TAGGED

I got Tagged by Jenny.  Here are the rules.  Go to your pictures and go to the fourth folder and then post the fourth picture in that folder!  And then post it!  So here is Tanner at like 3 days old!

I Tag whoever is bored and wants to play!

A Little More Birthday Fun

Yesterday we were finally able to celebrate Tanner's birthday officially.  I hope he doesn't think that just because we kinda celebrated it 3 days this year that he gets that every year!:)  We just did our cake and ice cream and presents.  He really wanted a blue monster truck cake.....I whipped this one together in about an hour.  Not the most fabulous cake I have ever made, but it worked.  It was falling apart all over the place, but of course he didn't care and I am just glad that he was excited for it.  

Here he is anticipating the cake...

And here we are getting ready to blow out the candles.  

Here is our 3rd Birthday Interview:

Mom-"How does it feel to be 3?"

Tanner-"It feels happy!"

Mom-"What is your favorite movie right now?"

Tanner-"Cars and Nacho" (not really surprised with that answer...they have pretty much stayed the same for 1 1/2 now)

Mom-"What is your favorite food?"

Tanner-"Donuts!" (He also likes the cookie of an ice cream sandwich but just the cream of the oreo....I find that quite strange)

Mom-"What is your favorite color?"

Tanner-"Blue"

That's all I could get out of him right then.  He was pretty distracted with everything going on, but I thought I would document what we got!

Happy 3rd Birthday TannerMan!!!

I really don't know where the last 3 years have gone, but I officially have a three year old!  I know that seems so young still, but they grow up so fast!  Tanner is definitely our social butterfly and he is always making us laugh with the things he says.  He was so excited that it was his birthday and when he came and woke me up this morning he said, "Mom, the sun is up and it is my birthday!" and he started jumping up and down!  (I tell him that he can't come get me or get out of bed until he sees that the sun is up....usually right around 7am).  So I got up and got excited with him and told him that we could go to the donut store (Dunkin Donuts) and he could pick out some Donuts for breakfast.  He loves loves loves Donuts so he got his car and his bear and off we went before anyone else was awake.  He thought that was the best! Later on we went to playgroup where he loves meeting up with all his nursery friends and then we went to a friends house for some more play time and lunch.  

We were lucky to have visitors because Aubs and Chris came into town and so we decided to go to a Nationals game.  It was the first time we have ridden the Metro since we have been here this year, but maybe that is because we did it so much last year we haven't felt a total urge to do it.  So it was fun to take the boys downtown, especially to experience their first major league baseball game!  We got cotton candy and the boys loved the baseball field...probably because it was outside and there are bright lights everywhere.  They did really well, considering it was way past their 7-7:30 normal bedtime.  They were handing out those green baseball hats and Tanner had to have one because he wanted to be like the rest of the crowd and wave their green hats when someone made a good play.  Luckily we made friends with the ticket lady and she rounded one up for him since it was his birthday.

While we were riding down to the ballpark, we made a stop and two large men that wanted to be women, got on the train and sat right behind Tanner and I.  I was praying that Tanner didn't say anything to them like "Are you a boy or a girl?"....because he has done that before.  But luckily the "LadyMen" did most the talking and giggling and of course Tanner made friends with them rather quickly.  Jake just sat on Melissa's lap with his mouth wide open trying to figure it all out.  It was hilarious.  We had some good conversations and then Chris decided to text us all the following....

$5 parking at the Metro Station

$10 ticket to the Nationals Baseball Game

Meeting a Tranny on your 3rd Birthday....PRICELESS

We are going to celebrate Tanner's birthday on Sunday, so there will be more birthday posts to come, but at least he had a really fun day and he probably would be satisfied with that....but he has to have a cake and some presents or it just wouldn't be right!

Rainy Days!

Last weekend we had a huge rain storm....I mean huge! and it lasted all day.....but I couldn't help but put the boys rain boots on and let them go out in it.  Tanner loved jumping in the puddles, which he always does whether he is dressed for the occasion or not.....at least he had some of the right attire on this time. (sorry...no umbrellas or raincoats) And Jake had a hard time walking in his boots so he pretty much remained in the same place and would try to jump and thought it was funny.  I think the boots hit right at his knees so he couldn't bend them right.  He got better in them though and they are anxiously awaiting the next time we have a rain storm!

Happy Birthday Melis!

Happy 26th!  I can't even believe it has been 26 years....it goes by way too fast!  What would I do without you in my life, seriously!  If I even think about that horrible thought I start to cry(and yes, I have done that before).  Just the thought of not having you around kills me....and that is why we just don't let it happen!:)  What would I do without a second mother to my children?  and not just me, What would they do?  They don't know any different!  I love that we can share out birthday together and now that we are older and we are married and get different things(well, sometimes...Kyle and Doug tend to work together a lot on those sort of things....which I am not complaining about one bit), we don't even have to turn our backs to open our presents so we don't ruin the surprise for one another!  Thanks for being the best friend anyone could ask for. Words can't even describe. You are the best and I love you more than you will ever know!  Happy Birthday!

