SweetTraci13

Hope...

2012-01-29T17:27:00.000-05:00

All the hope you could ever need comes from within. Go deep inside to discover all that you want is always there.

21 Suggestions for SUCCESS

2012-01-24T22:21:00.001-05:00

21 Suggestions for SUCCESS

by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.

Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent.

Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

Be forgiving of yourself and others.

Be generous.

Have a grateful heart.

Persistence, persistence, persistence.

Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.

Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.

Commit yourself to constant improvement.

Commit yourself to quality.

Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.

Be loyal.

Be honest.

Be a self-starter.

Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.

Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.

Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.

Take good care of those you love.

Rock A Bye Baby...

2012-01-18T02:04:00.000-05:00

I think this is fantastic and should be shared. Kudos to Dave and Christina Bowen for coming up with it.

"Dave said rock a by baby needs less violent lyrics that don't involve babies falling out of trees. Here are the new bowen lyrics:

rock a bye baby, safe in his bed
warm in his blankets, belly is fed,
give him a kiss, and leave on his light,
... tell him you love him and wish him good night."

Be You...

2012-01-15T12:20:00.000-05:00

"Don't be perfect
Be you
Don't be what you think they want you to be
Be what you know you are
Don't look outside yourself for anything
It's all within."

Love.

2012-01-13T12:06:00.003-05:00

There's a BIG difference between "who you love", "who you settle for", & "who you're meant for" ♥ ♥

Help me understand...

2012-01-09T16:29:00.003-05:00

QUESTION ABOUT PAINFUL SOUL LESSONS AND CONTRACTS:

Help me understand why my soul sees fit to be required to take abuses, bullying, meanness daily....what possible good can come from allowing this in my life? curious.....

ANSWER:
Your higher self is trying to get your soul to to say NO and not allow abuse in your life. You will continue lifetime after lifetime with the very same painful soul imprints of abuse until you finally learn to love and respect your self enough and find the strength to remove yourself from any toxic, abusive relationships that continue to wound your soul and your divine energy. Each of us are being called to step up and create what we want. However, in order to do that, we have to let go of the things that are not serving us. Don't let the fear of change stop you from creating the happy, loving life you deserve.

There is a powerful saying: "Never let anyone or anything to disturb your ease because if you do, you will become dis~eased.

Art By Rita Lloyd:

Confidence...

2011-12-28T19:20:00.001-05:00

"People always ask me, 'You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?' It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn't have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see. Your body is your temple, it's your home, and you must decorate it." ~ Gabourey Sidibe

One Day....

2011-12-12T19:57:00.001-05:00

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from the trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”
“It was great, Dad”.

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yes”, said the son.
“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered:
“I saw that we have one dog and they had four.
“We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden and they have a creek that has no end.
“We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

“Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

“We buy our food, but they grow theirs.
“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added:
“Thanks, Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Faith...

2011-12-11T19:55:00.000-05:00

Never apologize for Being you.
Have Faith in yourself;
And be the Best You can be.
That is in itself, a Miracle. ♥

When People Walk Away...

2011-12-06T08:50:00.001-05:00

Love This...

2011-12-04T23:12:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving...

2011-11-24T00:32:00.002-05:00

I am so thankful for my children... they are my greatest accomplishments!!!!! They are my heart and soul and I am so blessed to be their Mommy ♥

Fun Facts for Raelene & Violet

2011-11-20T20:25:00.000-05:00

Babies born on Thursday, November 20, 2008

Were likely conceived 2/28/2008
And are 1051 days old!
The above information is based on a birthdate of 11/20/2008

Fun Birthday Facts

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Birthstone: Yellow Topaz
Birth Flower: Chrysanthemum
Chinese Zodiac: The Brown Earth Rat The Brown Earth Rat
Half birthday: May 21
Babies born on 11/20/2008 will start kindergarten in 2014, be old enough to drive a car in 2024, finish high school in 2027, and will graduate from college with the class of 2031, give or take a year. Can you imagine?

Famous People Born On This Day

Robert F. Kennedy was born in 1925
Bo Derek was born in 1954
Sean Young was born in 1959

On This Day In History...

The Bill of Rights was ratified by New jersey in 1789
Venezuela gained its independence from Spain in 1818
The capitol of Hungary was formed when the cities of Buda and Pest united into what is now know as Budapest in 1873
Mickey Mantle was awarded MVP for the third time in the AL in 1962
The Cuban Missile Crisis ended in 1962
100 million people tuned in to watch the highly controversial movie The Day After in 1983
A top secret military mission was completed when the Atlantis space shuttle landed at Cape Canaveral, Fl in 1990
The Brady Bill was passed by the U.S. Senate in 1993

Determination...

2011-11-17T06:13:00.002-05:00

A DESIRE Changes Nothing..

A DECISION Changes Something..

But A "DETERMINATION" Changes "Everything"!!

Sometimes...

2011-11-16T18:02:00.002-05:00

Sometimes, you have to run away from the people you love, not for the sake of letting them realize your worth, but for you to realize your own worth.... ♥

Just Remember...

2011-11-15T10:56:00.002-05:00

Just when things look like they are falling apart... they actually may be falling together. During stormy times we sometimes feel like we are losing everything... maybe this stormy time is really waking us up... to something better.

