Yay Me!

So this post is about me.....Feel free to not read it.

02/19/2011

I am super hard on myself!!!!! Ryan would agree with that 100%. It doesn't matter how many times he tells me I'm beautiful, skinny, awesome or whatever he is complementing me on, I'm terrible to myself! It's something I'm working on:) So here I am telling you about me.

As of February 17th I officially have lost my baby weight. I say officially because I use the scale at my Chiropractor's office. That is where I weighed my self before I got pregnant and It's where I weighed myself the day before I had L&L. Now to those of you who have turned up your noses please keep reading. I have had many, MANY people who disregard my weight loss. "Oh, skinny girl looses weight....big whoop!" I must say it hurts my feelings! I have been working on my weight lose just like anyone else would. I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE 25LBS TO LOSE OR 325LBS TO LOSE. WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE IN YOUR OWN SKIN YOU ARE UNHAPPY! Alright I will get off my soapbox. I have had some that have asked me what I've done. This is what has worked for me.....

1. Exercise (running, walking, workout tapes, bike riding)



2. Eating right. This has been really challenging for me! Not because I don't know how to eat healthy but I've had a hard time knowing how much to eat. I'm breastfeeding TWO babies so obviously I NEED to eat more calories. But how much? This has been my challenge.

3. Protein shakes. Each morning for breakfast I do a protein shake. One scoop of a all natural whey protein supplement, One cup milk, some cocoa (unsweetened), couple spoonfuls natural peanut butter, a frozen banana, about a 1/2 cup rolled oats (dry) and a dash of cinnamon. Blend and enjoy!

So that's what I've done. I've worked at it, thank you very much! I'm tired of people negating my work because I didn't have a million pounds to lose!!! I worked hard and I'm still working hard. I am not 100% happy with the way I look. I'm 5'2" and my body stretched to hold two babies! There are somethings that only plastic surgery would fix. I have extra skin and stretch marks (they aren't going anywhere). I also have a diastasis recti. Basically my abdominal mussels are ripped apart. I have a hole in my stomach where all my organs hang out. This is painful and unattractive! This is something I would have surgery on. Not strictly for vanity purposes, but for my health and well being. We all have things about our bodies that we would like to change but this post is not about that. It's about the good changes in me! Like I said I'm not 100% happy with my body but I am 100% happy with my progress and my effort!

YAY FOR ME!!!

The day I took the picture above I was on my way to TRIPLET shower. I must say I was really happy be a guest at the party and NOT the pregnant lady! It also made me thankful once again to everyone who has given gifts to our family!!! So what does one MOM (mother of multiples) give to another??? DIAPERS and WIPES. Two very necessary items.

I also gave her shoes.....just for fun!

So there is a story behind the shoes. I bought them long before I was ever married and put them in my hope chest (a plastic tub) for the day when I would have children. When I found them and realized I had three pairs I knew I wanted to give them to Bri. I just couldn't breakup the set.

Lucy Lovers

When I was a baby/little girl/now, my Mom and Dad called me Brittany Lovers. Because I was/am so darn loveable Ha ha ha. (Fun fact)

I snaped some pictures of My Lucy Lovers on Valentine's day that I just love! I wanted to get pictures of all of my children but Levi wet through his outfit almost as soon as I put it on and Ezra didn't feel like pictures that day. So, Lucy was the golden child that day! ha ha ha

*Side note to my children

If you ever wonder why one sibling has more pictures than you do it's not because we love them more. It's just that YOU were not cooperating:) I love you all!!!*

My Lucy Love

I stayed up the night before Valentine's day to make her a bow....SO worth it!

Thank you G&G Petersen for the heart shaped teething toy!

L*O*V*E that face!

Will you be my Valentine?

This year I asked Ryan "Will you be my Valentine?.......Since you had no choice in the matter of us getting married I thought I'd ask if you would like to be my Valentine." Ryan laughed and said "YES" I'm glad we can tease each other and have fun!

Our celebrating started two days before Valentine's day with these....

