The Nutcracker

Thursday night the girls were lucky enough to go the nutcracker downtown. It was wonderful. Our seats were right under the stage and the performance was wonderful! Lindsey really enjoyed it! It was a great night. My nephew Jimmy and John also attended. My nephew is handicapped and was thrilled by the performance, it was wonderful to see him so happy, exspecialy since it was his birthday.

Just some more pics

It's been a busy week. Sydney is well, thanks for the concern. Everyone is healthy except for a cold, but we will take colds over stomach bugs anyday.

More later...

Here are two more pics I got of Sydney's face and back.

The Day after Christmas SHOCK!

So... we had a wonderful Christmas. We were very busy visiting family and at some point while visiting my parents and opening presents, naughty Sydney climbed on the kitchen table and ate a bunch of chocolate covered things. Not only was it a mess but it was somewhat concerning because we didn't know what was in the stuff. She spit most of it out on the carpet (white I might add) and after the clean up we continued our merryment. We returned home late after a full day of being spoiled and visiting family. The twins were beyond exhausted so I quickly put them to bed. I woke up this morning and met some people over at Target at 7am to get the after Christmas goodies. Upon my return at 8 am I went up to wake my "girlies". I brought with me their morning milk. To my horror when I saw my Sydney she was unrecognizable! I screamed. Her face was beet red covered in spots, and it was extreemly swollen, her eyes were swollen shut. She immeditely wanted her milk and drank it without trouble, this was important because I knew her throat was not swollen shut. I was frantically calling the doctor and Alan to get help. We have allergies to nuts in our family and they are serious, even life threatening. I knew without doubt that Sydney had eaten a nut in chocolate mess and it was bad. I gave her benedryl and loaded all four kids in the car, jammies and all, to see if we needed to get a epi shot. By the time we got to the doctor her eyes were becoming open again but she still looked very sick. I was crying and very relieved when Alan and Grandpa showed up to help me. After checking Sydney out for a while she was determined to be ok. We now know she is allergic to nuts too. Now if any of you have these kind of allergies you know the first exposure is the "warning" one but each time after that the severity increases and its extreemly dangerous. We will now carry an epi pen at all times for her. She is fine now, but still very rashy. The pictures below were taken three hours after the medicine so the severity is dramatically reduced. In fact it doesn't hold a candle to the view I had of her this morning. The kids were horrified and Hailey was very curious, they sure didn't look identical then. I wish I had a picture of her in the full blown attack but my obvious goal was to make sure she was going to be ok. I spent a lot of my day feeling like the worst mom ever! She certainly could have died last night if her throat had swollen closed and I wouldn't have ever known till the morning. I know that sounds terrible but the reality of that really upset me. I feel so incredibly lucky that with as severe as this was she was and is ok. Thank you thank you for that! Anyway... never a dull moment around here.

Christmas Whirlwind

Christmas was a bright spot in my week. After a week of sick children, and very little sleep, Christmas came and it was a perfect day. Christmas Eve Sydney was still throwing up and it had been nearly a week, and frankly I was getting worried, she's not very big. But Christmas morning came and their faces were shining with excitement. They all loved everything and were incredibly spoiled. I have no idea what we will do with all these toys! I also was given a very generous Christmas and already have done some shopping!

Before


After

None of my pictures of the kids were digital. When Grandpa sends me some I will load them up too.

Jacobism

I just wanted to add something Jacob did that brightend my day for a moment. After all I am trying to use bloggler as a journal so I figure things like this are nice to remember.
Anyway the snow globe pictured above, although megar and cheap in appearance, was made by Jacob at preschool and was a prized possession. Some time today he told me he had given the snow globe to the babies, "maybe someone will give me a snowglobe for Christmas next year" he said. "They really love it". Sweetie!

Still suffering

Hi everyone,
Anyway I am not in the best of spirits. Jacob came down with the stomach bug last night, and the twins while somewhat better spent their day hanging on me crying. I feel so sorry for them! I haven't been outside much if at all and I am just sick and tired of cleaning up throw up, stinky stuff... We have missed all our Holiday parties and our special dinner tonight where we go see the Christmas lights at temple square too. Hoping tommorow will be a better day. Sydney and Hailey really got hit hard! I am pretty behind with everything since I spend my days cleaning and doing laundry from illness related problems and never get the rest even started. Anyway, pray for wellness this weekend. We still have Lindsey to worry about.