Today...

2011-11-13T18:16:00.001-05:00

Today as I look at this, it seems like she's saying "I will see through this blindfold. Anything and everything is possible. I will see using my senses. I will sense the world around me. I will feel the the cool of the wind and hear the synchronized caw of the birds in flight.. and sense the air moving with their flapping wings. I will wear this blindfold until I can become one with the universe around me. Until I mix with the clouds and the rain and the song of doves. I will become one with the universe around me and when I remove this blindfold, I will appreciate it all more than my eyes alone ever did before. I will be present in my reality because I choose it. I will be present in my experience and it will be a presence long awaited. I stand on the edge and I feel with all of my senses. I feel my existence and I experience the great universe all around me. I choose it because this life is given to me. I choose it because the choice is mine." ♥

Rules of being human...

2011-11-13T07:12:00.003-05:00

♥"Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood."♥ (Helen Keller)

Rules of being human...

Rule One - You will receive a body. Whether you love it or hate it, it's yours for life, so accept it. What counts is what's inside.

Rule Two - You will be presented with lessons. Life is a constant learning experience, which every day provides opportunities for you to learn more. These lessons specific to you, and learning them 'is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and relevance of your own life'.

Rule Three - There are no mistakes, only lessons. Your development towards wisdom is a process of experimentation, trial and error, so it's inevitable things will not always go to plan or turn out how you'd want. Compassion is the remedy for harsh judgement - of ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not only divine - it's also 'the act of erasing an emotional debt'. Behaving ethically, with integrity, and with humour - especially the ability to laugh at yourself and your own mishaps - are central to the perspective that 'mistakes' are simply lessons we must learn.

Rule Four - The lesson is repeated until learned. Lessons repeat until learned. What manifest as problems and challenges, irritations and frustrations are more lessons - they will repeat until you see them as such and learn from them. Your own awareness and your ability to change are requisites of executing this rule. Also fundamental is the acceptance that you are not a victim of fate or circumstance - 'causality' must be acknowledged; that is to say: things happen to you because of how you are and what you do. To blame anyone or anything else for your misfortunes is an escape and a denial; you yourself are responsible for you, and what happens to you. Patience is required - change doesn't happen overnight, so give change time to happen.

Rule Five - Learning does not end. While you are alive there are always lessons to be learned. Surrender to the 'rhythm of life', don't struggle against it. Commit to the process of constant learning and change - be humble enough to always acknowledge your own weaknesses, and be flexible enough to adapt from what you may be accustomed to, because rigidity will deny you the freedom of new possibilities.

Rule Six - "There" is no better than "here". The other side of the hill may be greener than your own, but being there is not the key to endless happiness. Be grateful for and enjoy what you have, and where you are on your journey. Appreciate the abundance of what's good in your life, rather than measure and amass things that do not actually lead to happiness. Living in the present helps you attain peace.

Rule Seven - Others are only mirrors of you. You love or hate something about another person according to what love or hate about yourself. Be tolerant; accept others as they are, and strive for clarity of self-awareness; strive to truly understand and have an objective perception of your own self, your thoughts and feelings. Negative experiences are opportunities to heal the wounds that you carry. Support others, and by doing so you support yourself. Where you are unable to support others it is a sign that you are not adequately attending to your own needs.

Rule Eight - What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. Take responsibility for yourself. Learn to let go when you cannot change things. Don't get angry about things - bitter memories clutter your mind. Courage resides in all of us - use it when you need to do what's right for you. We all possess a strong natural power and adventurous spirit, which you should draw on to embrace what lies ahead.

Rule Nine - Your answers lie inside of you. Trust your instincts and your innermost feelings, whether you hear them as a little voice or a flash of inspiration. Listen to feelings as well as sounds. Look, listen, and trust. Draw on your natural inspiration.

Rule Ten - You will forget all this at birth. We are all born with all of these capabilities - our early experiences lead us into a physical world, away from our spiritual selves, so that we become doubtful, cynical and lacking belief and confidence. The ten Rules are not commandments, they are universal truths that apply to us all. When you lose your way, call upon them. Have faith in the strength of your spirit. Aspire to be wise - wisdom the ultimate path of your life, and it knows no limits other than those you impose on yourself.

(Cherie Carter Scott)

Laughs,,,

2011-11-11T22:47:00.000-05:00

I totally just heard this conversation between aiden and john...
John: "aiden what would you do if you had 12 sisters?"
Aiden: "I'd move out of the house with you and we have to take the Wii, the computer and the DS."
John: laughed hysterically.
My family always makes me smile :)

Spread Your Wings...

2011-11-08T12:36:00.002-05:00

♥“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight. And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to. But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings. You may not know where you're going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you.”♥

― C. JoyBell C

Find Someone...

2011-11-02T12:24:00.001-04:00

Find someone...
Who will never tire of kissing you everyday...
Who will hug you even when you are being a shit…
Who will understandably keep silent when you are angry...
Who will squeeze your hand when you are in a bad mood...
Who will plan and imagine a future that has you in it...
For a person who cannot accept you at your worst,
Does not deserve you at your best.

