didn’t hear you mom”. This is our second ENT and I really liked how he handled our case. He talked to Gameboy not about him as though he was not there. He answered all of my questions without rushing me and even called our house to check up on him.

As a new mom of 4, I find my self worrying more about each of our babies. Worrying really could be my full time job, but I know that is not what God wants me to be doing with my time. So today I am thankful for His reminder to me to cast my cares upon Him.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7

1st Swim

2010-04-25T15:06:00.001-05:00

My sweetie had a getaway weekend watching Ole Miss beat LSU!!! Go Rebels. I held down the fort at home and carted the big kids to birthday parties, t-ball practice and a t-ball game. Luckily my sweet friends Jayden and Grace decided to sleep over last night and help with the kids. We decided it was warm enough to let the twins swim.

They loved splashing in the hot tub and being held.

Gameboy decided he wanted to be a baby too. So we held him.

We ordered pizza, made cookies and stayed up late hanging out. It was a nice weekend.

7 Months Old

2010-04-24T14:51:00.000-05:00

We have a new place we like to play!! Sarah likes to tell Sydney secrets. I think they are scheming about how to destroy my house. Sydney loves the idea and thinks Sarah is hilarious! Ahh! Let’s hug. Being sisters is so much fun.

Watch out mom we’ll be on the move in no time!

Boys Getaway

2010-04-23T09:01:00.001-05:00

Gameboy love 3 things very much. Cars, his daddy and Nanny. So he was so excited when Nanny invited him to a Nascar weekend in Dallas. The weather did not cooperate so he did not get to see a race, but he still had a blast. Here are some pictures from their adventure.

Gameboy’s cousin, uncle and Papa made the trip too. They had a blast playing laser tag. My sweetie is so competitive. He had to bring home his 1st place scorecard. Nanny spoiled the boys with fun things to do and toys galore. She even let them jump on the bed. Here’s a few pictures from the racetrack.

Thanks for a great weekend Nanny!

Getting ready for summer

2010-04-19T13:58:00.002-05:00

The boys went to see Nascar this weekend and the girls and I went shopping with Grammy. It was so nice to spend the weekend with her! Grammy, Princess, and I think Sydney and Sarah are ready for summer. What do you think?

Say What???

2010-04-07T13:13:00.000-05:00

Sweet Gameboy has always had problems with his ears. When he was 3 we decided he needed to have tubes put in and his tonsils and adenoids removed. He was such a cutie.

After the surgery, we all thought he could hear better. He would often cover his ears when things go too loud. After a year, the tubes fell out. Life was good. No infections. Then we noticed his hearing would always get worse when he had a cold. Lately the problem didn’t seem to improve with or without congestion. He always sits right in front of the very loud TV. His two favorite words are what and huh?? We took him to an ENT who said he was deaf. His hearing has gotten so bad that sweet Gameboy was reading lips. His suggestion for restoring Gameboy’s hearing is another set of tubes. We are praying this surgery helps!!! We love you buddy!!

Six Month Stats- Sydney Anne

2010-03-28T12:42:00.000-05:00

Happy 6th Month Birthday to you!

Weight: 11lbs 12 ounces -1%

Height: 23 1/2 inches 1%

Head Circumference: 15 3/4 Inches 2%

You wear a size 2 diaper and 3-6 month clothes. You had a double ear infection this month and I am so glad you are feeling better. Oh Sydney, your eyes melt my heart!! They remind me of this cute character from Shrek. See what I mean?

You are starting to sit up too and like to play with this ball. (this same ball makes Sarah scream???)

Your favorite time of the day is bath time and I love to snuggle with you after a bath.

You love to lay on your tummy too and suck your fingers.

Every time I look at you, I am reminded how blessed we are to have you in our family!! We love you.

Six Months Stats- Sarah Beth

2010-03-28T12:09:00.002-05:00

Happy 6th Month Birthday!

Look how much you have grown Sarah

Weight: 13lbs 2 ounces 4%

Height: 24 inches 4%

Head Circumference: 16 1/4 Inches 15%

You have a beautiful smile and 2 teeth!! You wear a size 2 diaper and 3-6 month clothes. You are starting to sit up on your own.

You love to be on your tummy and are starting to rock back and forth. I think you’ll be on the move in no time.

You light up whenever you see Gameboy and Princess and they can make you laugh out loud.

We love you Sarah!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

2010-03-27T11:04:00.000-05:00

Spending your special day here…

with these great friends… was so much fun!! Here’s to another wonderful year full of good times and hopefully a few more vacations. Thank you for being a wonderful husband and daddy! I am so blessed to be your wife.

Thanks Grammy and Mimi for taking such good care of our babies!

Spring Break Recap

2010-03-22T12:56:00.001-05:00

Okay…maybe that’s an exaggeration, but this momma is tired. I loved spending time with the kids this week, but entertaining them all can be a challenge. I often feel like a cruise director and my kids don’t want to just relax. They like to go…so we went!!!

Monday: Dad took the day off (Praise God) and we had a wonderful time at the park. Princess and Gameboy played, rode their bikes and scooters. Sarah and Sydney loved the stroller ride and being outside. The weather was beautiful and we had a nice picnic lunch. In the afternoon, the kids got in the hot tub and swam in the freezing cold pool.

Tuesday: I completely lost my marbles when I agreed to take all four kids to Chuckie Cheese. The big kids had a blast playing games, earning tickets and pooling the $$ to get cool ~~junk~~ prizes. The place was so crowded, but I was lucky to find a spot near the door. Sarah and Sydney weren’t big fans of the loud noise and even covered their ears with their hands. I decided it was time to go when a kid ran by and knocked Sarah’s car seat off the highchair. Thankfully she was strapped in, but there was no calming her down after that scary fall. Even though my wallet was drained the trip was worth it. Princess and Gameboy were super happy.

Wednesday: Daddy was getting jealous of my mom of the year status, so he decided to take the kids fishing. I was thrilled to have a little break and they loved it. They even caught a bass. We had friends over for take out and late night swimming.

Thursday: This was movie day!! We headed out to buy dad’s birthday gift, eat out for lunch and go to the movies. We saw the “Spy Next Door”. The kids enjoyed the movie and Sarah and Sydney were good. We got there early and were able to sit in the handicap seats. The girls stayed in their stroller and did not fuss until the end of the movie. I held them and stood the last 30 minutes and was thankful we had such a great day.

Friday: Princess and I headed to the nail salon for manicures and pedicures and it was so nice to spend time with just her. She loved the treat and had a friend over to play all day. Gameboy was off at a sleepover with his best friend

Saturday: The kids spent some time with Mimi and Papa!! They love their grandparents and were thrilled to sleep over there Saturday night.

Sunday: We headed to church and did some chores to get ready for the week.

