fun in the snow?!?!

With our first snow of the season waiting for us when we woke up yesterday, we were excited to see how Ava would react to her first encounter in the snow. So after her nap, we got her bundled up to head outside . . .

My purple marshmallow.

She thought it was pretty funny getting all bundled up. I just thought she was pretty cute.

First round on the sled? She liked . ..and quickly asked for more.

Daddy may be having fun . . .but the fun quickly ended for Ava.

GASP - Snow got under her gloves and she was DONE.

I think the whole experience from start to finish outside lasted about 5 minutes.

What we won't do for a photo op - huh?! : )

But we did manage to get out saturday night after we got back from vacation and bought our Christmas tree! Here's Daddy and Ava with our 2008 find. We're letting the branches fall just a bit before we finish decorating.

Florida, family and sunshine were lots of fun (minus being sick) . ..I'll post some pictures later this week! Happy Monday everyone!

morbid curiosity made me do it . . .

So for sometime now, I've thought it would be "interesting" to compare a picture of myself pregnant with twins . . .to a "same picture" from when I was pregnant with "just" Ava. We'll see how brave I am at the end of this post. : )

This time around has definately been an entirely different pregnancy - one big example (besides the obvious?!)?

With twins, the bulk of your pregnancy growth is supposed to occur the first half of your pregnancy as opposed to the second half. The reason for this, supposedly, is because babies get so crowded at the end, that they actually stop much of their maturing around 32 - 34 weeks while in a single pregnancy, much of the maturation process happens in those final 8 weeks.

I've been told to expect to be further along than a single pregnancy by anywhere from 6 - 10 weeks. That would pretty much sum up about how I feel; as at 22 1/2 weeks, assuming 8 weeks further along size wise, that would put me at 30 1/2 weeks pregnant.

I must confess, that there are times reading some of the comments you other pregnant girls make regarding growing that I just quietly chuckle to myself. But regardless of one baby or two, it's a miraculous and mind-boggling experience to sit back and watch your body grow. I told Ryan, only a Creator could form such a process!

I was 22 weeks on tuesday - which since I won't go past 37 weeks . . .means I"m over halfway there! My nurse practioner, while measuring me at my appt. was like, "Honey, you are about out of room here."

What else do you expect when someone 5'3 is carrying two babies at once?!

I had the additional joy of realizing tuesday that, as they weighed me in, that I have just surpassed my total pregnancy weight gain that I had with Ava, this pregnancy by a pound and half. : ) But I"ve felt healthy and that's my first priority.

Yet I've also read over and over that one of the biggest predictors of the babies' health and size at birth for twins is the mother's weight gain the first half of pregnancy. That puts me right around where I need to be which is what any mommy wants to hear!

I've been really thankful that, overall, this has been a healthy pregnancy. I've definately reached the point where I do have to be pretty protective with how much I am on my feet or how much I'm lifting (as my doctor sternly told me last week).

Both girls are still looking great (Baby B was still sucking her thumb on last week's sonogram), which is a praise in itself. I'm feeling lots of movement and Ryan was just able to finally feel the girls dancing around as well (always fun!).

I'm still relishing in my twice-a-week swim . . .I told Ryan it's the two times a week I feel somewhat nimble! : ) I'm very careful not to over-do it . . .as I don't want to have to stop . . .or put myself on bedrest. But it's nice to still feel some level of activity.

So without further ado . . .

This first picture is from me while 21 weeks pregnant with Ava.

and this?

Sigh. Ok. That was the same picture. : )

THIS is me 22 1/2 weeks pregnant with twins.

I'll let you decide if there is any difference. : )
No promises of any pictures at 30 weeks!

getting bigger!!

HAH! - you all thought you'd see pictures of ME . . .didn't you!?!?!? : )

Although the title of this post probably applies more accurately to myself these days, I thought I'd do a little belated "15 months old" post for Ava (plus, her "getting bigger" pictures are more fun to look at).

Ava turned 15 months old on the 9th but we just had her check-up today.