Stationery card

2011-10-29T18:06:00.001-04:00

Seeing Double Girls Birth Announcement

Create beautiful birth announcements with Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Funny and So True...

2011-10-22T16:47:00.000-04:00

My sticker would have to say "Tampering with my son or daughters WILL result in an ass whoopin' you'll never forget!"

Growth...

2011-10-17T21:23:00.002-04:00

Some periods of our growth are so confusing that we don’t even recognize that growth is happening. We may feel hostile or angry or weepy and hysterical, or we may feel depressed. It would never occur to us, unless we stumbled on a book or a person who explained to us, that we in fact are in the process of change, of actually becoming larger, spiritually, than we were before.

Whenever we grow, we tend to feel it, as a young seed must feel the weight and inertia of the earth as it seeks to break out of its shell on its way to becoming a plant. Often the feeling is anything but pleasant. But what is most unpleasant is the not knowing what is happening…

Those long periods when something inside ourselves seems to be waiting, holding its breath, unsure about what the next step should be, eventually become the periods we wait for, for it is in those periods that we realize that we are being prepared for the next phase of our life and that, in all probability, a new level of the personality is about to be revealed....

30 Things That Change When You Have a Baby...

2011-10-17T18:13:00.000-04:00

30 Things That Change When You Have a Baby...

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.

9. Your heart breaks much more easily.

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

11. Every day is a surprise.

12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

14. You become a morning person.

15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

16. You discover how much there is to say about one tooth.

17. You finally realize that true joy doesn't come from material wealth.

18. You now know where the sun comes from.

19. You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have.

20. You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers.

21. You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night.

22. Silence? What's that?

23. You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having.

24. You discover an inner strength you never thought you had.

25. You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule.

26. You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one.

27. Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog.

28. You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late.

29. You learn that taking a shower is a luxury.

30. You realize that you can love a complete stranger.

Showing up for life's blessings...

2011-10-15T09:32:00.001-04:00

Showing up for life's blessings
by: my sister Sandy

Today was such an incredible day for me....and really for my entire family. My older sister Traci gave birth to two beautiful little girls. One of the coolest things about it is that she already has one set of three year old twin girls and a five year old little boy!

My sister had asked me to be there along with her and her husband as her "support" person in the delivery room.... those of you who know me well won't be surprised to hear that I am a pretty squeamish person. I was very tentative about agreeing to be there, not because I don't love Traci and want to be there for her, but the simple fact that I get weak at the knees at the sight of blood (so much so that I have to turn my head several times while watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy!)

As the big day approached I became more and more anxious about being in the room for the delivery. I knew in my heart that I wanted to be there to support her (as she has been an incredible source of support for me over the last several years) but knowing myself the way that I do, I just didn't know if I could pull it off. I was in the delivery room with Traci and her husband for the birth of their son and I wasn't sure if I could go through that again!

As the girl's arrival came closer it became very clear to me (both emotionally and spiritually) that it was really important for me to be there with my sister. I cautiously told everyone that I would be in the room for the entire process leading up to the birth, but I withheld the right to politely excuse myself if things got a little too much for me during the delivery.

So today I woke up and felt incredibly nervous about the whole thing, but I knew with my whole heart that I wanted to be there with her and my brother-in-law for the girl's delivery. I could feel the importance of it not only for my sister, but for myself as well.

I am so happy to report that although the girl's delivery was a little more complicated and nerve wracking than we would have liked, everyone came through absolutely fine! I not only stayed in the room with Traci and John, I got to witness first hand the actual birth (didn't turn my head at all) of my beautiful little niece...for this I will forever be grateful.

As I write this blog post in the middle of the night, I can't help but feel very blessed for what transpired today. I "showed up" not only for my sister, brother-in-law and nieces but for myself as well. I got to experience something incredibly special with my sister, as well as spend some amazing alone time with my beautiful niece (baby A for now) who was just a few minutes old. I can't fully explain how meaningful that was for me on so many different levels.

Today's events will forever be a gift for me and my entire family and for that we will always be grateful.

Counting life's blessings........until next time.

http://blogs.justbelieveinyou.com/

Fun Facts...

2011-10-14T20:58:00.004-04:00

Congratulations!

Your Babies Birthday Is Friday, October 14, 2011

Your conception date was most likely Friday, January 21, 2011

Fun Due Date Facts

•Zodiac Sign: Libra

•Birthstone: Opal

•Birth Flower: Calendula or Cosmos

•Chinese Zodiac: The White Metal Rabbit

•Half Birthday: April 13

•This time next year your baby will be 51 Weeks Old!

•Babies born on 10/14/2011 will start kindergarten in 2017, be old enough to drive a car in 2027, finish high school in 2030, and will graduate from college with the class of 2034, give or take a year. Can you imagine?

Famous People Born On This Day

•Dwight David Eisenhower was born in 1890

•e. e. cummings was born in 1894

•Roger Moore was born in 1927

On This Day In History...

•The book Winnie the Pooh could be seen for the first time in 1926

•Chuck Yeager became the first man to break the sound barrier in the Bell X1 rocket jet in 1947

•The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Martin Luther King Jr. in 1964

•Apollo 7 transmitted the first live telecast from a manned spacecraft in 1968

•In Texas, an 18 month old baby fell into an well. She was rescued 58 hours later in 1987

•This time last year you weren't even pregnant yet!

