The twins are 10 months today!

Liam gets the block for a minute, but ultimately, James wins.

Early June observations

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  I didn't really mean to take a blog break, but I did.  I'm sure it has something to do with pregnancy.  I just don't have much energy these days.  I was truly hoping for a 2nd trimester burst of energy, but so far, it hasn't happened.  I still don't enjoy food much.  I was hoping that I'd start to feel hungry, but right now I'm choking  food down.  As an enthusiastic eater and cook, I'm truly discouraged by my lack of interest in food.  I'm finding that a twin pregnancy is very different from a single.  Why did I think it wouldn't be that much different?
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  Last Friday (June 4th) was our last day of school.  It ended without much fanfare.  Luke still owes me a book report, but he decided at the last minute that he wanted to write his report about a different book than he had intended.  So, I'll give him a little more time.  He'll take the rest of June off, but he'll resume working on Latin in July.  I'm taking June off too.  I won't start planning for 6th grade until July although I can't help my brain from thinking and planning a little.
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  I just realized that I have the fewest items checked out from the library (5) than I've had all year.  I have two cookbooks checked out that in ordinary circumstances I would love to peruse, but right now, I have no interest.  Did I mention that at 18 weeks pregnant, I've lost a couple of pounds? The twins are growing well so I'm not worried about not gaining weight right now.  I'm trying to eat small things all day.
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  All I want to do is read light fiction.  I usually juggle a lots of varied reading, but right now, I'm hungry for fiction.  I just started The Book Thief, a book club selection.  I wouldn't call this light fiction, but it's fiction. It's the summer and it's time to lighten up.
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  Knitting. Did you think I'd get through a post without mentioning some knitting? I'm working on a second Haltermelon, but this one's in a deep red.  Yesterday between OB appointments, I bought some watermelon buttons that I'll use.  I'm looking forward to starting this project as I'm ready to move on from halter tops and I'm ready to use some of my Sunshine stash.  I'm really enjoying knitting for little Tess.  I still have to finish a Wallaby sweater for my older son, but he admitted recently that the crazy variegated yarn he chose is a little ridiculous. I'm almost half-way done with the sweater! Ugh!
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  With all my talk about not wanting to eat, I dreamed  about banana ice cream and I've been thinking about making it, but I do have this fear that I'll make the banana ice cream and then not want it.  I must need more potassium.
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  On our last day of school, Luke and I had plans to see a small theater production of The Secret Garden in Littleton.  It was very warm evening and since we got to historic downtown Littleton early, we walked around together before the show.  I had my doubts that The Secret Garden could be translated into a good play and I was right.  It was just okay.  It was a musical with mostly forgettable music and the actual set for the garden was so disappointing, but the important thing is that I got to spend some special time with Luke.  I know he really enjoys the one-on-one attention from either Paul or myself.  I know these types of outings are really important especially as he gets older.
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  Tessie's hair is almost long enough for short pigtails.  I can clip up some of her hair on either side and it just delights me. 
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  Pictures of the pigtails to come!

It's gonna be a testosterone fest!

I had a 16 week ultrasound today.  It turns out that I have lots of ultrasounds in my future.  The babies are looking good and developing well so far and we learned today that the twins are boys! So, little Tess will have two older brothers and two younger ones.  It's going to be a crazy adventure.

Baby Carrier Blues

I've had a truly long week already. It's only Wednesday. I've been sick since Saturday night with alternating chills and sweats.. I have so much to do and Tess hates the sling. I have a used Bjorn, but I don't like it. Any suggestions out there?? I thought all babies liked slings. I must be doing something wrong. She's crying so much today. Ugh. I'm exhausted. I'm sorry to complain.

It's so nice to have a baby in the house again

Here's what Tess usually looks like...sleepy

Proud big brothers Luke and Sam with little Tess

Little sweetness baby!

Little Tess

Here she is! Our little sweet Tess weighing in at 6 pounds 15 ounces and 20 inches long.

She looks so big although I can't get over her tiny little head. She's my smallest baby so far.

Tess alert and beautiful

The boys are delighted with their new sister. Here's Sammy visiting at the hospital.

Luke and Sam discover the hospital bed and the buttons to make it move up and down.

Here's Luke holding baby Tess. That's me sitting next to him and hopefully that will be the last of that striped maternity shirt (for a while anyway).

Little Tess finally at home. She's resting on Sammy's little toddler bed while we get things ready for her.

Paul looks a tad tired. I guess it has been a full week. Sammy loves holding his little sister.

Here's Tess in her little swaddler. She looks like a little bean sprout!

Sammy takes his job of holding his baby sister very seriously. We are overjoyed to have her home finally. We've waited so long for this little blessing! She's the best early Christmas present ever! I just took down the baby ticker from my sidebar and I feel a little sad about it since it's been there for so long. I enjoyed tracking her progress during my pregnancy, but it's time for the next chapter of her life.

Tess Elizabeth has arrived!!!

Just to let you all know that Tess Elizabeth was born on 12/2/2008 at 9:03pm. After less than 3 hours of labor she arrived healthy and happy weighing 6lbs 15oz and she is 20 inches long. Pictures to follow soon. Mommy and baby are doing great!!!