Ryan came home from work Saturday with these gorgeous flowers. He hand picked the bouquet....roses, tulips and sunflowers! They were really beautiful!

I was so surprised when he came home with them. Why would he come home with a Valentine's gift two days before Valentine's day? So he could come straight home on Valentine's day! Now that's sweet, that's thinking ahead! Unfortunately when he went to the See's store the lady locked the door as he was walking up:( Perhaps she was looking out for our thighs. These are the TOMS Ryan got for me for Christmas. They say "LOVE is the new black" I thought they were festive for Valentine's day.

So I know a lot of people don't like Valentine's day because it is a "Hallmark" holiday that forces people one day a year to prove their undying love, and if they don't do it right they will pay for it until the next year. I agree somewhat....some of the jewelry commercials make me so mad! That being said I must admit really like Valentine's day. As a kid it was just fun! My mom would have special little things at our spot at the table and she would make special food. These are two things I would like to do with my own family! My Dad would bring us girls flowers, it always made me feel special. Maybe when Lucy gets a little older her daddy can bring her flowers. So that was home life as a kid. Then you would go to school have treats and pass out Valentine's. FUN.

Now that I have a family of my own (aka...It's a nice way of saying I'm old) I like finding something festive to where and making special things to eat. I like to just make it fun. There are so many regular days why not make a few extra special?

I made sugar cookies. I make them every Valentine's day. Whenever I make them I think of my sister-in-law Lynne. She lives in Alaska but two or three years in a row they just so happened to be here for the holiday and we decorated cookies together. I miss you Lynne! This year I frosted my cookies at 4:30 AM!!! The babies woke me up SO many times that I couldn't go back to sleep. So, I decided to be productive. I made really cute cookies for a family at church and I meant to get a picture, but I forgot:( here is a picture of a couple I made...

Heart shaped pancakes for breakfast

Ezra was so cute! All day long he kept saying "Happy Valentine's day mom!" He thought the heart pancakes were fun. He new it was a special day. He also would tell me that my flowers were gorgeous. Someday he is going to make some woman really happy if he follows in his daddy's foot steps!

Heart shaped biscuits

I wanted to make Ryan (my sweetheart) one of his favorite meals for Valentines day so I decided to make my homemade chicken noddle soup. As I was rolling out the noddles I had the genius idea....

Heart shaped noddles!

I must admit I felt like Martha Stewart. I think chicken noddle soup might become a Valentine's tradition in our home.

Decorations

*side story

When we had everything up at Christmas time Ezra would ask "What is that?" Ryan would then tell him "They are decorations." So now he will go around the house and point out the decorations and very clearly say "Decoration." The other day Ryan was cleaning guns and had the gun snake hanging from the shower drying. Ezra walked into the bathroom pointed and said "Decoration!" Yes Ezra, we would be very fancy if we started decorating our shower.*

Ryan's Valentine

New drill bits and this cool magnetic holder.

On Valentine's day Ryan came home with these...

Now that's what I call a good day!

To my Valentine and my Valen-tinies.....I LOVE YOU!!!

Thanks for loving me back!

How to be a dinosaur

Did you know that if you put a bowl on your head it instantly turns you into a dinosaur? I sure didn't but Ezra did, because he's smart! Lately my smart little dinosaur has discovered the words possible and impossible. He will say "That's not possible." or "That's impossible." I must say it's pretty darn cute coming from his little two year old mouth! I've been wracking my brain to try and figure out where he learned these words. It's not something Ryan or I say on a regular basis. The only thing I can think of is that he got it from a song. A few weeks ago I was going through a box and found a tape from high school. It was a performance of the Roger and Hammerstein's Cinderella. I thought Ezra might get a kick out of seeing mommy on T.V. so I put it on. There is a song where they say "impossible" and "it's possible" over and over. Could he have learned the word and what it means from hearing it once in a song? Well I think he is one smart dinosaur!

Duck, duck, GOOSE!

02/11/2011

Who wants to go feed the ducks? ME!
ME!