Little One...

2011-10-14T18:13:00.000-04:00

Little One,

It is the morning of your life and all your dreams are just beginning.

May you touch the fireflies and stars, dance with fairies, and talk to the man in the moon. May you grow up with love and gracious hearts and people who care.

Welcome to the world, little one, it's been waiting for you.

Look Who Showed Up For Dinner...

2011-10-14T18:00:00.004-04:00

Scarlett Raine

Scarlett Raine Schnepp
Born: October 14, 2011
Time: 4:38 pm
Weight: 5 pounds, 11 ounces
Length: 18 1/2 inches long

Veronica Paige

Veronica Paige Schnepp
Born: October 14, 2011
Time: 5:01 pm
Weight: 7 pounds, 7 ounces
Length: 20 1/2 inches long

Delivery Day...

2011-10-14T07:02:00.002-04:00

Well, I am getting ready to leave for the hospital for my induction. I was up late last night running around trying to get things ready for the girls, pack my hospital bag, spend time with my lovebugs, and straighten up around the house. It's crazy that by the end of today my baby girls will be here and this pregnancy will be over. It's insane to say but even though this pregnancy was really hard on me I think I actually like being pregnant and will miss it. Well, not really I think I just really like the end result and my babies. I was up all night last night. I just kept thinking about and stressing out about everything and anything. So needless to say, today I'm exhausted.

I'm just having such a rush of emotions right now I just can't even begin to explain it. If you would have asked me eight years ago where I saw myself in another eight years I would have never seen this coming. Sometimes I can't believe that I have five kids. If you told me that... I would have told you that you were nuts! Here we are, almost eight years after meeting John on a blind date... married to my best friend and having five beautiful children 5 years old and under. It's going to be really exhausting, a little stressful and overwhelming at some times I'm sure but we will make it through and it will be awesome! I love my family.

Anyway, I have to go so here are some pictures before I go. I hope that everything goes well and I can deliver my baby girls without having to have a c-section. I have been talking to the girls and setting my intentions for the universe. I delivered Aiden, Raelene and Violet vaginally. So this time will be no problem either :)

Sessy Mommita...

2011-10-13T21:54:00.000-04:00

Since I'm not making it anywhere near Halloween for your viewing pleasure. Excuse the exhaustion and fact that I'm a hot mess tonight!

Hospital Tour...

2011-10-11T22:58:00.002-04:00

Tonight we went over to the new Virtua Hospital in Voorhees where I'll be delivering the girls on Friday if everything goes well tomorrow with Dr. D. It probably took us about a half hour to get there. The hospital is HUGE and really nice! We went on a tour of Labor and Delivery and also the Mommy and Baby floor. I had asked the tour guide about how many people would be allowed in the room with me since I was being induced and going for vaginal delivery but would be delivering in the OR for in case they had to switch over to a c-section if there was an emergency. She said probably only one but I'm not worried about it. I'll talk to Dr. D tomorrow and see what she says. Sandy really wants to be there for the delivery of the girls and has been getting herself mentally prepared for it for weeks now. Hopefully her and John will both be allowed in the room, but we'll have to wait and see.

At one point during the tour it was so funny because the tour guide looked at me and was like "would you like a wheelchair? you look like you're about to pop." I just laughed and told her "no, thank you anyway." I'm trying to stay as active as I can and moving around alot so that hopefully my labor will go easier.

So the tour is done. The hospital is gorgeous and we are right on schedule for Friday and excited!!

38 Weeks...

2011-10-11T09:51:00.001-04:00

Your babies each weigh just over 6 pounds and are approximately 18 inches in length. You have been full term for a week now, so you might want to start addressing those birth announcement envelopes while you still have your hands free! Your long wait will be over any time now. If you are carrying a boy (or two), have you decided whether or not you will have him (or them) circumcised? There is growing debate among parents and health care providers over circumcision but ultimately it is a personal decision for each parent.

*If she is the "average baby," she weights 6.8 pounds (3083gm)and is 19.6 inches (49.8cm) long.
*Have you noticed she hiccups a lot? Because there is no air around her, those breathing exercises cause amniotic fluid to get into her windpipe. The result? Hiccups!
*Your child's intestines are accumulating lots of meconium. Meconium takes on the role of being your baby's first bowel movement -- removing the waste that has accumulated.
*She may have a full head of hair now -- an inch or more long! Don't be surprised if it's an unexpected color. Some blond couples have dark haired babies; some dark haired couples have red-haired babies; some couples have babies with only peach fuzz! It may just persuade you to take a closer look at your family tree!
*Circumference of head and abdomen are about the same size for your baby. No wonder it's so hard to get a t-shirt over a newborn's head!

People...

2011-10-11T06:45:00.006-04:00

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

(Mother Teresa, 1979 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate)

Mom 2.0: Defining A Movement

2011-10-10T13:44:00.002-04:00

My sister Sandy sent me this video and I LOVED it!

From My Sister Sandy...

2011-10-10T13:37:00.005-04:00

To my sister Traci who is about to give birth to the two newest members of our family (hopefully not until Friday!) This is beautiful and moving :)

http://youtu.be/E8K9s7_k3TM

Maybe...

