more pictures

here are a few more pix.

i have more to convert so give me a few.
let me kow how they load - kinda big.
later
.mike

little update

ok!



mike here.



it has been a crazy first 4 days for caled and elijah. after a sucessful extraction and a few hours with us they had to head on up to the nicu due to some respiratory issues. nothing out of the ordinary just 36 week premi (is that how you spell it) issue. after that cleared up they started with the blood sugar isuue, the body temp, now it's jaundice and weight gain. it's funny how one is resolved and the next pops up.



they are doing well though the IV's have been removed and the glucose tests have stopped. now it is weight gain and jaundice. which looks like it is moving in the right direction as of late. so that is where we stand right now.



michelle is doing well. after a tought night the boys are back on track with eating and michelle is feeling better. jeez i though we were tired with 3! holy cow! me thinks i have coffe for blood.



i am going to try and post a few pics.



more updates as time permits!



oh and thanks to everyone who has baby sat, visiterd called, prayers and even some of that irish canadian luck!



we could not have done/do it without all your help!



onto some pix!

Just a thought...

Sometimes we get sooo caught up in a I-didn't-accomplish-anything-today frame of mind, that we don't take into account the everyday accomplishments. Sometimes a part of motherhood, is just making it through the day, ending it with a much needed "good night I love you" to your children as you whisk them off to bed so you can enjoy an hour of peace and quiet.

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."
- Robert Louis Stevenson

Kind of helps those of us Type A personalities keep it all in perspective! :)

Just a few pictures of the boys...

...horsing around...

...pirating the house...

...and in general "driving" me crazy! (see the slippers haha)

More Twin Updates

Since I'm seeing all of these doctors so often, I'm able to have constant updates on their growth and my progress toward "Double D Day"!

The specialist, Dr. Johnson, is a perinatologist and he deals with high risk pregnancy's. Since there was a slight concern regarding the weight difference between the twins, (a 1/2 lb.), the docs decided it was in our best interest for Dr. Johnson to take a look at things. His ultrasound room is really cool...from the comfy recliner bed, to the 30" HD screen on the wall so that I could really see everything they were seeing.

Twin A is VERY low in the uterus but vertex (head down) and weighs in at around 4 lb. 5 oz. He has a head of hair, (yes we could really see it), and likes to have his feet wrapped up around the head of his brother. Twin B is quite the opposite and is VERY high in the uterus, still breech with his head and body almost transverse but not quite. He weighs in at 4 lb. 13 oz, also has a head of hair and likes to kneel on his brother's head. They refused to look at the "camera", so we couldn't get any good pictures to show you...stubborn little guys. It's safe to say they have already run out of room! AND, they are only going to continue to get bigger. That's right...I have 9 lbs. 2 ozs. of baby in there already and they are only going to get bigger. Let's recap the size of my other kiddos...shall we? Ethan: 7lb. 1 oz...3 days early; Joshua 6 lb. 11oz...2 weeks early; Rebekah 7lb. 4oz...2 weeks early!!! I'm not quite sure where I'm going to put these babies!

Anyway, even though they are still about 1/2 lb. different, they are both growing well and staying on their own curve...so at this time no worries with regards to their health. The biggest dilemma right now, is delivery. If they stay the way they are by the the time I have my next ultrasound at 36 weeks, I will have to schedule a c-section for 39 weeks. If I go into labor before then, (please, please, please), then they will do one more ultrasound to determine again where the babies are, and if they aren't BOTH vertex, then they will do a c-section. Only if both babies are vertex will they allow me to do a VBAC. Again, completely out of my hands...not something this type A personality can deal well with...but I know that there is a plan and God will make sure that things turn out the way they are supposed to. (Ask me again tomorrow and I may not be as optimistic and faith filled, but I can blame it on the hormones which are raging out of control on an hourly basis...just ask my poor husband!)

The other fun thing I get to do are non-stress tests, NST's, twice a week!! Every Tuesday night and Friday afternoon I have to get hooked up to the monitors so they can evaluate how my placenta is holding up to the nutrient exchange and demand from the babies. It's not too bad, as I get to lay back and relax for an hour, it's just trying to find that hour where I could get away to do it. As long as the test results are "reactive", we know that my placenta is holding together well. Reactive means, the babies are moving at least 2 times every 20 minutes, and with that movement their heartbeats go up about 15 beats and hold for at least 20 seconds, before coming back down to a resting beat. If the test is "non-reactive", then they will repeat the test the next day, and if the results are the same, then they would determine whether the babies need to be delivered ASAP to keep them healthy.

Who knew there was so much to think about with twins? Just when I thought I had gestation and delivery down pat, my body decides to throw in this interesting twist, you know, to keep me guessing. One thing I know for sure, Mike and I are getting more an more excited to meet these little guys. We can't wait to lay them side-by-side, stare into their little faces, smile and say hi!

Just a Quote

"Children are comforted when they're held in their parents' arms. Hugs help sparkle up a day."

-Gary Smalley and John Trent

Twin Update

No startling news...just an update.

I have to visit the docs every week now, and at every appt. undergo a non-stress test. For those of you who don't know what that is...I basically sit upright in a bed or chair for anywhere from 20 -45 minutes with two heartbeat monitors as well as another device that monitors contractions, attached to my belly. For me, it's actually quite relaxing as I have to sit still and relax for a set period of time. For the twins, they take the invasion of there ever decreasing space personally and bring forth an onslaught of punches, kicks and movements unlike those they do on a regular basis. So much to the point that one of them ended up with the hiccups towards the end.

