Sweet Caroline

We celebrated our sweet girl’s birthday on Sunday feb 16 at our house and it was perfect.  It may have taken the birthday girl a good hour to warm up, but once she did she had a ball!  And I do think all of the other little kiddies had a blast, which is what matters most….fun times for all.  I have struggled the past two years on what to do for her birthday because of the weather.  It’s not practical to have an all indoor party because our house just wouldn’t accommodate that many people comfortably.  Last year, we chanced it and set up the bounce house and toys in the back yard, it was a bit cool but ended up being a beautiful day…all the kids were fine in a light jacket.  I struggled again this year and ultimately decided to set up “shop” in our garage.  I decided this because of our mini garage renovation that had taken place.  Since we lost part of our ceiling when a pipe busted, we took that opportunity to completely clean OUT the garage, epoxy/paint the floors and paint the wal

I mentioned this back a couple of years ago…but thought I would talk about it again.  We all have things we do or try to do that save our sanity.  Things that help us cope with the day to day stresses in life.  One of mine is being able to run home during lunch and get some things done around the house.  I went home for lunch almost every day when we lived downtown….the drive was 8-10 minutes tops.  But, when we moved to Chapin and I was still working downtown, it was totally out of the question.  But, NOW that I work closer to home it is an option again.  I don’t do it quite as much as the drive is a good 15 minutes…but I still try and go once a week and it helps me out SO much.  I am unwilling to sacrifice my time with Collins to do housework.  Just ain’t gonna happen…and lately, being pregnant and all, after she goes to bed around 8, the LAST thing I want to do is clean/laundry/dishes/etc.  I mean, the LAST thing…generally I head straight for the couch.  This means I spend naptimes

We headed down to Charleston this past weekend to spend it with some of our dear friends.  These are the kind of friends where we all spent  Friday evening  in our comfy clothes, vegging out on the couch watching a movie.  It was so nice.  We arrived around 7, and Collins and their son, Miller played for about an hour or so before bedtime.  We ordered takeout and CHILLED.  We watched Dallas Buyers Club, which woah…was interesting.  I still cannot get over how AWFUL Matthew McConaughey looked…I mean my gracious…he’s one of my faves and it was rough seeing him like that.   The movie was very good, a must see I would say.    The boys headed to the golf course Saturday and the girls and kids headed shopping and lunching.  It was BEAUTIFUL outside, although a bit breezy.  We spent the first hour taking the kids to the park so they could run out some energy!  Then, we headed to a super cute consignment store (by my request…Columbia just doesn’t have a really good one) and I stocked up for th

I17 weeks.   Truckin’ along.    I am SO ready for our 20 week ultrasound.  I know there are still things that can come up after that but I’ll feel much better after they take a good, long look at these BOYS!!! ( still can't believe I get to say that!)   Again, I repeat: whoever said the second pregnancy flies by LIED.  It’s creepin’ to me.    Size of babies :  around 5 inches and around 5 ounces.    Size of mama :  Growing day by day.   Sorry for the awkward photo, forgot to take one like normal... How I feel :  If I could get rid of this EVERLASTING head cold I would say 100%. But, I can’t.  I’ve been battling it off and on for almost a month and some days I get headaches so bad I want to cry.  Other days I’m perfectly fine.  It’s super annoying and I’m so tired of spending money on Sudafed or mucinex.  Ugh.  I really still feel great otherwise.  I do get tired/sore much quicker than normal….on Saturday we worked all day getting ready for Collins’ birthday party and I was definite

My baby girl.   How does it happen?  How do two years FLY by in the blink of an eye?  As I write this, I’ve known for about a week now that you will now always be my NUMBER ONE GIRL.  You will always be mama’s angel as soon you will be joined by two little brothers.  That in itself brings so many emotions to my mind, but number one being that it’s you and me for life, little C.  I hope and pray every day that you and I have the kind of relationship that I have with your “olly”…it’s the best.  The best in the world.  You, my little colls are the absolute LIGHT of my life and I thank God for that every day.  Your personality and talking has EXPLODED over the past 6 weeks.  You pick up on SO much and talk non stop (we still can’t understand everything you say…but your vocabulary has quadrupled in the past month).  It’s so crazy.  You are still very shy and take a while to warm up to people, but once you do…you are FUN and LOVING and giggle for hours.  Case in point…it took ¾ of YOUR OWN b