2011-10-09T13:32:00.001-04:00

True Strength...

2011-10-08T06:43:00.001-04:00

You...

2011-10-07T11:39:00.002-04:00

You,
yes you,
you are the one I am talking to.
You spend too much time finding fault in who you are or in your mistakes.
They are behind you and you can't change the past.
You,
yes you,
you worry too much about the future.
It isn't here yet and there are so many things outside of your control that can affect that.
You,
yes you
can in this moment realize.
You are beautiful.
You are powerful.
You are loved
and can give love.
By giving love
you multiply the love that comes back to you.
You,
yes you,
can start today
to be grateful for your past
and find the wisdom in it.
Live in the now
and love
that you can bring
to you a future
with more hope,
gratitude
and love.
It all starts with YOU!

YES YOU!!!!

Unconditional Love...

2011-10-07T11:36:00.001-04:00

You can love someone unconditionally & they still might not be a vibrational match to your inner circle of people. Unconditional Love means you love the other person no matter what they are doing & love YOU enough to remove yourself when the relationship or situation doesn’t feel good. You can love someone unconditionally & still not want to be in the vicinity of their behaviors. Learn to say I love you and C’ya! ♥

Another Ultrasound & An NST....

2011-10-06T23:03:00.003-04:00

Today we had to go for another ultrasound to check the size of the babies and also for an NST. They did the NST first which of course the babies passed with flying colors! The nurse always raves about how cooperative they are and that she loves doing their NST's. She said that there test results were "perfect" once again.

After the NST they took me and John into one of the ultrasound rooms for the growth check. Let me first start by saying that the ultrasound tech was a complete idiot! When we went into the room she asked why we were there. I told her we had to have a growth check and also a doppler. She asked why I needed to have a doppler. John and I just looked at each other like she was nuts and then I said that I didn't know why, they just told me that it needed to be done, I guess to check my fluid levels and the blood flow of the babies. She looked at me and asked why again! What an idiot!

Anyway, both babies are doing really well. My fluid levels are good and the blood flow is good. They both have great heartbeats. So it was a good ultrasound. Baby A is measuring about 6 lbs. 7 oz. and Baby B is measuring about 7 lbs. 6 oz. so they are good size babies.

After the ultrasound the tech took us in to wait for the doctor to go over the results. He came in asked us to go back to the US room because the tech forgot to get a picture of my membrane. After she did that he reviewed everything and he was happy with all of the results. He had asked if the doctors had talked about dates or anything with us and I told him no because Dr D and Dr R were on vacation so I was going to talking to them about possibly inducing me on October 14th because I would be 38 1/2 weeks like I was with the girls. He looked at us and said I would like you to go to at least 39 weeks to try to push it to October 16th. I don't know what those two days would make as far as a difference. Usually with twins they don't want you to keep them in there that long. We were both confused so we're going to talk to Dr D about it next week and see what she says.

So all in all it was a really good NST and ultrasound. The babies are doing awesome and are also both head down again :)

9th Doctors Appointment...

2011-10-05T19:37:00.002-04:00

I went to see Dr. D today for my check-up. John came with me because we are getting to the "end". She laughed when she saw him and was like... "hello stranger, I only see you at the end here". We just laughed and she said something about me still being pregnant. I laughed back at her and said "you really didn't think I would have gone into labor while you were on vacation and let you get out of delivering the girls... do you????" She just lauughed at me. I seriously think I make her day! LOL.

So she looked in my chart to see how far along I am now and asked if I was ready to have the babies next week because I'll be 38 weeks. I told her about what the doctor had said over at the ultrasound place about waiting until at least 39 weeks and she looked at me like I had six heads and said... "he does realize that you have twins in there... right?" I told her that's exactly what I said. So we went on talking for a while about it and I told her that John and I were looking at October 14th which would put me at 38 1/2 weeks like I was with the girls but that I wasn't sure if she would be at the hospital that day. She checked her schedule and she's on hospital duty so we're set! I told her that when I went for my ultrasound two weeks ago both babies were head down but when I went for my NST last week Baby B switched position and was now transverse but her head was more head down than laying sideways. Of course she went on to tell me about how even if I deliver Baby A vaginal if Baby B doesn't cooperate that I may still end up with a c-section. I told her that I know but I will talk to the babies this week and we'll be fine. haha.

She wants me to come in next Wednesday to check my cervix to see if I'm dialated and if my cervix is softened at all. If neither of those things are going on then I will have to go into the hospital on Thursday night so they can work on it before Friday. So tonight I am starting to drink my teas, my evening primrose oil and listening to my Hypno Babies CD's. She listened for the babies heartbeats and found them both right away. So we're good. She's putting me on the books to be induced next Friday, October 14th! I'm totally nervous and still have so much to do it's insane!

I'm just a little worried about the whole date thing. When I first found out I was pregnant I looked in my calander to see when I had my period but because I was on that stupid three month birth control my period was all messed up. The due date I came up with would have been November 1, 2011. Since I was on that pill they sent me for an ultrasound to check the date and the babies were measuring to be due on October 25, 2011. So I'm just worried about what if I'm not really going to be 38 weeks next week. I mean it's really only the difference of a week. Right? I just don't know what to do. I guess I'll leave it up to the man upstairs and the universe.