Mike and I were in stitches, (which kind of ruins the whole "non-stress test" part of the test) because you can actually hear them beating on the monitors along with their heartbeats and hiccups. It really felt great to hear them and laugh over the fact that we really do have two little incredibly active, healthy babies in there.

The results of the test basically told us that I'm experiencing numerous braxton-hicks, and that the babies are dealing with that tightening just fine. Due to the lack of space, I have to be monitored to make sure that both babies can handle what my body is about to do to them when I go into labor. Sometimes one baby won't be able to deal with the contractions due to placement in the womb. Which is why we meet with the perinatologist at Dartmouth Hitchcock next Wednesday. He will do a more specialized ultrasound to determine size, placement and my ability to deliver them...which still remains undecided.

We've been able to discuss, quite openly with the midwives what our wishes are, knowing ultimately we will do what is necessary to help these babies come into the world safely. It is more a matter of trusting the will of God, as well as the experience of our incredible midwives.

The ultimate goal...aside from getting week to week, we'd like to make it to September 2nd as that will put me at 35 weeks. At that point, any signs of labor will be allowed to progress how is seen fit at that time. The average delivery for twins is 36.3 weeks...which would be around the weekend of September 12-14. I am currently 32.3 weeks, but measuring at exactly 38 weeks...about 6 weeks ahead. Most twins measure about a month ahead, so we're growing well. Having said that, I've only gained 35 lbs., but both the docs and the midwives are happy with that weight gain as the babies, so far, have achieved their appropriate weight gains for their gestational age. So, we will continue to eat, rest and prepare as best we can. Please pray for our little guys, as well as the rest of our kiddos because things are about to change like we've never imagined...and we can't wait!

My Crafty Side...Thanks Gram!

When I was in high school, my grandmother moved in with us. It was a little crowded to say the least, and it always felt like we had two mothers yelling at us to do different things. At the same time, it was nice to have her there because she would teach us how to do all sorts of really great things that only grandmothers can do.

Before she moved in, when we'd visit her, we'd learn how to do just about anything that had to do with crafts or cooking/baking...as well as numerous types of games, (just ask Mike about how "good" she was at card games...hehehe) So, when she lived with us, we were able to continue doing a lot of the same things. I can't begin to go into how much she taught me with regards to cooking, baking, and ya...card games, but I did want to share with you a craft she taught me, that to this day I try to do as often as possible so as to teach my daughter how to do it. It's called crocheting.

My grandmother would never let me forget how very difficult it was for her to learn how to do it, every time I would complain that I just couldn't get it right. See, she was left handed...despite how many times the nuns would rap her knuckles whenever she tried to write lefty! The person who taught her how to crochet was not only right handed...it was her only hand. That's right. This lady would crochet the most magnificent blankets and clothes with only her right hand and her left elbow...(she had lost her left hand up to the elbow when she was a child).

So, with this added guilt, (remember I was a "know-it-all" teenager) I did my very best to learn this crafty skill. She tried to teach me how to "read" the patterns, but because I'm more of a hands-on-learner, it was easier for her to show me how to do a stitch and then learn the names for them as I went along. It wasn't until recently, as a matter of fact, that I taught myself how to read patterns.

I've never gone on so far as to say that I'm an excellent crocheter, as the patterns I pick out are generally the easier ones. I think that's mostly due to lack of time to work on them. I need something that I can sit down and do without much thought. So, about 6 years ago, I found a very simple pattern for a baby blanket, and kind of tweaked it to make it my own...something else she taught me how to do.

I had decided that for each of my children I would make them a lovey blanket that would be their own. (Scars from my childhood blanky being passed down to the next sibling pushed me on with the gestation of each child, sorry Mom!) So, when we learned we were expecting twins, I knew my time would limited trying to make two of these lovey blankets before they were born.

Well, I succeeded, and completed Caleb and Elijah's blankets this week!

(L to R: Ethan's, Joshua's, and Rebekah's lovey blankets)

(L to R: Caleb and Elijah's lovey blankets)

Thanks Gram for teaching me this awesome skill. It's something I've been able to use from the day you taught me to not only find a wonderful way to show my love to my children, but to hold on to a cherished memory from time.

Her First Haircut

Hair? She doesn't have any hair!

Yes, we know. However, when you run your fingers through that extreme lack of hair, you would have found that what she did have was actually quite long, fine and kind of ashy brown in color...so it's hard to tell.

Since I was getting my haircut though, we figured it would be a great time to have her introduced to the scissors and comb. We've been doing the boys haircuts at home for quite sometime...they both had their first haircuts BEFORE they were even a year old! So, I'm sure we'll do the same for the twins. But, I had decided a while ago that I wasn't going to try and touch Bekah's hair...at least not yet. Besides, maybe the trim will help encourage it to grow in a little more! :)

She did great. How could she not? With a huge mirror in front of her, and both myself and the hairdresser paying all of our attention to just her, really, how could she not find it enjoyable. It only took 19 months for us to get her first haircut, but it actually does look a little different!

HIPPO Therapy

On July 11th we began the boys on a new therapy called HIPPO therapy. No, it doesn't involve hippopotamus', although that would be pretty cool too, it is a type of speech and/or occupational therapy that is done on horseback.