It was hard to get moving this morning for everyone. I reminded the kids that summer was just around the corner. I better start planning our summer of fun now, but first I am off to take a nap!!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

2010-03-17T10:36:00.001-05:00

Love, Sarah and Sydney

5 Months Old!!!

2010-03-05T09:05:00.002-06:00

I can’t believe my little sweeties are 5 months old. They are so precious to me and our time together is going by so fast. I have not gotten a good picture of them together but I will post a few of them. They have really started to notice each other and they laugh at each other all day.

They are loving trying new foods, but are still really messy eaters. I think they spit out more than they eat.

They can sit with help for a few seconds and love to watch Princess and Gameboy play.

These pictures did not turn out well. See Sarah…she’s pinching Sydney in the arm. The next few are of them crying.

Sweet Sarah

This is still her favorite toy!!

Sydney Anne

She loves to suck these two fingers.

5 months is a great age! Lots of smiles and laughs, sleeping through most nights, and not moving around when you set them down to play. Thank you Lord for these precious babies!!

Making a change

2010-02-22T09:49:00.001-06:00

Bye bye donuts, fried foods, french fries, anything Paula Deen, crawfish fettuccine, and so many other things I love. It’s proven that I don’t make changes in my bad habits too easily, so I joined a cool free online weight loss tool. It’s similar to Fly Lady because it sends me lots of e-mails. It’s found at www.sparkpeople.com. It has some great tips for making changes to your lifestyle and it’s a great way to keep track of what you are eating. I making all these changes for several reasons. My sweetie has high cholesterol and blood pressure and the thought of raising these sweet children alone MOTIVATES me. I love him so much and want to grow old together. Doc says we need to make some changes to avoid heart disease. I still eat as though I am eating for 3 and my body still looks pregnant. I am not sure my stomach will ever be the same, but I want to be healthy. So here goes. I will update you periodically on our progress.

On this journey, we have discovered some pretty good foods. Turkey burgers are really tasty and I love eating more fruit. If I keep eating veggies, they will start to taste good soon right??? A lady at my sweeties office said that we would fall in love all over again on this journey. So every time we are eating healthy we joke about falling in love again. I have never been successful at weight loss before and I am hoping this change sticks.

My poor children hate the change, but I am praying they too get healthier. Princess was grumbling about the whole pasta and ground turkey spaghetti. I was not so understanding of her complaints and felt terrible when they turned out to be a severe allergic reaction to our dinner. We have had her allergy tested and are anxiously awaiting the results. I am hoping she allergic to something we can easily avoid so this doesn’t happen again. It was so scary and I am so thankful she is okay.

I know change is hard, and I am relying on Him to help us.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)

You (God) satisfy me more than the richest of foods. Psalm 63:5 (NLT)

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

On this journey, I have discovered that I eat when I am stressed and I need to turn to God for comfort not food.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 (NLT)

Happy Monday!!

The evolving roles of motherhood

2010-02-11T10:17:00.001-06:00

I used to work full time. Then I worked part time. Then I worked from home some and in the office some. So please note that I am not judging working moms or stay at home moms. I understand that you have to do what works for you. For me, I am finding that what works is constantly changing. I used to love going to the office. I liked having a paycheck, making a difference, talking to other adults, eating OUT everyday, and dressing nice. However, I missed my kids. I hated dropping them off at daycare and watching them cry. So when my son was born, I tried to work part time and from home. My princess went to school part time and I was with her part time. I found this arrangement was crazy for me. Every time I passed the office in our home, I remembered some work that I needed to complete, and while working I thought about the laundry and dishes in the sink. I always felt like whatever I did was not good enough. I was so overwhelmed. The day the blinds fell on Gameboy’s head while I was on a conference call, I realized I was trying to do everything , but nothing well. I thought I could have it all, but turns out I couldn’t.

Five years ago, I quit my job to be a stay at home mom. I was lonely at first, but quickly adjusted to my new role. People I used to work with often asked me what I did all day. I used to get offended by this comment. I definitely did not have time for bon bons. As I was adjusting to my new role, I often wondered what my job description would look like.

Mom- CEO of the household. The whole deal.

The nurse, doctor , teacher, cook , baker , housekeeper, guardian, story teller, advice giver, childcare provider, laundry maid, snack maker, prayer warrior, unconditional love giver, need I go on.. Ohhh for the love of a mother.

A quick internet search found this funny job description for a mother.

POSITION:
Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Ma
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:
Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right

(This has been provided by a wonderful new mother named Anne Waehner. Keep up the good work all you new and old Moms out there!)

Well for me, with the birth of the twins, I feel like my on-the job- training has reached a whole new level. Things are out of whack again, as I look around my messy house. So as I write this, I am going to calm down and tackle one thing at a time. Tomorrow I plan on sharing some of my new training around health. I have become the family’s dietician “aka Food Nazi”, as a result of my sweeties latest trip to the dr. Never a dull moment in the Swan house.

Way to Geaux Saints!!!!

2010-02-08T09:44:00.001-06:00

WHO DAT!!!! I am so excited for the Saints. My sweetie is a die hard fan. He was born and bred in New Orleans and grew up cheering on the Saints. He was so nervous watching the game and I loved watching his reaction to the win. We enjoyed some good food with his family, and my favorite was the cream cheese king cake. Thanks Nanny. Now I am off to order some championship gear…people from the Big Easy love their gear.

Please pray for our family. We have all been sick and I am ready for this cold bug to leave our house.

Who do they look like? Part 2

2010-02-04T09:37:00.001-06:00

Here’s another high quality photo of me. :) When Princess was born, I thought she was a good combination of David and I. But really she looks like my sweetie and Sydney. Here are a few more pictures of her as a baby. Princess Sydney

Here’s a picture of me at my favorite birthday ever. I was turning 8 and it was a Miss Piggy dress up tea party. Here’s Princess age 8.

Here’s another picture of my sweetie. Who do you think Gameboy looks like?

Gameboy top left and bottom. Sarah top right.

I think Sarah looks a lot like him. Here’s Daddy at age 6.

and Gameboy with both summer and winter hair age 5/6

Thanks for letting me walk down memory lane. I just love how God created us unique and special. I am so thankful for my family.

Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

Who do they look like? Part 1

2010-02-03T11:20:00.001-06:00

It has been really fun to watch the babies grow. They change so much and fast. One day the are quiet and the next they babble all day long. I am so thankful to stay home and watch them grow. I was doing some cleaning and found these old pictures. Look at my sweetie at 4 months old.

I think Sydney is a blue eyed version of him. Here’s me I am not sure how old I am.I think Sarah looks a lot like me.

What do you think? Stay tuned for more old pictures. Tomorrow I’ll show you Princess and Gameboy. I love going down memory lane.