Anyway sorry for the downer post.

Sickies again....

Hi everyone!
I haven't updated in a while for a few reasons.

First last weekend, my mom, my sisters and myself went to Boston. I left the kids with Alan and his parents (he just sprained his ankle very badly so I knew help was needed) Anyway we had a blast. I had a hard time leaving, after all I have never left any of my children overnight in all the time I have been a mother... but my trip was WONDERFUL and a great break! I will post all about my trip and pictures too later, but I did discover a few things about myself that I had forgotten.

I am not always behind.
I can be very efficent.
I am not the late person.
I remembered a little of who I was before I was mother too.

I guess with running our household I often feel overwhelmed and I never feel caught up and on the ball. I guess that is just the nature of our family right now but day to day its hard to feel you are acomplishing anything at all. Anyway, being gone I was early, I got ready fast etc... So I felt better about myself. Most of all I did miss my little ones like crazy. Thank you Alan and Grandma and Grandpa for my much needed break!

Upon my return (Sunday night) we got a day of normal and then Sydney and Hailey have now fallen very sick, again! How many times can the Stomach flu get a household? Sydney and Hailey were throwing up non stop all night, every 15 minutes, it was unbelieveable. I spent my day comforting my sick little darlings and cleaning up throw up. At one point after I bathed both girls and got them clean (for the fourth time) Hailey threw up again, it wasn't much, but while I was cleaning her up at the sink Sydney came running from the other room hit the spot and fell on her back guess where, UGH! I just laughed, poor thing. Another bath, new clothes and she was ok. Later they were both throwing up together, and I was trying to use the same bowl to help catch it. I think that seeing her twin throw up set Hailey off. Anyway... I know this is WAY to much information for all of you readers... but this is my real life, I never promised I would censor. I hope you are all laughing along with me (laughing is better than crying).

Happy Holidays!

The tree is finally up!

Hooray Hooray the tree is finally up, now we just need to keep the "twinadoes" out of the room or it will quickly be down!

Portraits are back....

The portraits are back... I am more pleased than I thought I would be, head swaps and all. Thats good because there is no way I could do it again, atleast not till next year! Some scanned better than others, sorry!

Sydney, Lindsey, Hailey & Jacob (head swaps and all)

Jacob

Lindsey

Hailey (she was impossible!)

Sydney (anyone who knows Sydney knows why this angelic expression is priceless!)

We were not able to get pics of the girls posing, but I told her to take these action shots while they playing "ring around the rosie". I think I love them more than the posed one, because it captures something real, something they do all the time. They do have a special relationship!

Jam Face

Rushing out the door for church this is how I found Sydney, then I saw the Jam she was eating! I was so mad, in her dry clean only dress! Then I looked at her smile and just began laughing, she looked so funny!

Fireman

Yesterday afternoon Jacob asked me, "Mom can I use the broom for my firehose"? Isn't he a cutie? He is the most kind hearted, mellow, happy child, what a blessing to have him around! He is constantly watching after the babies and they adore him, and he is my snuggler. Yesterday he had a friend over for a playdate after preschool. When I picked him up he immediately wanted to know if I would serve his friend his lunch first, before him because his friend was the leader in preschool and was suppossed to get his snack first, somehow that didn't happen and Jacob felt bad for him. His friend piped in that he would need it first too, but how many four year olds do you know who are like that? Jacob is often doing nice things for others, making sure the twins play fair with one another, and worries if they are crying. I am one lucky mom!

First week of December, almost over...

This week has been so much better. Everyone has been recovering and doing well. It's still been busy but without all those deadlines I am content being a little behind. Still have more decorating, some shopping, cards, calendars, scrapbooking to do... but it will somehow get done.