Toward the end of Joshua's early intervention therapy his therapist, Jenn, recommended HIPPO therapy as a form of treatment that she felt would not only help strengthen Joshua's core, but also help his speech develop clearly. She also felt it would be great for Ethan as well...having been around him with Joshua's home therapy, and knowing that children with Asperger really do well with this kind of therapy.

So, we did an evaluation through HorseTalk Hippotherapy with Toby Freeman, in Bedford. She does in-office speech therapy at her Bedford office, but the actual HIPPO therapy is done in Bow, NH at an indoor arena that she rents specifically for this therapy.

The boys absolutely LOVE it! It's amazing to see how different they are on the horse. For Josh, it slows him down, and I can clearly hear him see, "Hi Mama, I ride the horse!" every single time he goes by me. For Ethan, he has finally been able to identify smells. For the first time, while on the horse, he said the words, "I don't like that, it stinks!", when they were trying to get him to blow a bubble with that really smelly goo-on-a-stick stuff. Then, this past Saturday he commented on the smell of the pancakes that Mike made for breakfast by going into the kitchen and saying, "Mmmm, that smells good daddy!". He even commented on the stink he makes in the bathroom now...again, he's never commented on any smells...ever!

Anyway, they enjoy their half hour on the horse...pictured below are the boys riding Summer...a beautiful horse.

Joshua with Miss. Toby his speech therapist, riding Summer the Horse

Ethan with Miss Toby, his speech therapist, also riding Summer the horse.

Ahhhh....High School

The good ol' days...hehehehe....yup, it's embarrassing to look back at how we dressed, wore our hair, acted, etc....but it can also be a wonderful trip down memory lane.

That's what I did last night. I met with these four ladies last night to not only discuss the plans for our high school reunion (finally...sorry class of '93), but to hang out with some great friends.

Our school was incredibly small...our graduating class...according to the picture I found...was 33 people. One of whom was a foreign exchange student named Soren...do you guys remember him?? Ya, I found a few other people in the picture that we need to track down as well. Fifteen years may not seem like a really long time ago...and even though there weren't a lot of us...we had a tough time trying to come up with all of the names last night. I think we hit 26 of them...which isn't too bad!

We hope to find them all so we can see everyone and catch up. Some of the classmates had been going to school together since first grade...while several of us, me included, were "add-ins" along the way.

So, here's to the Class of '93...I hope we can find all of you so we can open up our time capsule and see how far we've all come over the last 15 years!

By the way ladies....I found "The Contract"...hehehe :)

(L to R: Me, Cammie, Cary (the tall one), Amanda and Tammi)

Last Night...

...we let Bekah sleep in her Big Girl Bed for the first time...

...obviously she decided that under her bed would be more comfortable!

(Sound like someone else we know?)

Reality Sets In

Need I say more?

Happy Birthday Ian!

As some of you know, Mike's brother Dan and his family have moved to Ireland. Our nephew Ian is celebrating his birthday today in Ireland. In order for his cousins to wish him a Happy Birthday, we thought it would be cute to post it on our blog as we know they can check it out whenever they want to.

So, Happy Birthday Ian! We love you!

From: Ethan, Joshua, Rebekah, Uncle Mike, Auntie Michelle and the Twins!

A Prego Life

I feel like I've been pregnant for years!! I've come to realize...I don't make a very good pregnant woman. Some women LOVE being pregnant. Not me. It's not the weight gain...I really don't have any issues with my weight and happily report I am 169 lbs. I was 142 when I started this pregnancy...so my weight gain has been great! According to everything in print...I probably should be gaining more...but so far neither my midwives or the OB/GYN have said anything about it...trust me...I eat! :)

I think it's just how much it limits me physically. I find it very frustrating having to rely on someone else to get things done. I've always been a type A personality, a "gotta get it done now and in this way" person. When I've made up my mind that it needs to be done...then it needs to be done. I don't like waiting for someone else to do it...and I especially don't like having to ask someone else to do it. In addition to all that, I also have MY way of doing things that I think is a more efficient, multi-tasking way to do it...and to LET someone else try their hand at it...well...very difficult for me. :0)

A friend of mine recently told me something that I had been thinking...quietly to myself of course...that maybe this is God's way of telling me: slow down, trust in others, rely on others, ask others for help, etc. I've found myself questioning why God chose us to have twins. For those of you who know my kiddos...I've had many a rough day wondering how it is that I'm to handle all of the things that have come my way as it is. Then to add twins to the mix...?? Why us? How am I going to handle all that comes with the kiddos I already have...PLUS all that comes with having twins?? I know God has a plan for me and Mike...it's just been overwhelming to say the least.

My emotions have been both hormonal as well as overwhelming in nature. I can go from feeling unbelievably blessed and excited over the thought of holding these two little boys, to feeling overwhelmed and anxious at how I'm going to hold these two little boys with the other three constantly needing me...all in about...5 minutes! Especially if I have to have a c-section...I can't imagine how that's going to work out. Needless to say every prayer I have for my twins includes one about them both being head down, with an uncomplicated VBAC delivery!!

It has been difficult to "enjoy" my pregnancy just because for most of the day I'm trying to fend off two very clingy toddlers. I haven't much room left in my lap...and their elbows and knees are sharp. My belly is pretty firm most of the time, as the boys are taking up all of the available room I have...which I have to say isn't much. So, when I do try to let them sit with me...it doesn't last long as someone (both inside and outside of my womb) usually throws an elbow or foot into by belly! At night, I'm able to sit back a little and just feel their movement and talk to them a bit...but even then I'm so exhausted, it's not the same.