Our little girl is becoming a bit of a chubs (I think she's quite delicious). However, I'm not quite worried yet.

She was:

Weight: 25 lbs 2 oz (80% :) )

Height: 31" (60%)

Here's my attempt this afternoon at a picture - this was all I got when I said, "Ava, say CHEESE!"

Ava got her rocking horse as a birthday present from Gpa and Gma Prevo, but she's only been willing to get on it the past week or so. However, now she LOVES it!

I thought this shot from Ava playing tonight pretty well sums up our little girl: half tom-boy, half girly,girl - in a dress-up skirt, wearing 3 necklaces . . .while going to town riding her pony. Earlier she had been wearing a tiara with the ensemble as well - as she was playing with some toy guns.: )

We were thankful for a healthy assessment - that has never been something I take for granted and we just pray can continue.

We love you Ava Cherise!

so I had good intentions . . .

Just when I thought I would get back on top of blogging . . .I didn't. So here's my apologies to my loyal and faithful few!

I'm quickly finding out that I have a completely different stamina this pregnancy and so down time has essentially become just that: down time. I'm learning to stop and rest when I have the chance since our little munchkin below keeps me busy otherwise. I've been loving my time with her though . . .she's growing up and changing so fast these days! This is such a great age.

Ava LOVES to play with her dolls lately. The other night, she brought two of her babies upstairs and was adament that they sit beside her on the couch. I just had to laugh at the foreshadowing - if she only knew! She was quite proud to snuggle between them both.

Rocking and singing to her doll.
Feeding her doll a bottle.

Slight observation? Notice in all the "action" shots, Ava only plays with one of the dolls. She wants BOTH nearby, but only snuggles and plays with the one. We're just wondering if this is Kate or Olivia who is going to get the cold shoulder!

Our house is all decorated for Christmas except for the christmas tree! It's been so fun and festive and Ava loves the lights. We decorated the house early for my PC open house and then saturday Ryan put up our outside lights (don't worry any scrooge's out there - we won't turn them ON until after thanksgiving). But I told Ryan I think I'm going to decorate in the beginning on November every year now! I feel so relaxed with the holidays coming . . ..it'll be so nice coming back from vacation just to ease into the festivities instead of rushing to try and get things up to get as much time out of decorations as possible. There's something so cheerful about a home decorated for Christmas - isn't there?!!

Here Ava was helping Ryan sort through the lights . ..but once she had them around the neck, she kept refusing to take them off.

We have had a very busy last few weeks (which I paid for!) . ..but now things should slow down to a somewhat more managable pace from now to babies. So hopefully I won't be quite so absent from blogging land.

Happy Monday!

some random shots

here's just a hodge-podge of pictures as of late . . . .

yes, I do claim them both. : )

can you tell someone likes to snuggle? Every night, no matter where her stuffed animals may be in her crib when we lay Ava down, when I check on her later, they are all snuggled nearby or under a arm.

Please tell me this is a sign of the years to come!

Giving Daddy "his" birthday gift!

Ready for church after a fun night and morning with Auburn and Olivia

Playing with Aunt Callie at Daddy's birthday party

A recent favorite activity of Ava's is to go around with a pair of Ryan or my socks on. She thinks she looks pretty cool. We just let her think. : )

I'm trying to teach her how to help out more once the twins are here.

this ladybudy isn't quite so pesky!

Ava was a ladybug for halloween this year - she absolutely loved her costume and how snuggly it was. The night before halloween we tried it on her. She SOBBED when we had to take it off to go to bed! Here's some pictures of our day:

I took Ava into Daddy's work - she was quite excited to try out her own version of "business casual"

Saying "please" for candy
Hmmm . .. which one, which one.

This is fun mom!!!!!!! (she just kept giggling)

How do you get three little munchkins to pose still for a picture? - SUCKERS!!!!!

CHEESE.

Grandpa and Grandma Bahr . . .we would have come trick-or-treating to your hotel room,but mommy thought we couldn't make it all the way to Japan before bedtime. We love you!