21 1/2 weeks

With things being so busy lately, I totally spaced taking a 20 week picture to compare with my previous pregnancy. So, the best you will get is a 21 1/2 week shot of the twins vs. a 20 week shot with Dane.

         20 weeks with Dane                       21 1/2 weeks with the girls

I actually think I look pretty similar in these pictures. At my last appointment though, which was just before 20 weeks, I was measuring the same as 23 weeks with a singleton, so just slightly bigger. I'm starting to get the aches in my back that I had last time, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't get as bad as last time. There were days when I would just cry from the pain and I had to keep an ice pack on my back constantly. It was awful. So, let's just hope that doesn't happen this time.

I'm also starting to get Braxton Hicks already. They don't hurt at all, but they're definitely starting. My dr. said that was ok because it does usually happen sooner with each pregnancy as well as sooner with multiples, but just to take it easy. I know what contractions feel like (I got them early with Dane too) so I'll just keep an eye out for those. I'm really sad too because Josh and I had planned to go to Arizona for Thanksgiving to visit family and it may have been our last trip until the babies came. I asked my dr. what she thought and she said it's up in the air and she would tell me at my next appt. whether or not it would be safe to fly. Well, my next appt. would be like 1 1/2 weeks before we would leave, so I didn't want to buy a plane ticket, just to be told that we couldn't go. So, we decided to stay here for Thanksgiving and spend it as a family. I am excited about that though just because we have never spent Thanksgiving with just us before. We are always out of town or with other family members (which is wonderful as well). But hopefully we will have our new kitchen done by then and I can cook a real turkey dinner for the first time!

We still aren't any closer to choosing names at all for these girls. Before we had Dane, I had way more girl names than boy names. Then after Dane came, we had a handful of boy names that we still really liked and thought we could use if these were boys. Well, now I feel like we're starting from square one :) It's fun and we still have plenty of time to think about it, but choosing 2 names is way harder than just 1! I thought it would be nice, but we can't even come up with enough names that we actually love. But we will do what we did last time and come to the hospital with a few names in mind and wait to see their faces before we decide.

I can't believe we're more than half way done. It's so crazy to think about. If we have these babies at the average 36 week delivery time for twins, then we only have about 3 months left. What the heck, I am so not ready this time around :) I feel like there is still so much to be done before they get here, so let's hope and pray for their safety and my sanity, that they stay in there as long as possible.

Dane is 1!

Dane turned 1 a few weeks ago and we were in New York, so I am just getting around to blogging about it. We had such a fun trip and were so happy we got to see family! And so happy for Zack and Vanessa for tying the knot! (Pictures above are from the wedding)

Dane is such a big boy now. I seriously can't consider him a baby anymore because he seems so grown up. He does and says so many funny things that I can just see his personality coming out so much. It's adorable and my favorite age so far!

We got him a cake with a car on it (since that is one of his favorite things) and celebrated with family, balloons and presents! We were going to do a little party for him here when we got back, but with everything going on (moving, trip, house renovations, etc) we don't feel ready to really have anyone over for a party. But he got to party in NY, so that was plenty.

Here are some pictures:

He did not want that hat on (and looks half asleep)

Blowing kisses, with Aunt Hally

When everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to him he got SO excited and started smiling from ear to ear. It was SO cute....About to blow out the candle. 

He got frosting on his hand and was NOT having it. He's never been a neat, clean boy, so this was a surprise. I thought for sure he'd dig in and get crazy messy. Not the case at all. 

Trying to force him to get messy, lol

But he preferred a fork. (With cousin Parker)

Present opening time

More blowing kisses

His other favorite thing... balloons. He loved those things.

It's crazy how fast he is now learning things. You can teach him something that morning and he'll be doing it later that day. He's seriously such a little smartie pants. I mentioned this on facebook, but at his 1 year appointment, his pediatrician told us that Dane was one of the smartest 1 year olds he's seen. He said usually around 1, they hope to have the baby saying around 3-4 words and Dane has a vocabulary over 20-25. If we ask him to say or do something he tries to repeat us.

Here are some other things he's doing at 1:

- If you ask him how old he is, he tries to say "one" and puts up 1 finger

- Again, he has a huge vocabulary. Some of his favorites are, "no, no" while shaking his finger. Especially while doing something he shouldn't like touching plug outlets. (We have covers in them), but he will walk over to them, shaking his finger, saying "no, no" while he tries to touch them. He just doesn't get the "no" concept yet.