One lucky lady

2010-01-30T15:08:00.000-06:00

I am one lucky lady! Eleven years ago today, I married this guy.

See what I mean!! Isn’t he handsome! We had a beautiful wedding. As I look back at our special day, I have so many good memories. We were so young and nervous. I thought David was going to pass out as I walked down the isle, but when he took my hand I knew it was right. He was my gift that God had created just for me. Our reception was so much fun! We had a blast with friends and family. All the little details came together.Good thing I didn’t notice that the napkins said Angie and Daniel. It’s pretty funny now though, Daniel was in the wedding party just not the groom.

I have loved being married to you David!! Thank you for making these years so special. It feels like much more than 11 years. We have an almost twenty year history together ~ Starting with our high school days.

then college years life without kids

new parents new parents again…a whole tapestry woven out of love and shared memories.

You are so much a part of me and a part of my happiness that it's impossible to imagine what life would have been like without you...

You are my best friend, my love, and I am happy to be your wife. Happy Anniversary!!

1st meal

2010-01-28T09:50:00.001-06:00

Doc gave the girls the go ahead to start some rice cereal and Princess was so excited to feed them.

I am so thankful for Princess! She is such a good helper. I think she will be a wonderful mother someday!

I am not sure which part she liked better…feeding them or giving them a bath afterwards.

I am hoping the cereal helps them gain weight so they can sleep better.

Dear Sarah and Sydney,

Congratulations! You slept through the night on January 27th. Praise God!!! Then last night you were up again. I know you miss seeing my smiling face, but we would all feel better if you BOTH could sleep at night.

Love,

Your mommy

Lots of good news

2010-01-27T20:23:00.001-06:00

January has been a good month in the Swan house. I am still adjusting to life with twins, but I am figuring out what works for me. I find that life is lonelier, but I am sure that when improve when I get better at getting out of the house with the girls. So here’s a random post about the good things that are going on around here. First, this sweetie got straight A’s!!!Princess always works hard on her school work, and often gets one B. Usually her B is an 89 and she was so excited to get all A’s. Way to go Princess! Your hard work paid off.

From my previous posts, you know that I don’t enjoy going to the store, but I have a bad habit that requires me to restock my frig. I love to drink this

I know this is terrible for my waistline and now that I am a grown up (ha ha) I often replace it with this

But in my desperation for caffeine, I now have a new love for this… the K cup. Mine has lots of cream and barely resembles coffee, but I love it. I feel so grown up and relaxed after a cup. Now when a friend asks me to go get some coffee, I will actually enjoy the experience. After a cup, I can often open my eyes after very little sleep. It’s a good thing.

I am trying to keep my house in better order this new year and would like to introduce you to my personal ~~nag~~ online coach. She has really helped me keep the CHAOS away by sending me lots of annoying emails asking me whether the laundry is done, what’s for dinner, is your sink clean etc. This has helped me do a better job of taking care of the not so fun duties of motherhood. I have also started praying for my kids as I fold their laundry. This really helps the job go by faster and definitely keeps me from grumbling and complaining. If you are struggling with keeping your house in order, I highly recommend www.flylady.net.

Last but not least, my sweetie gave me this

I am so excited to get away! I love to cruise and I am looking forward to some kid free days with my best friend. I am so thankful to these two ladies for making the trip possible.

You may ask why I chose to post this picture. I am planning on putting this picture on my fridge to motivate me to get in shape. So no more pop tarts ok.

Everybody needs a brother like this

2010-01-26T09:05:00.001-06:00

Sweet Gameboy has had a hard time at school the past couple of weeks. We have made a few changes at home and had several conversations with him and his teacher. Yesterday, I prayed as I dropped him off at the bus stop, that he would have a great day. Every time I pick him up from school, I can tell by his face whether it was good or bad. He was grinning ear to ear so I asked, how was your day? Mom, I saved Princess. You saved Princess, how? Well, she was not on the bus, and I made the bus driver stop. The driver wanted to leave her at school, and I wouldn’t let them leave without my sister. I wouldn’t want her to have to sleep at school…I would miss her. Oh sweetie, I would miss her too. You are a great brother.

Hey mom, I also got a note from my teacher that says I had a great day and I think we should celebrate.

Yum! Here’s to many more great days Gameboy! We love you.

4 month olds

2010-01-24T23:07:00.001-06:00

Wow! What a month. You both have doubled in size since birth. You have grown so much and are really noticing the world. I love to watch you interact with each other and “talk”. You love to play with your toys and try to grab things. Sydney you play so hard so often end up like this. or this

Sarah you don’t want to miss anything. This is the look you give me at naptime.

Mom, there is too much going on for me to sleep. You got your first colds :( and started teething too. The doctor was so happy with your progress and recommended you add cereal to your diet. You didn’t like waiting an hour and a half to see the doc, but were so thankful Mimi was there to help. You got the same rounds of shots, as your 2 month visit, and ran a fever for a couple of days. Here are your stats.

Sarah Beth

Weight 11 lbs 1 oz 6%

Height 23 inches 10%

Head Circumference 15 3/4 25%

You wear a size 1 diaper and 0-3 month clothes.

Sydney Anne

Weight 10 lbs 1%

Height 22 inches 1%

Head Circumference 15 1/8 4%

You wear a size 1 diaper and some newborn and 0-3 month clothes.

You both bring JOY to our family and we love you.

Keeping it Real

2010-01-20T13:55:00.001-06:00

It’s official. I am THAT LADY in the grocery store. You know the one with the crying kids who looks like she hasn’t showered in weeks. The one you looked down upon before you had kids wondering why she doesn’t have it together. She doesn’t make eye contact with anyone for fear she might see someone she knows. She gets two carts because her big kids argue over who is going to push. She pushes the babies in the double stroller (aka bus) and together they look like a parade. She gets LOTS of “bless your heart”, “they grow up so fast” and “you must have your hands full”!! She smiles at these remarks and is amazed that they don’t make her feel any better about her current situation. The babies who seemed happy at home and even on the ride over start to scream as soon as she takes them out of the car. She jockeys from putting pacifiers in babies mouths to calming the big kids with junk food. She hurries down each isle and doesn’t look at her list. By the time she reaches the checkout, one baby is really crying. Strangers are trying to give her a pacifier and she knows that won’t help so she picks her up. The big kids see that mom is about to cry herself so they help unload a cart full of treats like pop tarts, kid yogurt, goldfish, cookies, chicken nuggets, and mac and cheese. They then squeeze one more candy bar each out mom in her moment of weakness. The teenagers at the register have no clue how to help and stare at her like she is from another planet. Once the parade leaves the store, there is still lots to be done before heading home. Loading the kids and screaming babies into the car leaves little room for the bus and the groceries, but she manages to find space for it all. At home, she realizes she forgot half of her list, but will cook anything to keep from going back there. Praise the Lord she got a rotisserie chicken! That will work for dinner tonight and the rest of the week will be full of kid friendly meals of no nutritional value. She writes all this down only as a reminder to go to the store at NIGHT no matter how tired she gets. The peace is so worth it. Now I am off to go eat another pop tart. :)

Hey! Having a sister is pretty cool.