There Comes a Point...

2011-10-04T22:09:00.002-04:00

There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.

37 Weeks...

2011-10-04T09:13:00.000-04:00

Your babies are considered full term, even though the 40-week mark is still three weeks away! They are about 6 pounds and measure about 18 inches in length, and have developed enough coordination to grasp an object with their fingers, called the palmar grasp reflex. This is a good time to consider how extensively you want your babies screened for diseases and conditions once they are born. The number of conditions babies are tested for varies by state; however, every state screens for at least two disorders. Expanded newborn screening is available through private companies and screens for up to 40 disorders.

*This week, the average size is about 6.3 pounds (2859gm) now and 19.1 inches (48.6cm) length.
*She is official full term now but can still benefit from extra days in the womb.
*Your baby continues to practice breathing movements. Isn't it amazing how she can breathe "under water"?
*Grasp is firm now. It won't be long until you'll feel that strong little fist confidently grasping your finger (or tightly clenching your hair)!
*A few weeks ago, your baby would move her eyes toward light. Now she turns towards light outside the uterus.
*As the uterine wall stretches and thins allowing more light to permeate, she develops definite daily activity cycles. You will want to be sure to establish good patterns yourself at this time, thus encouraging them in your child. Ever heard of a baby getting her days/nights mixed up? Now's the time to try to avoid that!

So True...

2011-10-03T10:48:00.000-04:00

I've Lost My Feet...

2011-10-02T21:51:00.004-04:00

I seem to have lost my feet. Oh, and I never thought I would say my boobs look small... But they do because my belly is so big! Lol.

Love This...

2011-10-02T09:25:00.000-04:00

Happiness...

2011-10-01T21:19:00.000-04:00

Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything and have no regrets. Life's too short to be anything but happy.
~ Unknown ~

Thank You...

2011-10-01T05:33:00.002-04:00

Thanks to those who hated me, you made me stronger.
Thanks to those who loved me, you made my heart grow fonder.
Thanks to those who cared, you made me feel important.
Thanks to those who entered my life, you made me who I am today.
Thanks to those who left, you showed me that nothing lasts forever.
Thanks to those who stayed, you showed me true friendship.
Thanks to those who listened, you made me feel like I was worth it.
~ Unknown ~

Goodnight...

2011-09-30T23:11:00.001-04:00

If you've had a hard day, a difficult week and/or are currently going through any hardships... before you go to bed tonight, please keep in mind that being defeated is often a temporary condition and giving up is what makes it permanent. Your mind is much stronger than you may be giving yourself credit for and you *will* overcome all those nasty obstacles.
Goodnight mes amis. ♥ —

3-D Ultrasound...

2011-09-29T22:16:00.001-04:00

Tonight we took a trip to Bundle of Joy to have a 3-D ultrasound done and to see our beautiful lil baby girls. At first they were'nt cooperating very much but the ultrasound tech was really good and got some great shots. Baby A is just chillaxin there and Baby B is sitting with her feet resting on her face. haha. It was awesome and it looks as if Baby A is going to be alot like Raelene (baby a last time). She appears to have fuller cheeks and face with a lil bit of hair. Baby B looks like she's going to be alot like Violet (baby b last time) with a more defined jaw line, cheeks and more hair. I guess we'll see in a few weeks! I can't wait :)

Another NST...

2011-09-29T17:36:00.002-04:00

Today I had another appointment for another NST. I have to say it went very well as usual and it was also uneventful. Both babies are doing awesome and were very cooperative for the NST. I was done in 20 minutes. The nurse once again said that it was perfect!

Once I got done the NST I went in for my Doppler to have all of my fluids and the blood flow checked. That also went well and everything is good. Baby A is still head down but Baby B changed position again and is now Transverse. I was hoping that they would both stay head down but Baby B moved. Hopefully she'll move back into the head down position but even if she doesn't and she stays Transverse... it's all good. I'm still having both of these babies vaginal. That's my story and that's what I'm sticking to :)

Taking Care of Baby...

2011-09-29T06:24:00.000-04:00

Please don't wait until the doctors tell you that you are going to have a baby to begin to take care of it. It is already there. Whatever you are, whatever you do, your baby will get it. Anything you eat, any worries that are on your mind will be for him or her. Can you tell me that you cannot smile? Think of the baby, and smile for him, for her, for the future generations. Please don't tell me that a smile and your sorrow just don't go together. It's your sorrow, but what about your baby? It's not his sorrow, its not her sorrow.

--Thich Nhat Hanh--

May Today There Be...

2011-09-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

May today there be peace within.

May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.

May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your ...soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us....

~ Mother Teresa

36 Weeks...

2011-09-27T09:29:00.001-04:00

Your babies weigh between 5.5 and 6 pounds, measure just over 17 inches in length, and are almost ready to check out of "Hotel Mom." They have moved downward into your pelvic cavity; hopefully headfirst. However, at this stage it is very common for babies to be feet first, or breech. The positioning of your babies is one factor that will determine whether you'll be able to deliver vaginally or via c-section. But if you are carrying triplets or more, a c-section is nearly guaranteed to ensure the safety of you and your babies.