December baby

Just because Sam was born on his due date doesn't mean this baby will born on her due date. November 30th is about to be over...I'm still waiting! I guess this is appropriate for the Advent season!

40 weeks...

tomorrow. We'll see what happens.

39 Weeks

I finished another project!

Okay, I began this very simple quilt in the beginning of my pregnancy for my friend Stephanie's baby. So, sometime in March I started sewing this little quilt. I figured I could have this quilt done in time for the June arrival of baby Evie. Well, it's only five months late, but baby Evelyn doesn't seem all that upset. Actually, she looks rather happy. I'm happy too. Now, I have to finish knitting the sweater I started a few weeks ago for Sammy. I am hoping to have it completed before our baby girl is born, but given my track record, it might be a little longer. I suppose I can knit in the hospital, right?

37 Weeks

Today, I'm 37 weeks and I'm really getting anxious and excited to hold my new daughter.

Welcome new little Foss!

I got back from festivities with my little Darth Vader and little dinosaur to discover the news!
I can't wait for pictures of baby Foss!

Early Nesting?

I always kind of thought that nesting was that short period of time before a woman gives birth where suddenly she can't stand that there might be dust under the fridge. After attending to the dust accumulation under the fridge she decides that she needs to check the expiration date of everything in the fridge which then leads to the removal of every item so she can deep clean. Then, she goes into labor. Anyway, I feel like I've gotten this nesting thing early this time around.

My husband has been on a month long sabbatical and we're (sadly) in the final week already. He's done a ton of work on the basement. He's painted nearly everything and we're getting ready to have new carpet installed, but there's still so much to do and I find myself in panic-mode. We start our new school year right after Labor day and I know that August will go quickly. I've been thinking about all the things I want to have accomplished before we begin another school year and all the things I want to have accomplished before baby girl gets here. There is so much juggling of stuff to be done. We have a small space in the basement that we have designated for a classroom. We bought some new bookcases and Paul is getting ready to stain them and then mount them to the wall. After that, we will need to shuffle all of the books down to those shelves. There is also a bedroom which will become our new guest room and that means moving everything from the former guest room on the main floor down. The former guest room will become (temporarily) the craft room until it becomes baby girl's room, but that won't be for a while because if she's like my boys, she will never ever want to move out of my room. Right now, Sammy is sleeping in his little toddler bed in my room with no plans to move into his bedroom he supposedly shares with Luke. I know there will be a lot of co-sleeping! So, I've been thinking about how to get all this done in time for the end of August. I saw Elizabeth's nesting list and well, I feel in the same boat. Here's the list:

1. Guest room switch
2. Finish Classroom and set up classroom-- need to look for small work desk for Luke (I'll get my hubby on Craig's List right away!)
3. Write Lesson Plans until January
4. Shop and wrap Christmas presents
5. Set- up sewing machine in former guest room
6. Plan Fall meal schedule (that we'll actually follow)
7. Finish all unfinished crafts-crochet, knit and quilt projects
8. Plan Luke's 9th birthday (September 6th)
9. I still haven't made the Jam!!!!!
10. Switch to local pediatrician (I can't take the drive to our current doc anymore!)
11. Go through remaining book boxes that we haven't been able to unpack since we moved over 2 years ago.
12. Gather all outgrown children's clothing and decide what to keep and what to give away
13. Begin new quilting project- Sailboat wall hanging for Luke's birthday
14. Enjoy more nights of just sitting on the deck after the boys are in bed and praying for peace of mind.
Okay, there it is. At least my fridge is always clean. I have severe OCD when it comes to things in my kitchen.

Strange clothes in my house

Upon hearing that we are expecting our first girl, Steph (who just happened to be at Babies R Us at the time) bought me my first girl clothes. Every time I see them, I'm a little stunned. I am so used to stripes, solids, plaids, dinosaur t-shirts, sweater vests and denim overalls around here.

What I discovered at my 20 week ultrasound today

....That I need pink!

It's time for an announcement!

Yes, it's true! It's time to tell everybody our good news. I know I am a little late in letting you in on the secret, but given my recent history with back-to-back miscarriages, I am still very cautious. I had a couple of scares with this little one already, but yesterday, Paul and I went for our first ultrasound and I was put at ease by seeing our little one. The baby is already very busy moving around. (There's a lot of leg kicking already.) I've never had an ultrasound this early (11 weeks and a few days) before, but like I said, we've had a few scares and I am still feeling anxious. Having this early ultrasound has helped me to calm down. When I had my boys, I never gave my pregnancies much thought at all aside from all the normal complaints. They developed like they were supposed to and my pregnancies were very routine. I know that I took those experiences for-granted. Now, I am in even more awe of the miracle of life. (The ultrasound image isn't mine. It's one I found on the internet that's measuring 11 weeks.) I have our first ultrasound pictures on the fridge. Baby is expected around November 30. Please keep us in your prayers. I'm going to borrow the ticker I saw on Elizabeth's blog so we can track the baby's development. Check out the sidebar. We are overflowing with joy!