Pregnancy isn't pretty.......but my kids are

I'm not one of those women that loves pregnancy...

First of all, I don't like limitations on what I can do physically. I'm not sure if it's because there are TWINS in here, because this pregnancy is so close to the last one, because I'm getting older, or the fact that I've done this twice before but-my hips are killing me. It has limited my exercise drastically....as in-suspended my gym membership drastic. My physician let me know he'd be cutting off my gym activities by twenty weeks anyway and I've been trying to take it easy-but I don't like it.

Second of all, I don't like feeling bloated every day. I'm not a person that obsesses about my weight. We don't even have a scale in our home. I was blessed with good metabolism-I can maintain a weight that pleases me without cardio or dieting (although I think we eat very healthy compared to most). I don't worry about gaining a few pounds here and there. But it's nice those days when you wake up and feel lean-pregnancy never provides those.

Then there's the wardrobe limitations.....which is what led me to Destination Maternity last Sunday. You would think I'd have a lot of maternity clothes having just been pregnant with Gracie but a lot of what I wore with her was borrowed. Plus she was born in the summer and most of my maternity was really just maxi and other dresses from Forever 21 that I wore so much they fell apart. The shopping trip was terrible. We had just come from Gage's soccer game and I was tired, hot, and sweaty from being out in the sun. Every pair of pants I tried on looked terrible on my backside and I could see the cellulite building up on the back of my thighs. I felt like crap. Pregnancy just doesn't make me feel pretty.

Matt and I have been discussing our upcoming anniversary. We have decided to follow the traditional gifts and this year is cotton. I have had a gift in mind for Matt for quite a while but he said he was struggling.....and that all he could think of was a nice comfy robe but he noticed that I had just bought myself a new one. A robe? That's not going to make me feel pretty-that's just going to make me feel more lazy.......and big and........pregnant.

Then I was gently reminded.....It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from within you-the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit that will never be destroyed and is very precious to God. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

I don't FEEL beautiful, but that doesn't mean I'm not......or that I can't be.....

Matt's gift idea should make me feel good. It shows that he thinks I'm beautiful always-even lying around lazily in a robe......in fact, it shows that right now he WANTS me to take it easy and lie around in a comfy robe. I should really take advantage and count the many blessings Matt brings to me.

Starting this weekend I can now feeling the twins move throughout every day. I had felt them sporadically before but now it's every day. It's joyful and comforting and reminder of the beauty and wonder of bringing life into the world.

Today we were supposed to have an ultrasound that we hoped would confirm the genders.....after waiting for ten minutes in the waiting room the power went out. PG&E estimated a 2-hour wait time so we were sent home and we'll have to reschedule-bummer. It was made worse by the fact that Matt had taken the morning off and I'd hired a babysitter to come watch Gage and Gracie while we went......and the fact that we woke up to ants-in our pantry. It hasn't been the best morning.

But there is much to look forward to and enjoy right now. We are headed home to the farm this weekend and again the next. This means a stop at Hobby Lobby-which is always joyful. Then, I'll get to see the place where my brother-in-law and soon to be sister-in-law will be getting married in November, we'll have a little time to relax, and Gage will get to go quail hunting.

Speaking of Gage, he lost his first tooth last weekend!

He was playing Connect Four and started to wiggle the tooth with his tongue, then it fell out into his mouth and he spit it out. He was VERY excited, but sad that he couldn't keep the tooth.

We have at least one thing to look forward to every weekend from now through the end of November.......even though sometimes that it burdensome-it's a blessing right now. Being busy will make the time pass by quickly.......before we know it the new year will be here and the babies will follow right behind.

Here's what we've been up to lately.....

Sewed a blanket for Baby Paxton......and another for Jaxon but I forgot to take a picture

Went to Dino Nite at the zoo...
This photo taken by Gage

 Gage talking to the birds....

 Disappointed by the long line to see Buddy the Dinosaur....

Settling for a picture with a picture of Buddy.....

He's always helping with Gracie...

 Gracie's busy growing....

And loving chocolate chip cookies.....

Wearing pants and a headband made by mama......

 Gage has been busy with soccer.....

 He scored his first two goals last Saturday-he's hoping to double that for four this weekend!

 And we've been enjoying the (slightly) cooler weather at the park.....

Thanks for stopping by.....

Love

It all started with a watermelon......

Yesterday was one of those days.......

I had left a watermelon out on the deep freezer in our garage. My hands were full and I was just planning to bring it in later. Gage decided that he would try to bring it in himself while I was laying Gracie down for a nap. He comes in to tell me about it and when I go out to the garage I find that he had dropped the watermelon and there was flesh and juice everywhere. We clean it up, I spray out the sticky garage floor and I bring in the top half of the watermelon to see if I can salvage anything from this watermelon that Gage had wanted so bad. While I'm cutting up the half I'm trying to save part of it slips off the counter onto the ground and there is now flesh and juice all over my floor and cabinets. I clean it all up and decide I'm over the melon and trash the rest. Then I pull out the garbage bag to take it out and an edge of the watermelon slices the bag and out of the bottom comes another wedge of watermelon onto my floor......flesh and juice spewing everywhere. Again. Amazing.

Next on the agenda was taking Gage to school. I decided to follow this with a treat for myself after the crappy morning. So Gracie and I headed to Fig Garden for a little Ga Ga Chic, Chipotle, and Hungry Bear. I LOVE the iced tea from Uncle Harry's so I grabbed that on our way over to Chipotle. We pop into Hungry Bear to grab a treat and we hit the bump in the doorway. My giant iced tea bounces out of the stroller and spills all over their floor. I was very apologetic but the lady working wasn't so forgiving. Nice.