- Ways bye and says "bye"

- He follows instructions really well. If I ask him to get me a diaper, he will. If I ask him to give something to daddy, he does. If he has something he shouldn't have, I ask him to give it to me and he will. As of now, he's a great listener.

- Will give us kisses all the time. He's full of love. He blows kisses, gives kisses and hugs, etc. It's so sweet, I love it.

- Will do the motions to songs like, "Itsy Bitsy Spider" "If you're happy and you know it" "Wheels on the Bus" etc.

- Can point out, eyes, nose and mouth

- When you ask him where something is, he holds out his hands and shrugs like saying, "I don't know"

- Can now climb stairs, but not go down them very well... so we still need to be very watchful.

- Love his shoes and socks and says, "Sh" for both. 

- Walks so well and sometimes tries to run. When he does that though, he gets a little caught up and can't keep his balance as well. But I'm chasing him around everywhere and I had my first, "OMG, where is Dane?!?!" moments. Very scary, but he was just around the corner on the other aisle.

- Still loves to dance

- LOVES books, cars, ballons, balls, dogs and slides

- Favorite foods - Bananas (which he calls nanas), apples, applesauce, yogurt. We give him everything we eat. There isn't much he hasn't tried. 

- Has 6 teeth, with a 7th that just popped through a few days ago

- Can unlock the iPhone (he pushes the home button and swipes his finger to unlock - yikes)

- Sleeps almost 12 hours a night (straight) and 2 naps during the day

- Is totally ticklish and will laugh so hard when you tickle him

- Loves to put caps and lids on and off of things

- We don't watch much tv, but to get him to sit still for a diaper change (which is such a challenge) he loves Yo Gabba Gabba. We never got that channel before so he never watched it, but he loves it now.

- Loves to carry heavy things over to me (i.e., boxes, bags of diapers, the diaper bag, etc.)

He is so cute and does so many things and I love that we can interact and play together. He's such a big, fun, and lovable 1 year old and we're so lucky to have him. I can't believe he's going to be a big brother in just a few months. 

And a few pictures from the wedding:

Happy Birthday!

To our little baby Dane

Happy Birthday!

We are in NY right now for our brother's wedding (yay!), but we will do a small celebration for Dane here for his 1 year birthday!!

He has been blessing our lives for 1 year now! What an amazing year it has been. 2 years ago, I would have never thought we would be where we are now. A beautiful little boy and 2 sweet girls on the way. Heavenly Father really knows what's going on, even if we don't.

Dane is honestly the cutest, most lovable little guy ever. In the mornings, daddy gets him out of his crib and brings him to bed with us. He lays down, rolls into me and spoons with me for a little while. I love my morning snuggles with him. He's the smartest and quickest learning 1 year old I know too. He does so many cute things and has this personality, that I didn't know a 1 year old could have. We ask him how old he is and he tries to say "1"! It's so funny.

When we get back from our trip, I will post more about all of the fun things he does and says, but for now, just know that my heart is full with love for this little guy and I honestly couldn't be happier. It's definitely hard, being a mom isn't easy, but boy is it worth every second.

I love you my sweet Dane! Happy birthday!

We are having...

I've sure everyone already knows... but for those of you without facebook, we are having....

TWO GIRLS

We were totally shocked, but EXTREMELY excited! Two little sisters that can be best friends and a sweet older brother to look after them. From the beginning we thought we would have more boys, then our ultrasound tech at 15 weeks thought one of them looked like a girl, so then we were thinking 1 of each. But to our surprise, there are too little daughters that I get to take to get mani/pedis, talk boy talk, get them ready for dates, dress them in the cutest dresses, and that daddy gets to spoil and love those sweet daughters of his. 

I can't say enough what a blessing this is for us. We can't wait for the journey ahead! And for a few details, the babies measured exactly on target and are looking as beautiful as ever. When we get back from NY I'll have to scan some of the pictures they took because they are so cute. Especially this one, where you can see all 4 of their feet right next to each other. I love it. Also, the dr. said since they are the same sex, they can still be identical depending on when the egg split. So, there is a 25-30% chance of them being identical. I think that would be totally fun, but of course we don't care if they look the same or not, we're just happen we have 2 new blessings to welcome into our home.