*Your baby is almost ready and most likely, so are you! The only organ still to mature is the lungs. While certainly you are both growing anxious to meet, remember that each day (up to 42 weeks), that your little one stays within your womb will multiply her chances to breathe on her own.
*If she hasn't already, this week your baby may drop into the birth canal. While breathing for mom becomes easier, walking may be the exact opposite! If she's not your first baby, this "lightening" may not occur until right before labor.
*Fat is dimpling your baby's elbows and knees, and forming creases in the neck and wrists.
*Her skin is growing smooth and, shall we say it, "baby" soft.
*Her gums are very rigid. It won't be many months before you'll see her teeth.
*She has a fully developed pair of kidneys and her liver has begun processing some waste products.
*Your child's average size is now 18.66 inches (47.4cm) and 5.78 pounds (2622 g).
*Between now and birth she will gain about an ounce a day!

The Future...

2011-09-26T21:53:00.001-04:00

It is said that the Present is Pregnant with the Future.
~Voltaire

If we want to change our future.....we will need to take steps to change our now. ~ HTRYV

Never Regret....

2011-09-26T10:07:00.002-04:00

Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness, bad days give you experiences, both are essential to life. The only job where you start at the top is digging a hole. Failure is not fatal and success is not final.

Practice for the New Millennium...

2011-09-24T14:20:00.003-04:00

Practice for the New Millennium by the Dalai Lama

The Practice:

1. Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day remembering we all want the same things (to be happy and be loved) and we are all connected to one another.

2. Spend 5 minutes breathing in, cherishing yourself; and, breathing out cherishing others. If you think about people you have difficulty cherishing,extend your cherishing to them anyway.

3. During the day extend that attitude to everyone you meet. Practice cherishing the "simplest" person (clerks, attendants, etc) or people you dislike.

4. Continue this practice no matter what happens or what anyone does to you. These thoughts are very simple, inspiring and helpful. The practice of cherishing can be taken very deeply if done wordlessly, allowing yourself to feel the love and appreciation that already exists in your heart.

8th Doctors Appointment, An Ultrasound & A NST...

2011-09-22T20:27:00.004-04:00

Today I had another doctors appointment, an ultrasound and a NST.

Today my doctors appointment was with nurse Becky because Dr. D and Dr. R are on vacation for the next two weeks. Lucky them! haha. It was pretty uneventful. she just asked how I was feeling and checked the babies heartbeats. Nothing exciting to report.

The NST went really well and both babies were very cooperative! They gave the nurse everything she needed. She kept going on and on about how great they were and that they were "perfect!" she also said that my report was so good that she was going to keep it. lol.

I then went in for my ultrasound to check the size of the babies and stuff. Baby A is head down and weighing about 5 lbs. 4 oz. Baby B is also head down (whoot whoot) and weighing about 5 lbs. 14 oz. I'm stoked!!! Hopefully both babies will stay head down. All of my fluids, the babies heartbeats and the blood flow were good so the doctor was really pleased.

He asked me if anyone had talked to me about dates and stuff. I told him that because of the doctors being on vacation I hadn't talked to them yet but I plan on talking to them when they get back. I told him that John and I were talking about possibly doing it on October 14th. I would be 38 1/2 weeks at that point and that's where I was when I delivered Raelene and Violet. He looked at my chart and said that he would really rather me wait until I was at least 39 weeks so he wanted me to wait until at least October 16th. I looked at him like he had six heads. I laughed and said you know that there are two babies in there... right??? We talked a little about it and I just don't see the point in waiting that two extra days. What could that two days REALLY do??? You know? So then he said whatever Dr. D says is ok that he will go with. So I'm just going to have to wait until Dr. D gets back to talk to her. So everything went really well today and both babies are doing AWESOME!!! We couldn't be happier.

35 Weeks...

2011-09-20T11:31:00.000-04:00

Your babies weigh about 5 pounds each and stretch out to 17 inches and stem cells in their bone marrow continue to produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets to maintain a healthy immune system, but there is not really any development remaining for arms, legs, brain or organs. Your babies will simply continue to add that adorable baby fat as they ready for their big debut.

Twins are usually born within an hour of each other. The average birth weight of twins is 5 pounds, 5 ounces, but there may be a difference of two to three pounds between the twins' birth weights. And even though twins and multiples are smaller and weigh less than singleton babies at birth, studies have shown that multiples catch up to their singleton counterparts quickly and by age four, they are the same height.

*The average baby weighs almost five and a half pounds now.
*Most babies born now will survive and without many long-term problems.
*Fat accumulations plumps up the arms and legs this week. These layers of fat will help her regulate her body temperature. They also provide those cute little dimples on elbows and knees!
*Her hearing is fully developed, so be sure to talk to your daughter. Do you find yourself speaking in a high-pitched tone? That's okay since some studies show babies respond better to higher pitches.
*It's getting crowded! Your baby is now taking up most of the uterus and you may even feel like your chest has run out of room! Soon enough though, baby will move down and you'll be able to breathe easily again (just not walk so easily! Ha!).
*Your baby is 18.2 inches (46.2cm) long and weighs 5.3 pounds (2383gm).
*The testes have completed their descent in males.