Here are a few pics from the holiday party we ran out from when Sydney got sick (pics courtesy of Grandpa). This party is given by some close friends parents that Alan grew up with. They have all his highschool friends (who have all stayed in touch) and their children- santa comes for a visit, hands out presents. It's a real treat! When the tradition began a few years ago there were a few older kids, and tons of newborn babies! Two sets of newborn twins and many other single ones. Well all those kids were two this year and there were tons of little ones running around, too fun! In total there were three sets of twins! The kids outnumbered the adults a lot. The Taylor's who host the party were close to Alan growing up, and have been so good to us. They offered their condo downtown near the hospital when the twins were born so early. For a month they allowed me to stay there and come back and forth so could be close the babies and recover, it was amazing! I honestly have no idea how I would have gotten through our NICU stay without them!

Sydney (top) Hailey (bottom) before we left..

The twins with all the toys

Jacob with Santa

Lindsey with Santa

Brian, Alan and Craig

Jacob and his cousin (with all the others)

Snow Day

It's been quite a week! I guess I am grateful for it to be over. We had portraits, two holiday parties, ski/snowboarding lessons and a lot of other crazy junk. I am exhausted. Last night at our last holiday party one of the twins threw up, and then went on to scream hysterically (we left immediately). Luckily Grandma and Grandpa could stay with the older two who were waiting to see the special guest, Santa. Anyway Sydney screamed non stop the whole way home, and it was a long drive. We were started to really worry. When we got home she settled down and seemed to recover, but she was still sick. Then, this morning my Alan woke up sick and throwing up (again). I have a sore shoulder so its been hard managing the twins alone, and two older kids who can't seem to stop fighting! What a weekend! These week has to get better. I did get two Christmas things up, finally but I am no where close to being done with decorating!

Anyway here are few pics from the ski/snowboarding lessons. Lindsey had lessons last year and just skied with Alan, but these were Jacob's first times on a snowboard. He loved it although did tell me he was disapointed there were no jumps, LOL!

Jacob's first snowboard lessons(age 4)

Sweet nothings...

Today while the girls were suppossed to be napping I walked by the door to grab a towel (I shower whenever I can) and I heard them chattering. What I heard was so sweet I had to share, I can't be sure who said what since they both call each other Hailey right now (thats another post... but they do know how to respond to their own name). Anyway here is what thier conversation sounded like:
"Lailey I Wuve you"
"Bye see ya I wuve you"!
Then I heard kisses be blown (music of their musical toys in the background).
I ran down and fired up the video cam to record the monitor but I heard nothing else. Maybe next time.

Getting Portraits- a representation of my life

Any of you Mom's who have portraits taken know how dreaded this is... so here goes I am sure some of you can relate!

Yesterday was the dreaded day I had portraits scheduled. I woke the kids up from naps and got all four of them dressed and pretty. We were actually leaving the house on time.. whoa. Opps back up both babies were magically stinky, back inside to change (not easy in all thier fancy clothing), now we are running late! Never fails. We arrive and she tells me we are lucky because the people after us cancelled. Sounds fine because I have done this before and even though it was a year ago I know things won't be easy. The photographer is thrilled when she sees the twins and tells me how much fun it will be. I warn her, she grins and says it will be fine. She pulls down a background I don't like, I tell her I don't like that one and she explains, "just humor me we will use the other on all the rest" I was like... you don't understand you might only get one photo! She loves the girls dress coats and tells me we will take some with them on and off and I again think to myself no way we will be lucky to get just one. Fast forward ... twins won't sit down at all for a photo, won't smile, and keep running to me. She wants to move on its been 45 minutes and there isn't more time. She's really sorry. The only pics she got are with the background I hate! Anyway, the older kids are fighting and my mom is trying to calm them down. Lindsey locks Jacob in the bathroom with the light off and tells him he is going to another planet, one disaster after another.... result a few decent pictures and a exhausted family. We had to pay extra to swap heads out and other digital miracles. So hopefully I will like the end result, for all that trouble I sure hope so! Maybe next year Sydney and Hailey will be easier for the pictures (they are great for me at home), I have to have hope!

You have to love the Christmas season. I know its a magical time of year... but so far this week is full of stress and busy stuff. We have several holiday parties, preparation has overtaken my days. On a good note my house is sparkling clean and that alone makes me feel like a happy person!

Happy first day of December. If you get a family photo cherish it, sweat, blood, and tears went into them!