As for how the pregnancy is going: well I'll be 28 weeks but look and measure around 32 weeks. I have been having more contractions and general tightness whenever I go from sitting to standing, climb stairs, do too much and at the end of the day. Most of the time they aren't painful, just uncomfortable and as long as they continue to go away when I sit or lay down, then we've nothing to worry about! I had a test done that confirms with a 99.2% guarantee, I will not go into labor within the next 2 weeks!

The boys are incredibly active, and from this point on I'm supposed to do "kick counts" to make sure that each baby is moving about 10 times each in a one hour period of time. From the doctors stand point, they want me to make it to at least 35 weeks, otherwise they will stop any pre-term labor. After that point...whatever happens, happens. We pray that the babies are at least 4-5 lbs. each so that they will have a better chance of not needing to go to NICU. There really isn't any way to prevent pre-term delivery. But, if they can slow it down...they want to try to give the babies as much time in utero as possible. My second glucose test came back normal...yeah!...so I don't have to worry about gestational diabetes. So far all signs are good that I will deliver close to my due date. I'm comfortable with any time after Labor Day!! :)

I have another ultrasound this coming Saturday to check the size of the babies, as well as their position. They also need to check on the placenta and other membranes. Pray that they are head down and stay that way!! Last ultrasound one was breech, and the other was transverse, but the OB told me on Friday that it felt to her like they were both vertical and side by side...we shall soon see!

Happy 3rd Birthday Joshua!!

Three years ago today our little firecracker came bursting into the world 2 weeks ahead of schedule!! Ever since then Joshua has lived up to the everything the 4th of July is all about.

He is fiery and independent in ways we never would have imagined. His strong willed temperament is proving to be challenging now, but we know it will serve him well in the future. He is fiercely protective of what is his, not only materialistically, (as most toddlers do), but personally as well. His concern for his brother, and sister is easily seen. When he wakes up, he asks where everyone is and how they are doing. He is quick with a hug, kiss, smile and a snuggle...but just as quickly can make a noise that would make the ground quake, and dogs in the next state howl in pain!

Our love for you Joshua continues to grow with each passing day. We can't remember a time without you, and look forward to how you will continue to bless and change our lives over the next year!

Born To Climb

At least that is what his shirt says. I also noticed that the sign above him reads:

Everything Grows With Love

He just started doing this a couple of weeks ago...and now scales any of the doorways in our house. He can even get to the chin bar we have in one of the door ways, which is something we have used to help him improve his upper body muscle tone. Do you think it's worked?? :0)

The Loophole

It never ceases to amaze me how children can find a loophole in ANY direction we can give them. Somehow, Ethan has become quite excellent at managing the "fine print" of the directions we give him.

For instance...

Lately, he's been feeling a little left out when it comes to sleeping in our bed. Joshua has been doing much better with sleeping elsewhere...namely with his brother in the twin bed. So, when Josh does wake up in the middle of the night to crawl into bed with us, it seems to wake Ethan up. (you know, the boy who can sleep through any thunderstorm or our house alarm going off!)

Naturally, Ethan decides that it must be far better to sleep in bed with mommy, daddy, and Josh than by himself in his own bed. Mind you we wouldn't have a problem with it, if the kid could SLEEP!! When Ethan comes into bed, it doesn't matter the time, he won't stop talking, can't quite get comfortable...and did I mention he doesn't travel lightly. Oh no...blanky, "norma" blanky, kitty, froggy and usually some sort of truck, train, or tractor. Did I also mention we have a queen size bed, I'm 24 lbs. heavier, (and rounder) than normal, and between me and my husband we have around 6 pillows in the bed?? :)

Yes. Over the weekend we converted Ethan's bedroom into a mini "dorm" room as it now has three twin beds in it. (We can't do bunk beds due to our cape style house having the sloping ceilings) So, I told Ethan that he now has two other beds in his room to choose from should he find his less than satisfactory during the night. I told him that he wasn't allowed to crawl into our bed in the middle of the night anymore, and that he could find more suitable sleeping arrangements somewhere else.

The loophole?? I never said he couldn't sleep under our bed. That's right. I discovered Ethan sleeping, with all of his many things, under our bed this morning. When I asked him what he was doing under there, he simply said, "well I was tired and your glider over there just wasn't comfortable anymore"!

When You Can't Beat The Heat...

...eat some ice cream. Well, we used to do this quite a bit more often...before we gave up dairy for the boys. Needless to say "ice cream sundae suppers" have been limited since last summer and the subtraction of dairy from the diet this past winter. We have been on a quest to find the "right" fit for our family as it not only has to be dairy free, but gluten free as well. Most of the soy ice creams have been a bust...both with the kids and myself.

I am an ice cream lover in the summer. I could eat it for just about any meal when it hits the high 80's and 90's as it has these past few days. However, downing a big old bowl of Edy's Slow-Churned in front of my kiddos just isn't fair to them. (Yes, I know I could eat it after they go to bed...but they know how to open the freezer and can recognize the container...just not a battle I want) Plus, I've noticed since cutting most of the dairy out of my diet, (except my recent addiction to Klondike Bars...thanks to the twins!) my asthma with regards to mucous in my lungs hasn't been bad at all! (ya, ya gross!)

I think we've found a winner though. It is made by a company called Turtle Mountain. They have a few product lines that you may be familiar with...So Delicious, and Purely Decadent. They recently came out with a new version of their Purely Decadent line of ice cream that is not only dairy free, but gluten free, AND soy free! And the taste is exceptional. It's called Purely Decadent with Coconut Milk!