Ezra loves to feed the ducks! On this particular day I was sitting on a bench feeding one of the babies just watching the feeding. This is what I saw......YES, a goose, "GOOSING" my husband!!! HA HA HA

It was so funny I was cracking up the whole time! Ryan would hand feed the goose then turn to feed other birds or hand Ezra more bread. When the goose was finished with it's bread it would goose Ryan over and over until he would feed it again. Next time we go to the park I'm bringing a video camera! I want to win some money on America's funniest home videos....Is that show still around? Ryan says the only way we would win is if he were to get goosed in the ....ummm.... front..... ummmm.....Right below the belt. Is that a tactful way to put it? Not sure if Ryan would be willing to sacrifice but if it "accidentally" happened it would be HILARIOUS and win me money! Maybe I should start researching goose training.

Pretty toes

02/09/2011

I don't know why but painting my little girls toes for the first time felt like some right of passage.

I LOVE them!

I keep taking off her socks to look at her toes:)

Just a couple of snapshots of my sweet angle girl sleeping

She always has her hands up when she sleeps

Two babies....both happy!

Amazing

Sometimes I think only one is aloud to be happy at a time. I Cherish the moments when ALL three children are happy at the same time!

My buddy and me

It's not very often that Ezra and I go somewhere alone, so I thought I 'd get a few pictures of the two of us at my sewing club's Valentines party.

You might be thinking that we don't look very festive for Valentines but we were. Ezra's shirt has a heart on it and it says "Heart Breaker". I was wearing a heart necklas, braclet and red shoes...we were festive I tell you! Maybe I'll get some close ups on Valentines day....maybe.

Ezra I wish we had more alone time together! I STILL love you.....more than you will ever know!!!

Ironic

Please think of the Alanis Morissette song, "Ironic" as you read this post

Six month old sleeps
for SIX HOUR STRAIGHT!
But your two year old
is wide awake.

And isn't it ironic?

Don't you think?

A little TOO ironic......

YA, I REALLY DO THINK!

Story behind the music

Levi was the sleeper in this song. This is huge because Levi has never been a good sleeper at all! I'm sure you can figure out who the two year old was...Yes, Mr. Ezra. He was just screaming, screaming, SCREAMING! Ryan ended up sleeping with him. This is something we've never done before and don't want to get in the habit of doing but Ezra was having a very hard time. Sometimes you just need your Daddy! Levi has yet to do another six hours straight:(

Isn't it ironic?

1/2 a year!

That's right my babies are six months old!!! Time has gone by SO fast and SO slow......Fast: Those sweet little tiny baby moments.....Slow: No sleep, crying and feedings. It's been the hardest six months of my life but I wouldn't change it (well maybe the whole sleep thing:) I have grown and changed so much for the better and I am thankful for that! My heart has grown! When you have a baby you love them SO much and wonder how you could ever love another child as much as you love your first. I'm thankful that my heart has grown to hold enough love for all three of my children. I love them equally but differently. The one thing that hasn't grown....TIME. I wish I had more time to give to EVERYONE! This includes Ryan and myself!!! Hopefully I will learn to balance my time better. I think it will get easier as the babies get older and can play by themselves (without mommy) more.

Levi,

You are changing everyday! I feel sad that I really can't capture how hansome you are on film. Don't get me wrong I have cute pictures of you but you are even more handsome in person! You are getting close to crawling. It is SO cute to watch you concentrate while you move. You get your mouth moving along with your legs. You move both knees at the same time and scoot all over the floor. You got your first tooth and and are REALLY close to getting your second. You are still a "fuzz head" as Daddy would say. This means you don't have much hair but we LOVE it! Your smile is captivating and your laugh is so sweet. A new cute thing you do is make fists with your hands and twist them like you are reving a motorcycle all while making a "blue steel" face. SO CUTE! You are growing and developing so well. We love you Levi boy!!!

Lucy,

My little firework! I call you this because your arms and legs are constantly going. One day I was feeding you while laying down and you were holding onto the blanket lifting it up then down over and over. It was so cute! You are scooting yourself around and rolling over and over. You are teething but there is no sign of any little teeth poking through yet. Your smile lights up your face and well as those around you! I love picking you up in the morning. You give me the biggest smile and REACH for me, it melts my heart. You are very strong! You are constantly pulling yourself up doing sit-ups or v-ups. You are absolutly beautiful! We love you Lucy girl!!!