How It All began.... beware...long post

**Melis typed this all up for her blog and I just decided to steal it and put it on mine....

So yesterday, in honor of our b-day, I just happen to remember that when I was packing to come out to VA, I brought along with me the journal entry my mom had written when she was preparing to have Sara and I.  This post is more for me than anyone else so that I always have record of it.  I had found it a couple of years ago when we were home for Christmas, so I photocopied it and ever since, I have pulled it out on our birthday to remind me of what it was like for my mom at the time we were born.   So for all of you mom's out there that are parents to multiples, this one is for you.  All mother's are amazing, but what a challenge to have more than one newborn @ once.  Mother's are amazing and I truly feel blessed and lucky to have my mom and mother-in-law as such great examples.  It's when I read things like this that make me want to be a better journal writer so that one day my children can do the same and go back and read our feelings and emotions.  So in honor of our birthday and with permission from my mom, here is her journal entry of the journey in which we came to this earth... I love it and it makes me teary eyed reading it every-time.  Just a minor detail, our official birthday is Sept. 7th 1982 and my parents already had 5 children under the age of 8 or 9 and we turned that to a quick 7. :)

Oct. 21, 1984

My, my,- it has been 3.5 years since an entry has been put in this journal.  In our lives, too many things happen in a short amount of time to not make more frequent entries.  I will try to catch up and then do better in the future.  Unfortunately, writing has not been on the priority list the past couple of years.

In Jan. 1982 through Feb. we had suspicions of another spirit preparing to come to our family.  This was a very trying time for me.  We were enjoying Jonathan so very much as a little baby and I did not feel like I wanted another baby right away.  To struggle through guilt feelings yet honest emotions was very difficult.  By March end I had pretty much passed the emotion turmoil in this pregnancy (which I hope I don't have to go through again!).  I had a Dr. appt on April 6th which confirmed the pregnancy with a Sept. 21 due date.  That same evening we had an appt with our Stake president Budge Wallis at his home.  It was there that Jon was asked to serve as Bishop of the Cincinnati 5th ward. Jon went on a youth temple trip to Washington DC the nest week.  The next month, may, I went on a temple trip with the Adults while Jon stayed home to watch the children.  We have always alternated temple trips, even though it would be wonderful to go together all the time, we feel a deep obligation to care for our own children and know that our time will come eventually to do things together like that again.

I went in for our 3rd doctor's visit and Dr. Evans convinced me to have an ultrasound test thinking that I was too large for a Sept. delivery.  I had the test on June 7th or 8th  at the hospital and the next morning, the Dr. called me at home to let me now I was carrying twins!!!  For the next few months Jon and I were both in an excited but unbelieving state of shock.  Many sessions were spent in prayer with my Heavenly Father trying to get the faith, confidence and strength to make this as uncomplicated and rewarding as possible for our whole family.  In comparing past pregnancies with this one they were pretty much the same.  I gained a bit more weight than usual (about 10 lbs) and my feet swelled quite considerably.  

Mom and Dad had been serving a mission in Mexico since March of 81 so we got a letter from them stating they were coming this way after their release to be with us at this very special time.  They got there on Sept. 1st and we had time to do things like bottle tomatoes, chili sauce, have a sardine party with Dad, and wait for the twins to be born.  On Tues.  Sept 7th, I was feeling a bit strange that evening .  Mother kept wanting me to call Jon at work, but I figured I had time to wait until he got home.  Jon came home around 6:15 and Dad and Jon gave me a blessing after we had called the children in to tell them and the excitement and reservations hit a peak.  As we left, Brian told me "Please mom, let them be BOYS!"

We arrived at the hospital around 6:50, checked in, answered questions, filled out forms, and then hooked me and the babies up to the heart monitors.  It was always interesting to watch the machinery and instruments to keep deliveries as safe as possible.  The doctor met us at the hospital, monitored closely and before I knew it, I was being transferred to delivery.  A few pushed and we had Baby A ( a girl) at 8:08 pm. The next contraction came and push we had Baby B (a girl) at 8:11 pm.  What a miracle, 2 babies, identical in the womb and both are complete and healthy.  Baby A weight 5 lbs 3 oz and Baby B weighed 4 lbs 10 oz.  They cared for the babies, wrapped them and handed them to Jon- one in each arm- what joy, what blessings.  They shortly handed the girls to me on the table, rolled us out of delivery, took a picture of us and then took the new ones to the nursery to be monitored carefully for the next 12 hrs.

The next few days in the hospital the twins were staggered and brought one at a time for feedings.  They were supplemented with formula to increase their weight as much as possible.  They brought Baby A with a green and white stocking cap on and Baby B with a pastel cap on.  We had decided to name Baby B- Sara with the German spelling which means "little princess" and Baby A we chose Melissa which means "lamb"

With the anxiety behind me as to what to expect during delivery or would the babies be alright, we were looking forward to the next experience of raising 2 at once.  Mom, Dad and Jon spent as much time at the hospital visiting.  The children came for a sibling visit and were amazed to see two babies that belonged to us.  I stayed in the hospital until Monday - Sara's weight dropped to 4.5 lbs and they would not release her so Melissa stayed as well.  I went over twice a day for feedings for the next couple of days.  Mom and Dad went in the morning, Jon came at night with me.  On Wed. morning I went to feed the twins and the Dr. asked me if I wanted to take them home with me....Sure Did!!  

Bubbles that don't POP?

I found these bubbles in the Michael's dollar bin a while ago and totally forgot about them.  But I came across them the other day and the boys really enjoyed them.  Tanner couldn't believe that he could hold them and Jake was just in heaven because he could try and catch them forever!  Doug has really enjoyed them too:)....he seems just as fascinated with the idea of bubbles that you can catch!  So here they are playing with them on our back patio.  You can tell Tanner was sweating so bad but he didn't care how hot it was, he was enjoying himself way to much!