2010-01-05T17:48:00.000-06:00

Sarah and Sydney are really starting to interact with one another and it is pretty fun to watch.

I like being close. Tummy time is so much fun when you have someone to look at.

Is this my sister, mom? What’s her name again.

I like her mommy! Can I pat her on the head?

Christmas Morning

2009-12-25T16:20:00.000-06:00

For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder.—Isaiah 9:6

My sweetie and I love to hear our kids on Christmas morning. They are so excited to see all the goodies under the tree. We require them to make us breakfast and take a picture before they can open presents. Dad reads the Christmas story from Luke 2 before we open gifts and we pause to thank God for the ultimate gift of Jesus! Here is the famous Christmas morning picture.

Here’s one from a few years ago.

Oh my aren’t kids the cutest on Christmas morning…no wonder I got pregnant with the twins in January. Santa was very good to us. Look at all the presents under the tree.

Sydney

Jacob’s favorite Christmas presents were his skateboard, scooter and Indiana Jones 2 for the Wii.

Sarah

Samantha’s favorite gifts were her hot pink camera, easy bake oven and her twinkle toes shoes.

My sweetie bought me a new sofa and lots of other cool things. I will post a picture of my new living room when it comes in January.

3 months Pictures

2009-12-23T15:20:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas! I can’t believe the girls are 3 months already. Time sure flies when you are having fun and not sleeping. Ahh! sleep that should come soon. You both are doing better by getting up only once at night. The problem is that the 1 time is not always at the same time. I know this to shall pass and I am really trying to treasure our time together.

Here are a few pictures from our monthly photo shoot.

Sydney

Sarah

Enough with the pictures mom!

Sydney really wanted me to stop taking her picture, but here is one more.

Look at that sad face! I promise you’ll love the guy with the red suit and white beard in a few years. Thanks for putting up with me and my pictures. I can’t believe how big you have gotten!

3 months Sydney

2009-12-22T14:58:00.001-06:00

Sweet Sydney

You love to be on your tummy and look around. You are free with your smiles and are starting to make sounds. You have the cutest high pitch voice.

You turn your head to hear me talk and love to look for your sister.

You are a very happy baby, but you are hungry watch out. You can go from 0 to 60 fast. You still wear newborn clothes and size 1 diapers like your sister.

Look at your beautiful eyes. You have the longest eyelashes. I am so happy you are a part of our family and I love you.

3 Months old- Sarah

2009-12-22T14:39:00.000-06:00

Sweet Sarah

You love to be held and you have the cutest little smile. You like to watch Princess and Gameboy and they can make you laugh.

You eyes light up when you smile and you love it when I sing to you.

You love to play in your jumperoo toy and your feet have a long way to go before they reach the ground. You still wear newborn clothes, but you have graduated to size 1 diapers.

Look at your beautiful smile. It just melts my heart. I am so happy you are a part of our family and I love you.

School Parties

2009-12-18T14:11:00.000-06:00

Princess and Gameboy were so excited about their Christmas Break and were lucky that both mom and dad could attend their school parties. Here are a few pictures from the big day.

It was so nice spend time with their friends and teachers. We are really blessed with great teachers!

Elf on the shelf

2009-12-14T15:02:00.000-06:00

Princess has a very detailed list for Santa and the elf on the shelf has been on it for a few years now. She was so happy to get an e-mail from the big man this year that included a personalized message and this guy on the front porch. Meet our Elf.. his name is Pringle and his sole responsibility was to watch the kid’s behavior and report it to Santa each night. The next morning, they discovered the elf had returned from the North Pole and was now resting in a new and different place. Princess and Gameboy would race each other out of bed to try and be the first to spy him in his new position.

Santa explained that we were not allowed to touch him but talking to him was a different matter all together. We shared many secrets with the elf, and while he was under strict orders not to talk to them, the elf was under no such orders where grown-ups were concerned.

I sure hope the news is good and Santa visits our house again this year.

Deck the Halls

2009-12-11T14:25:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite things to do each year is decorate for Christmas. This year proved to be challenging with the babies, so I planned on doing less. The problem is I still needed to take down all the decorations, in order to figure out what less meant. After unloading several boxes from the attic, I was sore. (How sad is that? I must start exercising again soon. Oh wait who has time to exercise with all this holiday eating) I decided every room did not need decorating, the stairs really didn’t need garland, and we only needed 1 Christmas tree. My sweetie built me this cool box to make my tree look taller last year and rebuilt it for me this year so it would fit in the attic. He finished the box, put up the tree and found his favorite chair to watch us decorate.

Gameboy was so sweet this year. He really enjoyed looking at all the ornaments. His favorites are the name ornaments and hung them all together on one branch he called the family zone.

Princess did not like the cluttered looked and tried to rearrange them several times, but Gameboy convinced her that the family zone was here to stay. We stayed up way too late working on the tree, singing Christmas carols, and drinking hot chocolate. I am happy with the final product and smile every time I see it.

Merry Christmas!

Volcano Project

2009-12-10T14:06:00.000-06:00

Princess completed her first science project with ease. It helps that she has a wonderful teacher who really makes science fun. The boys went on one of the regular father/son trips to IHOP, and Princess and I got busy working on the task at hand. Lucky for me, Princess is a real type A person. She loves do get things done and done early. There is no procrastinating for her and she will nag you till you complete a project. She loves to be in charge and wants things done her way. She followed her teachers instructions and was very proud of the final product. I got the pleasure of watching hers erupt at the school demonstration and loved seeing the look on satisfaction on her face. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Wow! This is just the beginning of projects in the Swan house. I am thinking Princess should be in charge of them all.

Family Photo Shoot

2009-12-08T23:32:00.001-06:00

Look mom, no training wheels!

2009-11-30T23:31:00.002-06:00

This weekend Gameboy decided he did not need his training wheels any more.

Daddy thought he would start by raising his training wheels so he could work on his balance.

A couple of times around the cul-de-sac, Gameboy told us he did not want the wheels adjusted… he wanted them off. He did a great job riding and only had a few falls. Way to go Gameboy. Princess is so proud of you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T23:14:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful day enjoying good food, football and family. It was great to spend time with Uncle Chad, Grammy, Papa D, Mimi and Papa. Everyone brought a dish and we had enough food to feed Northwest Houston. The meal was so delicious and it was nice to relax with family.