I took these pictures on their half birthday. I kept meaning to get pictures all day but never had the chance as our whole house has been sick. I snapped these pictures right before bed. Just for memory's sake today was the superbowl. I don't care much for football but just thought I would mention it in case anyone might care.

Getting Big!

Levi is just growing up WAY too fast! He got his first tooth on January 23rd (his bottom left). He is getting up on his hands and knees and rocking. He does push-ups and just MOVES.

Here are a couple of pictures of him on February 5th.

Rollin' in a mini van, rollin' in a mini van!

Meet the newest member of our family..... Braxton June!

(Named by Ryan)

We have been trying to get a van since last April! It's been a ride full of ups (almost getting a van) and downs (loosing money on a van we were suposed to get). We are so VERY thankful to have this van!!! I never thought I would say this but....

I LOVE MY MINI VAN!!!!

Welcome to the family Braxton!

I'm pretty sure.......

This is what gorgeous looks like.... And I'm pretty sure this is what handsome looks like.....


And I'm pretty sure this is what LOVE looks like....


I'm pretty sure.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

choices

In our home we have been learning about choices. If Ezra does something naughty we will say... "(gasp) uh oh, that was a bad choice." When he makes good choices we praise him like crazy. I had no idea that two year olds were so destructive. Ezra is constantly breaking things. When I get upset and tell him he is breaking whatever he is breaking he looks at me and says, "I break it?" Many times when he does things he really isn't trying to be naughty he just doesn't quite understand. We are working on it!

This cute boy would NEVER do anything naughty, would he?

Ezra, just so we're clear dumping out the rice is a bad choice!

Just so we're clear.

It was one of those days....

Where you are so thankful to live in Vegas because it's January and while the rest of the country is FREEZING you are on a lovey walk with your family wearing short sleeves. I LOVE Vegas weather.....sometimes. Don't even ask in August. We are taking out the grass in our front yard to be "water smart". Not because we are "tree huggers" but because our summer water bills were TWO HUNDRED dollars a month. TWO HUNDRED!!!!

*Side story......

The first month we got one of those crazy water bills was while I was pregnant (crazy water bill + crazy pregnant lady= CRAZY!) I looked at the bill through it on the ground and kicked it under the couch. Really mature I know.*

In Las Vegas there is a place called the springs preserve. They have all sorts of things that teach about not just conserving water but are other natural resources as well. On this beautiful day we headed there so we could get some ideas for water smart plants.

I just loving seeing Daddies with their kids, especially this one!

Ahhh, one of those days:)
January 18, 2011

Just because.....

........they are so cute!

Sleep......

Get some....

Whenever... and wherever.......
You can!!!

For the past couple months sleep has become almost nonexistent! I kid you not the babies were better sleepers when they were first born than they have been as of late. Most nights I have a baby with me ALL night...ALL NIGHT! This means I'm feeding one, doze off and then switch babies when the other cries. My arms/shoulders are SO sore when I wake up. Many, many nights I only get to close my eye for thirty-forty minutes at a time! A really challenging thing is that we really can't let one baby fuss much at all or else the other baby and or Ezra will wake up. So instead of having one crying baby you have 1-3 crying/screaming children! I know things will get better....someday. But for now we are living a sleep deprived life. I am so thankful that somehow (THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER) make it though each day AND each night!

I wrote this post on January 16th. since then things have gotten better, kind of....sometimes.

Faces of Levi

January 13, 2011

I'm all done taking pictures!

January 6, 2010

Laundry Love

WHAT....you don't love laundry????

Well perhaps your laundry is different from mine. You might love your laundry if it looked like mine. See for yourself......... Lucy

Levi

Oh, you love laundry too.?.

That's what I thought!

On your mark.....

get set...... GO!

And they're off.....

Too close to call.....let's call it a tie!