Then it was time to pick up Gage from school. His teacher informed me that he pulled two cards today and his fish was swimming in very red, very murky waters. Talking........then back-talking in a way that only Gage can do. His teacher actually used the term rail-roading.......and I knew exactly what she was talking about. So.....cancelled plans to swim with a friend at Copper, no treats, 20 minutes of quiet time in his room, and early bedtime. Fun.

It's been months since Matt and I have been anywhere without the kids. Our weekends ahead are getting busy so I made plans for us to go to dinner this Friday at Cracked Pepper. Santa brought me gift cards for Cracked Pepper for Christmas.....and I still have them-that tells you how long it's been since we've been out by ourselves. I contacted my seven options for babysitters and not one was available. Cancelled date night. Perfect.

Since Gage can't have any of his own fun due to the red card at school he resigns to playing with Gracie. Everything he decides to do is NOISY. The singing dog, the keyboard, the drums, the talking ladybug. I was about to crack from a severe headache so I text Matt to see if he can take the kids to the gym with him so I can have just one hour of peace and quiet. He happened to leave his phone in the car and was already at the gym by the time I sent the message. Opportunity lost.

But-there's always an upside. Last night it was that Gage had to go to bed early due to the red card. Which meant I got to go to bed early too. And today is a new day.......the watermelon is being picked up buy the garbage man as I write this post and Gage was certainly sorry he pulled a red card. He won't be doing that again......at least for a little while.

Wishing you all (and myself) a fabulous day!

Taking a time out.....

This morning the kids and I have done......nothing. It's almost 11am and I'm still in my robe. I mean, we've had a healthy breakfast, I've done a little online research on car seats and such for the twins, I've spent time reading with Gage as well as working on number identification and sight words........but I'm still in my robe. I'm taking it easy, I'm taking a time out. 

During my pregnancies with Gage and Gracie I was very active. I worked out with Gage until three days before he was born and I was at the gym doing cardio the morning that Gracie decided to come in to the world. I was terrible about taking my prenatal vitamins.....I probably averaged 2-3x/week. I was also teaching during both pregnancies until a few weeks before those summer babies came. 

This time.....it's different. I have been sick, which I never experienced with the other two, and I've been warned that my gym time will be over come 18-20 weeks. And yesterday I had a little scare......it felt like a huge scare, but the good news is-it wasn't. I was afraid I was having PROM (premature rupture of membranes). It was late so I went ahead went to bed thinking I was just over-reacting. Then I had an AWFUL dream that I miscarried one of the twins. When I woke up in the morning I just couldn't shake it......I couldn't stop worrying. My OB-GYN sent me to the hospital to check my fluids and the babies. I didn't want to go because I was afraid I was just over-reacting.....but they convinced me that it's better to be safe than sorry and I needed to ease my mind. 

Thankfully my friend Ally was able to go with me to the hospital and my neighbor Mandy was able to get Gage to school for me. After over four hours there (gotta love the emergency room) we learned my fluids are great and the babies are just where they need to be. It was miserable to be there for that long but I do feel better for having gone. And it was a well received reminder that I really need to take care of myself better this time.....carrying two just takes a greater toll and I need to be more careful. While we were there the ultrasound tech told me that she saw one boy and one girl.......so I'm feeling just a little more certain about what's cooking in there. She also assured me that it was best for me to come in and I'm no where near the only one to come in and learn that everything is just fine. 

Today I took my prenatal vitamin, I'm drinking my 90+ oz. of water, I skipped the gym, I'm still in my robe, ......and I'm okay with it. 

Love. 

A little catch up......

Gage turned 6 on August 24th. He wanted to go bowling for his birthday so we invited a few friends for bowling and pizza on Friday night. He had a great time and many wonderful gifts came his way! Here are some pictures....

Six means he's really growing up. He is a wonderful big brother to Gracie-he protects her, looks out for her, teaches her, plays with her and always comes to her defense. If I say, "Gracie-that's not nice. We don't throw food on the floor." He picks the food up for her and explains that she's just a baby, she doesn't know any better.

He is warm and loving but very independent and not afraid of anything. Me-"If you could only choose one activity, Gage-soccer, gymnastics, or tennis-which would it be?" Gage-"All of them, I want to do EVERYTHING!!" And he wants to meet everyone-everywhere we go.

Right now he cleans out the dishwasher, takes out and picks up the mail, takes out the trash and garbage cans to the street, cleans his room, sets and clears the table, helps with dinner prep, and BEGS to mow the lawn. He likes to go outside to play catch or tennis and inside he likes to build with Legos. Every day he wants to be something different when he grows up......veterinarian, scientist, business man, farmer. He told me last week that he wanted to be an actor and I explained that I'd be sad because he'd have to move far away. He said with a sigh, "Mom.......I'm not a baby anymore. You have to realize I'm growing up." He is.....but he still comes to sit on my lap and I'm cherishing that while it lasts.

In other news, Gracie is really walking now. She's totally over the crawling and only walks. Yesterday she fell and got her first busted lip.
In twin news not much has changed. Though we opened the envelope we've yet to buy anything. We'll wait for the second ultrasound.......just in case.

That's all for news at the Creighton's.....

Love.