Here’s a list of what Princess is thankful for this year.

Thank you God for all our blessings!

Happy 2 month Birthday!

2009-11-24T22:50:00.000-06:00

One doctor visit, two babies, 8 shots, being peed on, pooped on, and spit up on. I am thankful for two healthy babies, but I need a shower and a nap!! Here are a few pictures along with their latest stats.

Sarah Beth

Weight 9lbs 9%

Height 21 inches 6%

Head Circumference 14 3/4 16%

Sydney Anne

Weight 8lbs 1 1/2 ounces 2%

Height 20 1/2 inches 2%

Head Circumference 14 1/4 2%

Look how well I can hold my head up.

Happy 2 months Sarah and Sydney! We love you.

Smiles

2009-11-18T23:21:00.001-06:00

Having twins is so much fun, but I must say it is hard… harder than imagined. People often ask. Are you sleeping? No. Are they on the same schedule? No, but I like having alone time with them too. What happens when they both cry? I play rock paper scissors to see who to help first. Who is the easier baby? Depends on the day, but lucky for me they have not been fussy at the same time very often. How long do they sleep? I can often get a 4 to 5 hour stretch of sleep at night. Are you breast feeding? Yes and no. The girls get 50% formula/breast milk. When I am able to feed them at the same time, I feel like the baby whisperer. Not sure how much longer I will breast feed them, but I am taking it one day at a time. I spend a good portion of my day holding these sweet babies and my house is a wreck!! I just keep reminding myself how fast this sweet time goes. Last night was one of those difficult nights. It seemed like someone was crying all night and I spent most of the night in the recliner or up and down trying to soothe a baby. Both girls can roll from their tummy to their back. Last night, Sydney rolled on top of Sarah and luckily Sarah did not wake up. It was too funny. I wish I would have snapped a picture. It was priceless! I was so exhausted this morning, but I woke up to these sweet smiles and it was all worth it.

So here’s to a good nights sleep. Maybe tonight is the night. Sleep well little ones.

Babies Nursery

2009-11-11T11:01:00.001-06:00

I had so much fun decorating the twins room! I spent lots of time on the internet trying to get ideas and I love how it turned out. My mom is an amazing seamstress and she worked so hard making all the bedding (X2) and curtains for the girls room. I loved shopping with her for the fabric and trying to figure out how much we needed. It was a complicated math problem.Princess and Papa D painted the room for me and I love the color. It is so soothing when you walk in the room. A friend from church painted their names above their beds. She is a talented lady and did a great job.

Papa Swan made their changing table. It is so cute in the room and very sturdy.

Here’s a few pictures from the bathroom.

I am so thankful to my mom for her countless hours of work!!! I love the room and I know the girls will love it for years to come.

Halloween fun

2009-11-02T06:42:00.000-06:00

Our Halloween was jam packed this year and the kids wouldn’t have it any other way. Gameboy and Princess woke up ready to dress in costume and I convinced them to at least wait until lunch.

After we were all dressed up, we headed to our church Fall Festival. There were lots of inflatables, games, a dunking booth, and my kids favorite the cake walk. I sat with the babies who were sleeping in their stroller and enjoyed too much kettle corn and funnel cake. Then we drove to my parents house to go to their neighborhood’s Trunk or Treat. Trunk or Treat is a fun night of extreme trick or treating. Gameboy and Princess got so much candy that I can’t stop eating!! After the big events, we had a nice late dinner with my parents. I loved visiting them and it was great to have extra help with the babies.

I didn’t get any pictures of the babies on Halloween in their precious tiger costumes (they had 2 costumes this year), but I did take some at the pumpkin patch. We were too late to get a pumpkin this year so we decorated Halloween cookies instead. Here are a few pictures from our fun family night.

Sarah Beth

Sydney Anne

Our little mermaid

2009-10-29T18:11:00.002-05:00

This weekend was our first big swim meet now that Princess is swimming year a round. The meet was at a local high school and there were tons of kids there. Since I have never been to an area meet, I was totally unprepared. My sweetie had to work and he took Gameboy with him. I loaded up the twins and Princess bright and early for the meet. I packed the swim gear, diaper bag, double stroller and food for everyone. I assumed because the meet was indoors I would not need chairs, big mistake. We had to wait until our turn to swim in a hot crowded gym on the floor. Luckily some other parents offered an extra chair when it was time to feed the babies. Even if I had properly prepared, I am not sure how I would have carried everything. I also thought I could just wheel the girls to the pool to watch Princess swim, but I realized the only place to watch the swimmers was an upstairs observation deck. Praise God Grammy came to watch and helped me carry the babies up to see the swimmers.

Princess really loves swimming and she was in the 25m breaststroke, 25m backstroke and 25m freestyle.

It was crazy to me how competitive some parents are!! The meet was for 6, 7 and 8 year olds, and some parents wore their own timers and had private coaches for their kids. Princess had lots of fun and was one place away from getting a ribbon in the back stroke.

The babies did very good and did lots of this.

Gameboy was able to see two races and he was proud of his big sister. He was so funny! As soon as he arrived, he couldn’t wait to go to the “confession stand” to get a snack. He definitely is her biggest fan.

We are happy she has found something she loves to do that is also great exercise. She is so hungry from all that hard work and we can’t feed her enough. Thank you Grammy for taking pictures with your phone! Hopefully, I will get better at outings and remember my camera. This will get easier someday soon right?

One Month Olds…where does the time go?

2009-10-23T17:17:00.001-05:00

Life has been going by so quickly at our house. I can’t believe the babies are one month old already. Time flies when you are having fun! Here’s a few pictures to show how much they have grown.

Sarah and Sydney just a few days old

Sarah and Sydney at 1 month old

Sarah and Sydney just a few days old

Sarah and Sydney at 1 month old

Look how much they have grown. They really don’t look comfortable sharing the bouncy seat anymore, but they love to be close to one another. If I lay them on either side of the pack and play, they always wake up next to each other. I love the sounds they are starting to make, and I have even gotten a few toothless grins. Too bad I am not a good photographer, because I have no pictures of there smiles yet. Yea! Sydney has learned to nurse, and I am balancing both breast milk and formula hoping to find a mix that works for our busy life. I am not getting much sleep at night, but these girls are worth the sleepless nights. They are a true joy to me!!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-21T14:29:00.001-05:00

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Kung Fu Panda

2009-10-15T06:28:00.001-05:00

Gameboy had his second Tae Kwon Do testing this weekend and he did an awesome job! I love all the life lessons he is learning through this sport! His coach is a fabulous guy who wants to teach them tae kwon do and help build their character. He has so many students, but he knows each one well. He can get Gameboy to sit still and focus, which is not an easy task for this 6 year old boy. At the testing, they have to demonstrate the patterns and self defense moves they have learned. They must also sit still as they watch the other students show off what they know. At the end, they must break a board to receive their new belt. Gameboy loves to break boards, but at this testing his coach added a new challenge. A black belt was blocking the board and sparring with him. He needed to get around the black belt and break the board using a front snap kick. He had a minute and a half to complete the task and he did it in about 10 seconds. It was great to watch. Here are some pictures from the big day.

