Mark This off My Holiday List!!!

This year Shutterfly is offering a freebie offer that is very exciting to me. I have not previously used them before but absolutely love the designs that I have seen. Nothin's better than freebies, especially this time of year! Shutterfly has a promotion that if you blog about all the awesome (that are in fact awesome) Christmas  cards, calendars, invitations and more then you will receive 50 holiday cards. For what? FREE!!! That is why I'm blabbing about all this all on the blog for, saving a few pennies. I got Shutterfly's catalog in the mail and was impressed by the range of customizable cards they offer to fit every one's style. Can't wait to debate and debate with my indecisiveness on which card I'll use ;-), they have got some good stuff! Also, I am using them to make some awesome photo books for the parents and in-laws for gifts this year. Get in on sending some warm wishes for free, HERE.

Our Summer

The summer has flown by. Obviously I am not too good at this whole journal thing; So now I will recap the entire summer using the pictures I have taken so that I can feel caught up and begin to make the kind of candid post that I love.

May 2010

Lots of friends and family came to visit during our short stay in the hospital. (Thankfully we all went home together after only 2 nights!)

Jay earned his Masters degree in Accounting from the University of Utah. Fortunately, both of our parents were able to make the day special for him, because the babies and I were still home adjusting.

 We are seriously so proud! I really don't know how he managed to do so well with all we had going on.

My Sweet Babies

I am so lucky to be the mom of these little ones. I want to put the story of their birthday down in here while it is fresh in my mind. I already cannot belive that two months have gone by. First, for some reason we knew we were having twins from the very beginning; I don't really know how and don't really know why! As soon as we told Miles that Mommy was going to have a baby he kept saying "brothersister". I went to the doctor for the first time at 9 weeks. I went by myself so that Jay could stay home with Miles. I was so nervous as Dr. Walker was doing the exam and when she got to the ultrasound she told me "Just as I thought, you are having twins"! Even though we suspected that might be the case, I was so excited, scared, overwhelmed, and mostly just wished I was not there by myself. As I was driving home all I could think was "Oh my gosh, we are going to need a van". I got home and I had started crying as I walked in the door, mostly just from being overwhelmed with emotions and Jay asked "Are you okay?" All I could say was 'We need a VAN!" and he understood immediately. The pregnancy was pretty good considering the horror stories that I have heard about carrying twins. For the first while I was really, really sick so things were kind of hard because we had not told anyone yet. We decided that we would tell our families on Halloween. We decorated buckets of candy with a ticket that said "Double, Double toil and trouble...Amy's belly is starting to bubble." We filled the bucket with double mint gum, double bubble, twix, and other "twin" related candies. Our families were so excited. Everyone was so surprised that it was twins.The second trimester was pretty uneventful. At 28 weeks I went to my usual doctor's appointment and the doctor noticed that I was beginning to dilate already. I was put on immediate and strict bedrest. I was so anxious and upset, I did not know how we were going to survive the upcoming months. What if they were born so early? What about Miles? Doctor bills? School? Work? So manythings we had to figure out. Thanks to our wonderful families who helped out nearly every day with watching Miles, cleaning, cooking, and entertaining us we did survive though. At 37 weeks my doctor decided that it was time and that she would enduce me. I was anxious to meet these babies but a little apprehensive at the same time. We partied hard for Miles birthday, knowing that it would be our last as a family of three. Then on May 3, 2010 I checked into the hospital at 7:30 am. The nurse gave me an IV about 8:30 and began the monitoring. She immediately called Dr. Walker with concerns about Chloe's heart rate. Dr. Walker came down and told us to begin preparing for a C-section. I was nervous, scared, and a little disappointed but trusted that she knew what was best for my babies. Not long after they sent in the anesthesiologist to put in the epidural, as soon as he was finished and almost before it was completely working, the nurse told that I was dilated to a 6 already and to page her immediately if I felt a need to push. As soon as she left the room I started to fell this sensartion, but wasn't sure if I was imagining it. We quickly called her back in and sure enough I was fully dilated. Well, a quick call to Dr. Walker and we were off the the operating room (they always try to deliver twins there). Luckily everthing went quickly and smoothly and Chloe's was born after only 1 push at 11:02 am with Riley following feet first at 11:08 am. I was so happy they were finally here and that both were doing wonderfully and they were healthy, healthy, healthy.

I am that kind of Mom!!

Yep it has happened...I am that kind of mom. The kind that has so much to do that I can't remember what I did yesterday or tell you what day it is or what we have to do tommorrow. But I am also the kind of mom who doesn't want to forget these crazy days! These days are long and sometimes hard but also special, tender, and sweet. I will never experience anything more special and I don't want to forget these times. I cannot believe how much I have already forgotten in the two short years since Miles was born and I am completely astonished to think that 5 whole years have gone by since Jay and I were married! This blog is going to be my journal so that I can be that kind of mom, the kind of mom who loves her kids so much that I am willing to give them everything I've got, and still remain sane when we come out on the other side.