We are ABSOLUTELY OVER THE MOON excited to announce we are adding                TWO LITTLE BOYS                   to our family!!!!!!!   I seriously CANNOT believe it.  Y’all, we were so surprise and are just ELATED.  I should note that Mikey told me after my “on gender(s)” post it sounded like I didn’t want boys and that I was more excited about girls.  HUH?!?  I guess it’s a defense mechanism…I know I would have been excited about having more girls, but  ultimately I thought I made it pretty clear momma wanted a boy too!   We would have been fine either way, I think I was a little concerned that if it was two girls Collins would feel left out and I was seriously concerned for the state of our finances were we to have THREE girls.  I know, there is NOTHING you can do about it….and I am still sweating it out waiting on the big 20 week ultrasound to know how these babies are really doing.  It’s all in God’s hands and I just have to pray for the best.   But, y’all.  Seriously.  I cannot

1.       We found out the sexes of the babes yesterday.  We are waiting to do a mini “reveal” at Collins’ second birthday party (she’s not old enough to feel like the attention is being taken away).  No less than 8 of my friends have called or texted promising that they can keep a secret, ha!  I was a NERVOUS wreck, I know, I know…that’s totally ridiculous. God decided the sexes of these babies a long time ago and there was NOTHING I could do about it, but STILL.  I didn’t sleep Sunday night .  As much as I love being able to find out early-ish….I’m 16 weeks today/tomorrow I am still a nervous wreck until we go back for our 20 week ultrasound and they REALLY check the babes out.  2.       It’s snowing here,  again.   WHAT the WHAT?!?  No one is nearly as excited this time.  Because duh, we are ready for spring. 3.       Birthday party planning is in FULL SWING.  We are having her party this Sunday at the house.  Nothing outrageous, but I still LOVE planning and party prep.   I simply c

  Anyone who knows me well knows I want a boy too, I have no problem admitting this.  Of course, I want a boy.  In my mind….one of each is normal…it’s just “how it is.”  I grew up with a brother…just the two of us, so the family dynamic for me was a boy and girl.  I cannot help the fact that for my entire life that’s how I envisioned my own family would be.  It is what it is.  Of course there are other reasons I would love to have a boy, the experience of being able to love and raise a girl AND a boy,  and of course, I know Mikey would LOVE a little boy to do “boy “ things with.  But, as much as I long for the opportunity to raise a boy too, I have gotten excited about the prospect of Collins having sisters; something I never experienced but I hear is pretty great.  I mean, I am a  tad (read: TERRIFIED) worried about how much money I would spend wanting to dress them alike (heaven help me) and dance class, and costumes....…but I do think it would be fun to have three little girls who g

15 weeks.    Gah.  Whoever said the second pregnancy flies by LIED.  Sorry, I don’t mean to complain…I really DON’T, I have ZERO reason to besides you know…I’m ready to meet these babiesJ (wait a minute, maybe I’m not quite ready to meet them…but more just ready to be a little further along…way too much to do still before they come!)  But, seriously.  I feel like I’ve already been pregnant forever.  Why does it have to take FORTY long weeks??   I am also pretty much saying around the 18 week mark is going to be my halfway.  Yep, I’m a doctor now and decided that all on my own.  No, my doctor said average twin delivery is 36 weeks and since I had Collins at 38 weeks and it went so well, my doctor pretty much told me I probably wouldn’t go past 37.  HALLELUJIA!    SIZE OF BABIES :  According to ole’ baby center, these little munchkins are about 4 inches…or about the size of an APPLE.  No wonder I am showing already….TWO apples in my belly that didn’t use to be there?!?   SIZE OF MAMA : 

It had been way, way too long since we had been down to my favorite place on earth. We finally got the chance this past weekend to head to Beaufort and I was pumped. I actually had a hearing Monday morning in Beaufort so we got to spend the night Sunday night which was an added bonus, felt like we were stretching the weekend a bit. It was just my fam this weekend but we had a great time. It's so nice to go down there and hang out in pjs if you want, sleep late if you want, and nap if you want. Everyone needs those kinds of weekends every once in a while.  Friday night called for pizza and hanging out. We even had a gymnastics competition that my dad got in on, yep....my 60 year old dad doing head stands. Crazy!  We were all lazy Saturday morning, it was dreary and rained a little so that enticed us to stay in pajamas extra long:). We finally got ready and headed over to the nature center on hunting island just to give the kids something to do. Then it was time for

We don't get snow every year, or even every other year.... So when we do, we FREAK. I love it. This was not Collins' first time in the snow since we went skiing last year, but she obviously was able to enjoy it more this time! She loved it in about 30 minute doses... But it was COLD! We sledded (southern style: which includes pool floats, baking pans and whatever other household apparatus we could find!), made a snowman and threw snowballs! Collins was mesmerized by it all and kept saying SNOW, SNOW every five minutes.  We all gathered at my parents house since there neighborhood has a decent hill and had a fun snow day and topped it off with a fire, hot chocolate and chili for lunch! silly girl after a FULL, FUN snow day!!! Happy Super Bowl Sunday!