Coach singled him out and said what a great job he did and talked about how much he improved. He has been beaming ear to ear all day. We were so proud!

Future Ole Miss Rebels

2009-10-11T07:40:00.005-05:00

If you know my sweetie, you know what a big football fan he is!!! If there is a game on, college or pro, it is on at our house. Today was the big Ole Miss/Alabama game. We are Ole Miss alums and big fans. My friend Hat Chick gave us the cutest Ole Miss booties and I made some matching onesies. You can’t get Ole Miss gear in Houston so the homemade version was the best I could do. Princess and I gave the girls a bath and dressed them in their game gear.

Sarah Beth and Sydney Anne

They watched some and slept some, even though we were cheering loudly.

Ole Miss did not play well. We were so sad about our loss!

Ole Miss 3 Alabama 22

See Sarah doesn’t like it either. Better luck next week. We still love our Rebels!

Some random things I have learned

2009-10-10T17:03:00.001-05:00

The babies are almost 3 weeks old and the adrenaline I had has run out. I am officially sleep deprived.
My husband is the greatest…he took 2 feedings last night so I could get some uninterrupted sleep.
Babies are supposed to gain an ounce a day. Thankfully both girls gained enough at their 2 week check-up.
Sweet Gameboy got strep throat, and my doc treated him without an appointment. The good news is babies can’t get strep throat.
Child birth has made me a germ-a-phobe…I hate it when any of my babies are sick.
Gameboy also told us he did not think soap was necessary when washing his hands. Yuck! Hopefully, he has learned his lesson.
I asked my mom not to come help this week, because I did not want her to get sick. I learned I can handle the babies on my own, but I am happy she is coming on Monday to help again.
Breastfeeding two babies is hard. Sydney is still struggling to latch on and Sarah seems hungry all the time. I was able to nurse them at the same time (just once), but I felt like the baby whisperer.
I really don’t like to pump and I am hoping they can figure breastfeeding out.
If you want to lose 40 lbs in two weeks, just try and breastfeed twins.
I love the way they smell when they have just had a bath.
I often wish I had extra arms and I am thankful Princess is such a good helper. She loves to hold them and help out any way she can.
I have learned we have some really great friends who have taken great care of us this week. I am so thankful for all of our visitors and meals.

Mommy & Sydney Mommy & Sarah

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T12:40:00.001-05:00

Stats

2009-10-04T10:30:00.001-05:00

Last Tuesday, I loaded up the girls and took them to the doctor. It took much longer than expected to get out the door and I was so thankful Grammy was here to help me. It took two people to load them in the stroller, the car and then figure out how to collapse the stroller. It was a workout and I am sure it won’t be long and these pregnancy pounds will be gone. The doctor wanted to check them a week early to look at their bilirubin levels and weight. Doc says their jaundice looked much better, but he wanted them both to gain more weight. So we adjusted their feeding schedule and are hoping to see some weight gain at this Tuesday’s appointment.

Miss Sarah Weight 5 lbs 1%

Height 18 inches 1%

Head Circumference 12 3/4 2%

Miss Sydney Weight 5lbs 1%

Height 17 1/2 –28%

Head Circumference 12 1/4 –1%

Sydney still has trouble nursing and takes a bottle and Sarah now takes a couple of bottles to supplement her eating. I praying that they are gaining weight. They are precious and we love them so much!

A quiet weekend

2009-09-27T12:23:00.000-05:00

Princess and Gameboy spent the weekend getting to know their new sisters. Gameboy, who would have rather had a dog or at least a brother, has adjusted well to his new role as big brother. Look how sweet he looks holding Sydney.

Princess is such a big help. She has learned to feed them, change them and wants to hold them all the time.

We changed their clothes a lot and Princess took lots of pictures too. Here’s a few that she took.

God is good. All the time!

Homecoming

2009-09-26T11:37:00.000-05:00

After two short days, both my Doc and the pediatrician said we could come home. Hurray! I was missing Princess and Gameboy and the comforts of home. I remember feeling terrified to leave the hospital with Princess, but my perspective has definitely changed with these two. I know I am going to be up all night, but I also know that this sweet stage is so short. I also have the best helper and partner, my sweetie, who too remembers how quickly these days pass. I was so excited to change these girls into their going home outfits. It was like dressing up two dolls. Daddy adjusted their car seats. Look how tiny Sarah looks in her seat.

We drove home carefully and anxiously awaited the arrival of Princess and Gameboy. I just love this picture. The bears are beanie babies.

Sarah and Sydney-- Sweet New Additions To Our Family

Spoiled Rotten

2009-09-25T22:24:00.000-05:00

These girls are spoiled rotten! We spent our hospital days getting to know all about them and introducing them to friends and family. I think they spent most of their time in someone’s arms and were showered with gifts.

Grammy and Sydney

Sydney, Mimi and Sarah

I spent my first night alone as the babies needed to be monitored by the nurses. I had not slept that good in months. I felt like a new woman! I could breath again. When I had the babies alone, I could not stop watching them interact with each other. When they cried, they often just wanted to be next to each other.

Big Sister and Brother

2009-09-25T21:43:00.000-05:00

Princess and Gameboy had a holiday from school as they got to meet their sisters for the first time. I will never forget the look on their faces as they saw them for the first time. They studied all of their features and figured out they look a lot they do. Princess and Gameboy had lots of opinions about their names and we spent lots of time as a family naming the babies. They showered Mommy with flowers and balloons and brought their sisters some pink teddy bears. They are going to be great helpers.

Birth Story

2009-09-24T20:50:00.001-05:00

As I write this, I realize it may be TMI, but I want to be sure and remember all the details. You have to have them so that you can call your children (no matter how old they get) and tell them about how they took their first breath. The story really begins on the Sunday before their birthday. I was sitting in church sobbing uncontrollably. I was so embarrassed. My hormones and the medicine I was taking made me crazy. My resting heart rate was at 126 and I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I was so huge and really starting to swell. My doctor wanted me to continue the medicine that held off labor until my Tuesday appointment, but I was 36 weeks and decided to stop it that day. The next day I felt a lot better--still huge, but less emotional and jumpy. Little did I know, true relief was only 2 days away.