Let me show you what Rebekah and Josh thought of it last night...

We tried the chocolate and the vanilla bean...these two LOVED the chocolate. But they also have coconut, mint choc. chip, and cookie dough...all gluten free!! Yeah! As for Ethan...he has a tough time eating extremely cold things, but I don't think he liked the choc. flavor. We'll let him try the vanilla one tonight...but if I can find the mint choc. chip, I know he'll be alright as that is his most favorite ice cream flavor ever!! :)

Name Game

Mike here, I know a rare appearance I know, and I am using capitals (see Cheryl I can use the shift key :) ).

Anyhow Michelle and I have been tossing around names for the boys. We agreed to not use cutsie names so we started to brainstorm. As many of you know name just one can be hard never mind two.

So here is a short list of names that Michelle has axed so far.

Calvin and Hobbes
Romulus and Remus
Pinky and Floyd
Obiwan and Kenobi
Bruce and Wayne
David and Goliath
CJ and TJ (it's a jeep thing)
Smith and Wesson
John and Deere (Ethan's idea not mine)
and last but not rejected names Dunkin and Donuts

I am still pulling for Calvin and Hobbes.

.mike

We've Been Converted

As any one expecting twins finds out...a lot of changes must be made in order to prepare for their arrival. If they are you first kiddos, then you basically need double of everything. If they are your 4th and 5th kiddos, then you may just need to borrow an extra of some things. Thankfully we know a number of people who have very young children and have begun to offer up items like bouncy chairs, swings, pack and play's, etc.

The one thing we didn't realize until we really tried to do it, was how much carseat space we were going to need. We've been driving a Dodge Grand Caravan for a year and a half, and it has been a wonderful vehicle for us as a family. Especially with the Stow n' Go seating, we've been able to have the space necessary to go and do just about anything. However, for those of you who are still in the carseat phase of children, you know just how big those darn things are. We spent over two hours at a dealership trying to find a vehicle that would allow us to get 5 carseats in, and still have room for a stroller, diaper bags, and...um...us! No luck.

Mike tried for another hour and a half, one night last week, to again try different combinations of carseats together. We measured, looked on line for carseats that might be smaller...everything...nothing worked. So, we left it in God's hands...and thanks to the very powerful prayers from my bible study gals...He heard them.

About a week after the carseat fiasco at Bonneville and Son, we got a phone call. A 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 Conversion Van had just been traded in, and our sale consultant Dan Reitz, (whom I HIGHLY recommend) snagged it so we could be the first to look at it. Now, I had no idea what a conversion van is, much less driven one. All I could picture was The Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo...well that plus a van that had been on That 70's Show a few times...you know shag carpet, mustard yellow with beige trim and maybe a disco ball...

I didn't know what to think when Dan drove this on to the lot for us to see. My heart skipped a beat as I immediately judged it, saying to myself..."well, it doesn't look as bad as I thought it was going to...maybe this is what we've been waiting for.

The gentleman who traded this in took meticulous care of this vehicle. Bonneville hadn't done anything to it...and it was spotless. It only has 60,000 miles on it, and although Dodge no longer makes these land yachts, were able to tell us quite a bit about this vehicle. First of all a conversion van is designed to fit the buyer. So, the old buyer had it outfitted with a $25,000 conversion package which included a remote starter, indirect lighting, a 17" TV with VCR, two skylights...and many more options that we are still discovering.

Needless to say, Bonneville not only let us walk away from our lease on the minivan...but gave us an unbelievable deal on this mobile living room. Our payments are still where they were before hand, and although we have to avoid parking garages, and most drive-thrus, it is now our new VANOKDS. Before we signed the papers for it, we asked Ethan what he thought about us trading in the minivan for the conversion van. His response..."can we watch the TV??" Ah yes, the TV...don't worry...he still gave the other van a kiss and a hug goodbye right on the hood.

And then there were five...

...Ouellette children that is! As most of you, we had our ultrasound this past Friday...and much to everyone's surprise, we discovered not one healthy baby boy, but two!

Here is the first little guy...the more cooperative baby. The tech was able to get every measurement she needed from him without much trouble. He even held up his little "XY" chromosome for her to see that he is most definitely a boy!

This beautiful baby boy, wasn't quite as cooperative. He kept squirming away whenever she tried to get a good picture of his heart. Fortunately, after much moving around on my part, she finally did...both hearts look great! The boys are measuring exactly the same and seem to be growing well, despite my supposed small size. :)
If you look closely you can see it really is two babies. One baby's head is down in the lower right corner, and his brother's head is located underneath his spine, more centered.

Despite our shock, we couldn't be more thrilled at the prospect of this new adventure. We have been blessed already with three wonderful children...our hearts are excited at receiving TWO more into our family.

See...I told ya!

TROUBLE!! :)

Good thing she's cute...

She is trouble...good thing she's cute! She is sneaky...good thing she's cute!

She has attitude...good thing she's cute!

This little girl keeps me on my toes...she is my daughter...and she IS so darn cute!!

(The latest fashion, worn by EVERY child in the house at different times throughout the day, is the blueberry hat that Bekah is sporting in the picture. Don't be surprised to see it in other pictures on other children!)