Monday and Tuesday I was back to having mild contractions. We had dinner Monday night with my sweetie’s family. We were joking about how ready I was to meet my babies and my sweetie ate light so he would not have an upset stomach if I went into labor. After we got home, I thought the contractions were getting stronger, but I was able to sleep through them. Around midnight, my sweetie woke me up so I could move from the couch to bed. I had trouble going back to sleep, so I took a bath, laid in the recliner, and finally around 1:30 I woke him up and said “we are having babies today.” He got up and dressed while I finished packing my bags. When I called my Doc, he asked me if I wanted to try to deliver the babies or do a c-section and I said, “Let’s wait to see how far along I am.” I thought if I was a 6 or more I would go for it, and otherwise I would have a c-section. We called his Dad to come sit with the kids and laughed as he strolled down the street. I told my sweetie we were in a hurry and left with the garage open knowing Princess and Gameboy were taken care of for the night.

I felt fine in the car on the way. I was having strong contractions, but they were not that regular. I even thought I could walk from the car to the emergency room door. It was not until we checked in and turned the corner to labor and delivery, that my contractions stopped me in my tracks. As we got to the examination room, I found out I was already a 9. I was so shocked and scared. I knew I was not going to get an epidural at this point and I was not tolerating the pain well at all. My sweetie was so wonderful to me. He knew how freaked out I was and he prayed the sweetest prayer for me. I instantly felt calmer and as they wheeled me to the labor and delivery room my Doc showed up. He checked me again and said it was time to push. It felt like all of Northwest Houston arrived in the room. I was signing consent forms while they tried to put in a IV that leaked. (yuk) I was in lots of pain as they tried to put monitors on the babies. I could feel the babies moving heard the Doc tell me to push. 2 pushes later we met Sarah Beth. I was ready for a breather about now, but right away I felt my water break again and 4 minutes later we met Sydney Anne.

My sweetie was pulled in lots of different directions taking pictures, comforting me, and checking on the the health of Sarah and Sydney. I asked my Doc why I couldn’t hear any crying and he said, “Just give them a minute.” We are so blessed with beautiful healthy babies and I am overwhelmed with joy. God is so good. I was in pain, but it was so brief. We arrived at the hospital at 2:00 am--Sarah was born at 2:22 and Sydney at 2:26! I had worried about the delivery and God took such good care of us. I felt great the next day and it was so nice not to have a major surgery to recover from. The babies spent 4 hours in the NICU but although we were exhausted, we were too wired to sleep. I had only seen them for a few minutes from a distance and I kept staring at pictures of them on our camera. By the morning, they were wheeled to my room. I fell instantly in love.

New Additions!

2009-09-22T03:00:00.000-05:00

Here are the Swan girls… Born on 9/22/09

Sarah Beth Swan

2:22 am

5 lbs. 8 oz – 18 ½” long

Sydney Anne Swan

2:28 am

5 lbs. 1 oz – 18” long

Mom and babies are doing great… Please pass along the news…

Back to school update

2009-09-16T09:03:00.002-05:00

Princess and Gameboy are getting into to the swing of things and settling into to there new routines. They are waking up easier in the morning and I am so proud of how much they can do on their own. I think bed rest helped them see that they can take on more and be helpful.

Gameboy had his first kindergarten project yesterday, and he liked having homework like Princess. He loves his teacher and has earned the privilege of taking his shoes off today. This is a big deal to him, and I think his teacher is very smart. Hopefully, he will develop a love of school this year. As soon as he gets off the bus, he is starving and ready to come home and play. Twice a week he goes to Tae Kwon Do. This has really helped him with discipline and coordination. He took a break over the summer and I was amazed by how much he remembered.

Princess is also blessed with a wonderful teacher, and she is adjusting to the homework load of 3rd grade. She also gets off the bus starving and eats while she works on her tasks. She grumbles quite a bit, but once she gets going it does not take her too long. After lots of trial, Princess found the sport that she loves. Ballet was not for her and gymnastics was too scary. Soccer made her sweat, and she told her coach she did not want to get dirty. But swim team was just right for her!! She loved swimming so much this summer, she begged us to let her do it year around. She has been practicing just a week and has already moved up to the next level. We are proud of her and happy she found something she loves to do.

Every good and perfect gift is from above

2009-09-13T16:46:00.001-05:00

Yesterday my sweet friends hosted a baby shower for me. It was so nice to get out of the house and see friends. My doctor gave me the ok to go after my ultrasound on Friday. Baby A is measuring 5 lbs and Baby B is 4.5 lbs. I am happy they are getting bigger, and I have one more week until I reach my goal of 36 weeks.

Against my better judgment, I will post some pictures from the shower. I guess it will be good to look back and remember what I looked like so close to delivery. Look at the cute diaper cake. It even plays music. It looks so great in the nursery. I am going to have to force myself to use it. My friends did such a nice job on everything. The decorations were so cute and the food was delicious.

We got so many precious things and lots of diapers.Princess was so funny. She could not understand why we had so many diapers and I kept telling her the books say you need 400 for the first month. I guess she will see soon enough that we will use all those diapers.

Nothing is better than hanging out with these ladies. I am so thankful for friends and for all they did to shower me with love.

I hoping to post pictures of the babies room soon and we will update the blog as soon as our little ones arrive.

A new low

2009-09-04T10:40:00.003-05:00

Not much is going on at the Swan house since I have been put ~~home imprisonment~~ strict bed rest. I did reach a new low on the first day of resting in the recliner. I have been following all of the doctors orders. Drinking lots of fluids, eating every few hours, taking my medicine, and staying off my feet. All of those things are great for the babies, but let’s just say my waistline is suffering and I am beginning to look like a beached whale. So imagine my horror, when I try to get up to go to the bathroom and the recliner won’t close. I am so big I am breaking the furniture in our house. All I can do is laugh uncontrollably at myself and hope that I might get some new furniture in the near future. (I have been wanting a new living room set for 5 years now)

It has been over a week, since I was in the hospital and I am so thankful the babies are still cooking inside my belly. God has been so good to us. We have lots of friends and family who have helped us through the week. I have prayed a lot, read a book, and watched all of season 1 of Lost. It is hard for me to sit all day, but it what is best for the babies. The next 48 hours are really important for us. My doctor is on vacation and I don’t want the on call doctor, Dr. Fat Fingers to deliver the twins. Dr. Fat Fingers delivered Princess and let’s just say he doesn’t have the best bedside manner. He is a 6’7” giant who kind of looks like Shrek and he is a practicing attorney and ob/gyn. My sweetie got into an argument with him while I was trying to deliver Princess without an epidural. (Not by choice. Please note when delivering babies I choose drugs) So I am counting on all you prayer warriors to pray that we don’t have babies this weekend. Thanks.

So much to be thankful for…

2009-08-31T08:45:00.002-05:00

Even though, I wrote the babies a clear cut letter on what I wanted them to do, they decided they were ready to come out on Thursday night. (Is this a sign of the future?) I went to bed not feeling so well, but that was not too unusual for me. It was the night of my sweetie’s “Fantasy Football” draft and there are no words to describe how much this man loves football. He was up late strategizing with his “FF” cohorts and luckily two of them spent the night at our house. The heartburn I felt was nothing new, but the back pain was a new complaint. At 2:00 am I woke up with contractions. I woke up my sweetie and he thoughtfully remarked, “ Can’t you just sleep through it?” It was so funny--he did not even remember saying that the next morning. I thought he might have a point, so I drank some water, took a bath and tried to go back to sleep. The pain got worse! I was timing the contractions which were now 3 minutes apart. I called my doctor (who was up organizing his photo collection at 3:00 am—who wouldn’t love this guy) and he told me to go to the hospital. Once I got there and hooked up to all the monitors, they verified that I was in labor. I started to panic. 33 weeks is too early for delivery, so I was given a steroid shot to boost the baby’s lung development and medication to stop labor. Praise God 3 rounds of the milder medication worked and the contractions stopped. I spent all day at the hospital and even though I did not have any more contractions, the doctor wanted me to spend the night to monitor the babies and me some more after my second steroid shot. I am now thankfully home on an oral medication and strict bed rest.

My sweetie has been so helpful. I am so lucky to have him. He slept on a uncomfortable couch so I would not be alone. I guess slept is not the right word when you are awakened every few hours by nurses checking vitals etc. He has gone to the store, waited on me hand and foot and taken excellent care of Princess and Gameboy. My mom has also been such a blessing. She is staying with me and helping finish the baby’s room, cleaning my house, doing laundry and keeping me company. I think I would go crazy if I was all by myself. Please pray that these babies will stay in and cook a little longer.

32 Weeks

2009-08-26T09:43:00.002-05:00

Dear Baby A and Baby B,

As your mother, I am already going to start telling you what to do, and I would really appreciate it if you would cooperate. I have made a nice home for you in my belly and I would like for you to stay put and grow a little more. In return, I promise to drink lots of water, eat lots of good food and stay off my feet. I won’t climb the stairs, clean my messy house, or go shopping. I am going to read lots of good books and maybe watch some movies, and I need you to stay in the comfy womb I have made for you. I know it is crowded, but I have read that you like that and it makes you feel safe.

Thank you very much.

Love,

Mommy

PS. Please stop pressing on my bladder so I can sleep a lot better.

Stats from yesterday’s doctor visit

Baby A’s heartbeat 152 Baby B’s heartbeat 156

Approximate weight 3.5-4 lbs

I am 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced.

First Day of School

2009-08-24T14:50:00.001-05:00

I am a little teary eyed this morning after sending my baby boy to kindergarten. Gameboy was so excited about his day and ready to go. I think it helped him so much to have Princess there with him. They woke up to their alarm and got ready all by themselves. I was so amazed to see them ready to go before 7:00 am. We ate breakfast together, packed lunches, and took a few pictures. Then we were off to the bus stop. This is the first year for Princess to ride the bus. With the arrival of the twins and the fact that they are together, I am finally brave enough to let them ride. Now I am praying it goes ok.

Gameboy doesn’t really like to have his picture taken, but we tried to get a few. Princess loves to pose for the camera and tell Gameboy how he should pose. She really is a good big sister and loves her brother very much.

This is my favorite one from the morning.

I can’t believe how grown up she is getting. Especially when I compare her 3rd grade picture to her kindergarten picture.

Dear Lord,

I pray a special prayer for Princess and Gameboy today. I pray that they will love school and learning. Please give them ears to hear instructions and that they will respect and obey their teachers. I pray that they will be a light in the classroom. Give them kind words to speak to others and bring Godly friends to them. Protect them and keep them safe.

We reviewed the bus number, our address, and phone number while waiting for the big yellow bus.

Gameboy said, “Mom, I’ll see you at 3:00. Don’t be sad while I am gone.” The house is so quiet. As per doctors orders, I will have my feet up until they get home hoping to keep the babies in a few more weeks.

Thank you Lord for giving me these two precious gifts! I can’t believe how fast they have grown up. Help me to treasure each moment I have with them.

So you're having twins

2009-08-20T15:39:00.005-05:00

As my stomach gets bigger and I waddle through life, I am getting lots of questions and comments from both friends and strangers.

Wow you’re really big! When is your due date?
You look so small for carrying twins!
Mom your stomach is ginormous. Thanks sweetie. That’s a really big word. I know I looked up some words for huge in a thesaurus. Which one is your favorite?

Huge: behemothic, bulky, colossal, cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, extensive, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, great, gross*,hefty, humongous, immeasurable, immense, jumbo, leviathan, lusty, magnificent, mammoth, massive, mighty, mondo, monster*, monstrous*, monumental, mountainous, outsize, oversize, planetary, prodigious, stupendous, titanic, towering, tremendous, vast, walloping, whopping

Can you send me a picture of your belly? Ah no, I really don’t want to remember what I look like. Ok maybe one picture at the very end. That is the one I am going to use to justify taking money from the kids college fund to pay for plastic surgery.
Do twins run in your family? My dad’s mom is a twin and my mom’s sister had twins.
When and how did you find out you are having twins? At about 12 weeks, my doctor thought I was measuring large so he did an unplanned ultrasound. I was alone at the doc, because this was baby #3. I hear my doc say uh-oh and I start to panic. He says, I see two heartbeats and I hear nothing else. He spoke to me for 30 minutes about twin pregnancies and I heard nothing. My husband and children’s reactions were so funny they may be worth their own blog post.
Are you ready to be a mom of 4? Ready? What? No, I am scared to death! I know that God has a plan for our family and I am really trying to rest in Him.

This summer a friend of mine at http://www.penelopespitstop.net/ gave away worship CDs called seeds. They are really cool and help you memorize Bible Verses. Well, I won the giveaway and I am totally hooked. I thought I’d close by sharing one of our family’s favorite.

Let the journey begin

2009-08-20T02:13:00.004-05:00

Welcome to our blog! This is our first blog entry. My hope is that this will be a way for us to document our journey as we expand from a family of 4 to a family of 6. We wanted a place to record our thoughts, prayers, concerns, and desires for our growing family. I am 31 weeks pregnant with twins and my ever expanding waistline is just the beginning of changes for our family.

We have had a wonderful summer together trying to soak up as much time with the kids before the twins arrive. This is our final week before school starts and we’ve spent lots of time by the pool, playing with friends, going to the movies, and shopping for last minute school items. Enjoy some pictures from our fun filled week.