Ethan's Endoscopy

We were finally able to get Ethan's endoscopy scheduled and complete yesterday, (Monday)! He did great, and the procedure was very quick. Since we were the first ones scheduled for the day we were in and out and home by 8:45am!! After some much needed breakfast, Bekah and I decided it was girls nap time, so we laid down around 10:30 and woke at 1pm feeling famished!! :) (Everyone was up this morning at 5am...sharp) Those kids have parental radar, so if they notice one parent is not laying still in bed, it means it's time to get up and start the day...even at 5am!

Preliminary results show that, surprisingly, Ethan has a hiatal hernia. We have pictures, which are pretty cool, and they show the opening between his stomach and the end of his esophagus not fully closing due to the hernia, as well as redness and irritation from the acid reflux. Most kids this age are born with it...he certainly hasn't done any heavy lifting. It will, unfortunately, require more reflux meds. for 6-8 weeks to see if we can get rid of the irritation and acid. I don't know anymore about it yet, as she just came in and pointed out the hernia in the pictures. She was surprised to see that there as well, but it could be the explanation for the stomach pain every time he eats. He just isn't able to communicate this to us due to his other issues. We won't be changing his meds. until the biopsies from all of the other areas come back.

The good news is that his villi, which were flattened out due to the celiac disease, are long, tall and waving around fine in his intestinal tract. It means we've been very diligent with his diet and it shows in the healthy response from his gut. She still biopsied that area, as we are looking for other allergen culprits, as well as enzymes present in both the stomach and the intestine. Hopefully the results will be back by Friday!

The Butterfly Chronicles

As most of you know, from a previous post, we were foster parents to two caterpillars named Hermie and Wormie. Since our visit to the Butterfly Place on April 11th, our two caterpillars have gone through some amazing transformations. It was a wonderful way to combine science and nature for Ethan's homeschooling class as well.

Following are some pictures we took along the way, as well as a video at the end with the release of Hermie. Joshua was thrilled at seeing the butterfly "freak out" as I put it, inside the butterfly box when we took him outside into the sunshine. He was less than thrilled, however, when he realized we were actually going to open the box, and release this "deadly creature" into the world. You'll see what I mean on the video.

The other thing to point out is how Ethan hadn't connected the end of this journey with the fact that he would not see Hermie again. We had tried to explain this to him, but as it tends to go, experience is the best teacher. My heart broke for him, but it has been a great lesson to learn. Speaking of broken hearts, we were also able to learn another lesson...this one about death. Wormie didn't make it. He never formed his chrysalis correctly, and when he tried to emerge from it, his wings hadn't fully formed. He died the next day, as he was unable to fly. Very sad, and of course traumatic to a 5 yr.old as he tries to wrap his mind around the finality of it all.

In any case, I hope you enjoy the following pictures and video. We had a great time.

This was the day we brought them home. They were soooo tiny, we had a difficult time photographing them because the flash would bounce off the plastic vile. I'm not sure what kind of food was at the bottom of that container, but it served as their nourishment for the entire time we had them. We didn't need to open it, or pop holes in the top, it was a self contained environment for them.

At the end of the first week, they had more than doubled in size. (I wonder if that food is gluten free, maybe I could feed some of it to my kiddos!) They have a lot of webbing inside the container, and they constantly "shed" their outer layer as they get bigger.

Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures of them at the end of the 2nd week, (which would have been on a Friday), and by the time we got around to taking the picture, (on that Sunday) Hermie and Wormie had decided to move on to the next phase of their lives. They were so big as caterpillars, they filled out most of the container. Simply amazing, that they were able to squish their chubby bodies into these tiny little things. If you look closely, the one on the right is Wormie. he never really finished doing his chrysalis.

Here is Hermie, a week later, freshly emerged from his chrysalis. We couldn't appreciate the beauty of his color as this point, as he was still drying and recuperating after the ordeal of emerging from that tiny home of his. We had to place a cotton ball soaked in a mixture of sugar and water 1:10 ratio. At one point, I checked on him and like he knew what he was supposed to do, he was sitting on top of the cotton ball with his tongue inside drinking up the sugar water.

It took him about two days to dry out and gain some strength. We knew he was ready when he began to "freak out" inside of this box. Ethan loved the term, and now uses it constantly. Anyhow, Hermie didn't really freak out until we brought him outside into the bright sunshine. His instincts told him this was what he wanted, and boy did he want out! I was surprised that I actually got this shot of him, because for the most part, he wouldn't stop fluttering around long enough to see the beautiful colors on those wings.

Joshua's Therapy

Joshua had his new therapist come to the house today. Ironically, we knew her before as she lives on the street behind us, and is very good friends with some good friends of ours, the Deludes, (aka: a Ruffing)

Her name is Jen, and Josh clicked with her right away. In watching the way he was interacting I began to notice something. He had changed in the two weeks since he'd seen the other therapist. Jen hadn't seen Josh before, but from reading through his info. made note of the change as well. His vestibular motor problems seemed to have "caught up" to where he should be for his age. I told her we had been doing more "work" with him with regards to getting him on the swing outside, using the trampoline inside, and giving him some time in the kidney bean box we have in our living room. Mike has also been doing more physical rough housing with Josh like putting him up in the air, and swinging him around...a reason why Mike himself is probably still in PT! :)

Jen also told us that it could account for his more aggressive, and temperamental behaviors over the past few weeks. Sometimes when one area of a child's senses are changing and growing, other areas become "stressed", causing new behaviors that can be temporary...as long as we stay on top of it. Although it's been tough to go through, I was glad to hear of this possibility. He HAS been very aggressive. Bekah, Ethan and I have been taking the brunt of it...usually hitting, kicking, biting, and body slamming. Bekah is going to be a, (as a friend of mine put it), pretty little girl you don't want to mess with! :) Heheheh...watch out boys!

In the meantime we have some more tricks up our sleeves to help him with this growing adjustment that is going on in his body. We look forward to more whistles, blowing straws and flutes to help develop his lung strength and facial muscles, as well as more of the aggressive behavior as we try to help him through all this. At least for know, Jen feels fairly confident that we are looking at his issues being Sensory Integration in nature. We both feel that developmentally he will catch up quickly, which will help with regards to teaching him some coping skills for the sensory issues he does have. It does mean that come July 4th, when he turns 3, we will be looking for outside therapy's in the areas of OT and speech, but since those are services Ethan is already receiving, we hope to get Joshua in to see the same ones that see Ethan.

Amara Rose

I'd like to introduce my newest niece...Amara Rose Yvette Karlosky! She was born today at CMC, very quickly, at 1:11pm...only 41 minutes after Sherry's water broke!!! She weighs in at 7lbs. 4.5oz and is 19 1/2 inches long. She has long black hair...more than Rebekah does now!

Sherry was amazing. She's been in labor for several days, and at her appt. on Friday was told she was 2 1/2 cm dilated and 80% effaced. When she called me this morning I could tell from her voice that this was it. She came over with Jack and labored for a little while longer, but the contractions were coming fast and furious. I brought her over to CMC around 11am, where her friend Kathy met her, and Mark came from work about 20 min. later. I then made it back over there (after finding out that she was 6cm and 100% effaced), with a quick call to Mike to come home and take care of the kiddos. Good timing, I made it right around 12:30 as they were moving her back to the bed...and then she was here! It was amazing.

Welcome to the world little girl!

The Past Few Days...

...have been very interesting!

My poor boy Ethan had a difficult week last week. I was on the phone with the docs. most of the week trying to figure out how to help him with his stomach pain and lack of BM's. We ended up having an x-ray of his abdomen done and found out that he was about 3/4 of the way constipated... right down into his rectum. (graphic I know...but it is what it is) So, we had a choice, enema or 2-3 days of increased dosage of his laxative. The enema would be quick and uncomfortable, the laxative would be slow, crampy, gassy, and uncomfortable. We bribed Ethan with a Popsicle and did the first of two enemas on Thursday. It didn't clear him out as much as we'd hoped, so the second enema came on Friday...that one worked...boy did it ever. Poor kid! On, Saturday night, he started eating again. So far we've had two good days of eating, but tonight we were back to belly pain, and no BM at all. Still waiting for the appt. for his endoscopy...needless to say I'm getting impatient.

During all of this, however, Ethan remains a trooper. Thursday was such a beautiful day, that following his enema, I put a diaper on him just in case, and we went outside to enjoy the sun. I was hoping that the running around would help the medicine along a bit.

It was Rebekah's first time outside using her new skill of walking. She took to it like she'd been doing it the whole time. In fact, she joined the boys in throwing, jumping into, and destroying my leaf pile. They were all absolutely filthy when it was time to go in, which was awesome.

On Friday, we had a field trip. The homeschooling group I am a part of does organized field trips here and there. This one was to The Butterfly Place down in Westford MA. Ethan was very excited as he is a big fan of a video we have by Max Lucado called Hermie. It's about a very common caterpillar that asks God why he isn't special like other caterpillars. God always tells Hermie that He isn't finished with him yet. It's a great story, and Ethan really likes it when Hermie becomes a beautiful butterfly. With that in mind, he couldn't wait to "meet" Hermie and his pal Wormie.

Until we got there...

I've never had Ethan listen to me so intently...don't touch anything and stay next to me...and HE DID! He was curiously afraid. He wanted to see and be near everything, but he was afraid of what would happen should a butterfly land on him. For those of you who've never been to such a place...it's an atrium filled with beautiful plants and flowers, and LOTS of butterflies flying around in every direction. It is truly an awesome sight. If you think Ethan was afraid, check out Joshua...sheer terror. I've never seen him so truly terrified. He doesn't like anything in his face, so for him the thought of one of those unpredictable flying "things" coming anywhere near him sent him into a panic. Thankfully, they have bench's in there to sit on, and because they are away from the main source of plants and flowers, the butterflies don't come over too much. Of course, who was the one kid they kept trying to land on...??? So, I just sat down and held his hand and rubbed his leg, and calmed down and did fine, unless one came to close. I couldn't take him out of the stroller while we are in there because they have strict rules about children under 3 being in a stroller at all times. Towards the end, both he and Ethan were doing better, but still wary of those beautiful, flying creatures.

Then you have Rebekah...pointing, laughing, and say "butta, butta, butta" every time one would get close to her. She loved it!

We had a picnic there afterwards, and then bought the kiddos their very own caterpillars to watch grow into beautiful butterfly's. They are these tiny little things, and require very little care. Every morning the boys look forward to saying hello to their new little creatures. Can you guess what they named them....???? That's right...Hermie and Wormie.

Tidbits

It is with mixed emotion that I tell you my baby girl is growing up! She officially weaned herself a week ago today. All of my kids have weaned themselves...Ethan was the week of his first birthday, and Joshua was 11 mos. old. So, she did nurse the longest at a little over 15 mos. old. Still, it's bittersweet because although I won't miss the biting down when she was teething, or the waking in the middle of the night for a little "snack"...I will miss that closeness that comes with nursing. Yes, I know I have another one on the way, but each one has its own special way of nursing. Another milestone reached, and even more independence gained...by both of us! :)

This young man is proving to be our medical anomaly. Even Dr. Hofley has said that she wants to "get to the bottom of Ethan". We feel like it's all happening again, like it did two years ago. There was a period of about 3 weeks between waiting for the endoscopy and then waiting for the diagnosis, that were just hell. He wouldn't eat, drink, or sleep well. Now, he's doing it all again. It's like pulling teeth to get him to finish the smallest amount of food, or even to drink a little bit of water. We've even made sure to make his absolute favorites...tacos, chicken nuggets and french fries, omelets, but he just won't finish any of it. He wants to sleep, or lay down most of the day...but still has his spurts of energy. We've increased his Prevacid dose to see if it helps with the belly ache he complains about every time he sits down to a meal. We're just waiting on the phone call to tell us when his scope is scheduled so we can get on with some possible answers. Please pray for him, and us as we make our way through this...again!

And then there is Joshua! We are looking at his at-home therapy to start next week. We've been trying some of the suggestions made to us on how to "wake up" his mouth...and he will have none of it. We even purchased a John Deere cornstalk teether that vibrates when you bite down...another suggestion from the therapist...and he did it...once. He won't bite down on it again. He makes everyone else do it, but other than that, he's perfectly happy just playing with it. They also wanted us to do a hearing test to rule it out as a possibility for his speech delay...he passed it with flying colors. It was done yesterday at his pedi. office. Basically it's the same one they do on newborns. It just tells you whether or not any air is getting in and bouncing off the ear drum. If the child passes then you know that the canal is clear of fluid build up which can cause garbled hearing among other things. Other than that, Josh is his same ornery, noisy self that we know and love!!

Head Spinning

The boys had their 3 month checkup with Dr. Hofley today. She is there GI doc, and has done weight and height checks on them for quite some time now. She has been an incredible source of information and support.

So, today, we received some awesome news...and some not so awesome news.

Joshua is officially thriving!! He gained a little over two pounds, and grew just about an inch!! He actually looks a little chubby! :) She said in the past three months he has flown up to the 5th% for weight, and overall is doing exceptionally well. It's safe to say that, from a GI point of view, Joshua is finally okay!! She still wants to check his weight every 3 months to make sure that this is a curve that he will still on...but yipppeee! He is also scheduled to have a bone density test done to make sure that during the time of any malabsorption he may have had, it hasn't effected his bone density. From our lecture on Friday night, we learned that it should be done 6-12 months after a gluten free diet has begun and health has returned.

The head spinning part, unfortunately, is with Ethan. He is officially "failure to thrive"...again! He hasn't gained even an ounce in the last 3 months, nor has he really grown in height. She is concerned because with Joshua responding so well to the diet changes, Ethan should have had even slight improvement over the last few months. Some recent studies have talked about the possibility of refractory Celiac Disease, as well as something we learned on Friday night which has to do with a bacterial overgrowth in the intestines. Something else she has seen in children just like Ethan, is eczema up and down the lining of the esophagus, and digestive tract. Needless to say, all of this means Ethan needs another endoscopy. They want to see where the health of his intestines stands, as well as check out what kind of enzymes he has in his gut. In the meantime we are to put him on a probiotic, and use Duocal on everything he eats and drinks. He had some blood work today to check on the levels of the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, and E. What a trooper...he was excited to see the blood fill up the tubes...even if it meant a little pinch first! My brave little guy!

Happy Birthday Michelle!

Belated of course. Being the excellent husband that I am I failed to do anything special for me wif of 7+ years. Once again when she said she did not want anything - I took her at her word. Silly husband, so I screwed it up. So here I am apologizing.

My lovely wife was 33 yesterday. A mother of 3 soon to be 4 as you probably figured out by the post below this one. She works tiredly (not so much tirelessly these days being preggers and all!) raising our kids. If any of you reading this knew me when I was that tender age of 5, just think of 2 of me running around. Plus a spectator egging them on. Our little sweet Rebekah is learning fast. She bring them to the doctors, play dates and home schools. Her days are busier than mine!

Through all of the chaos she still has time to run our Celiac support group plus a Bible Study. No wonder she sleeps in until 7:00 on the weekend!

She is an amazing mother, friend and wife! (and baby oven) So happy belated birthday sweetie!

Love ya!
.me

In a Heartbeat

We heard it...the wonderfully rhythmic sound of the next little Ouellette's heart pounding frantically inside of me.

On Friday, I had my first midwife visit. I am 13 weeks today, and they usually don't need to see you until the end of your first trimester, beginning of your second. With the last three pregnancies I have been in for an early ultrasound, or blood work or checkup of some sort since my miscarriage in 2004. I'm pretty sure I waited this long with Ethan, but that was sooo long ago, I honestly don't remember. So, it was nice to finally be "seen" by the midwife and to hear that wonderful heartbeat.

Still, the moment was bittersweet as I hadn't realized I had been holding my breath over the past couple of weeks, until a good friend of mine found out she had miscarried her baby. It was then I realized what had been bothering me...the fear of miscarrying again. For all the joy that hearing that heartbeat brings, you can't imagine the sorrow and loss of not hearing that heartbeat, unless, like so many of my friends, you've been through it.

Take a moment and say a prayer for all of those tiny hearts that have begun to beat today, that they may continue to grow in health. But, please, take the time to say a prayer for all of those whose hearts stopped beating so soon.