7th Doctors Appointment...

2011-09-15T13:13:00.000-04:00

Today I had another doctor appointment. It was scheduled with Dr. R. I got up in the morning and didn't feel well at all. I'm just exhausted at this point. I get up about every 45 minutes to an hour to pee at night. So I feel like I no sooner fall back asleep and I'm waking up to pee and switch sides again. My hips have been bothering me so bad this pregnancy.

Back to my check-up. I got the my appointment and the girl behind the desk was asking me how far along I was because Dr. R was tied up down in the surgical center so they wanted me to see the nurse practitioner. I told the girl I was 34 weeks but I wanted to see the doctor. Of course she was giving me a hard time about it and telling me that nurse becky can do EVERYTHING a doctor can do except deliver a baby and it's only important to see the doctors in your last month. My response was that I'm pregnant with twins so I only have about 4 weeks left and my appointment next week is with nurse becky since my 2 doctors will be on vacation and the following week I'm not seeing anyone because the doctors aren't there and I have an ultrasound and NST scheduled anyway. I really had some things I wanted to talk to the doctor about. She just looked at me like I had three heads and was like oh, ok well we'll talk to the nurse and see what she thinks. It's just getting so aggravating! It seems like every time I go to the doctors it's one thing or another. I love Dr. D and Dr. R but it seriously stresses me out big time every time I go there.

I sat and waited for a while and then they called me back. They took my blood pressure and it was good as always. Weighed me and I gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks so I wanted to vomit! I got all upset and the nurse was like it's ok, you went over a month and didn't gain any weight. The babies are just catching up now. I understand that and all but I'm still disgusted. She told me that Dr R came up for an hour only and then had to hurry back down to the surgical center so she was going to see me. The nurse took me back into the exam room and said she would be in. When Dr R came in she asked how I was doing. I told her ok, I'm hanging in there but it's getting rough. She did my pap and my Strep B test. Got the Doppler to listen for the heartbeats and found them right away. They both had nice strong heartbeats. She measured my belly but I forgot to ask her how big I was measuring. She was very rushed, I guess because she had to try to help see as many patients as she could before she had to leave again. I asked her about my left leg. It has been swelling up really bad. Much worse than my right leg. When I was pregnant with the girls Dr D sent me for an ultrasound to check for blood clots but Dr R said it's just because of my varicose veins to just keep an eye on them and make sure they don't turn hard. If they harden to call them and let them know and they they'll check them out. I also asked her about all of the pain in my right groin and right sciatic. She said it was normal and Baby A was just sitting on something (she said a name but I forget what it is)). She told me to try to lay on m,y left side as much as possible and slightly cross my right leg over my left and maybe it would loosen her up so that she would stop sitting on whatever she is sitting on. Dr R also said once she drops down into my pelvis it will probably go away.

Before she left she asked me if anyone has talked to me about c-section vs. vaginal delivery. I just rolled my eyes and told her yes, I know all about it. I again told her my plan as to what is going to happen and I've already delivered 3 babies via vaginal delivery so I'm not about to sign up for a c-section now. She told me that because of the babies positions that even if I deliver Baby A vaginal I may still have to have a c-section for Baby B. I told her I know and I've heard it all before. Thanks for the info. LOL. She then told me that in her 23 years of delivering babies that she has only had to deliver one set of twins that way. So that sounds encouraging.

So yeah, things are going really well. I have another doctor appointment next Thursday, an ultrasound to check the sizes of the babies and an NST.

As far as me... I feel craptastic! LOL. I am just so exhausted and uncomfortable all the time. I don't remember it being this bad when I was pregnant with the girls. I feel so much bigger and my hips, groin and sciatic are killing me. As much as I'm not ready for the girls to be here and to have to tackle 2 newborn babies and 3 toddlers all at once... I am soooooo ready!!!

Happy Birthday to Me....

2011-09-13T22:56:00.001-04:00

Today is my birthday and I had a wonderful day hanging out with my lil munchkins. John had to work but then we had dinner with my mom and sisters. It was a nice day. I got lots of love via my Facebook family and friends. I feel very blessed & loved. Here are some of my most memorable and favorite wishes....

Hey babe just thought I would stop by again to say happy birthday! ♥ I hope you are having a good day and I can't wait to see you tonight. Happy birthday babe...I love you ♥ ** My Hubby :)

Happy birthday zombie Bitch lol ** Kimmee S.

Happy Birthday Trae! Hope that your next year is your best year! I am sure that it will be filled with much love, laughter and lots of diapers :)
xoxoxo ** Sandy H. My sister :)

happy birthday momma,love you!!just know you are a great wife ,friend but most of all mommy!! ** Kelley L.

You've made five babies in the time it takes normal women to make three. Never doubt that you're amazing. And apparently highly efficient. Happy Birthday, lady! ** Melissa S.

Happy Birthday to a great girl, mom & person!!!! Enjoy!!!! ** Dee C.

Happy Birthday beautiful! I hope you are having a great day! ** Allison N.

Happy Happy Birthday!! I can't wait to see you and your babies soon!! ** Kelly K.

Happy Birthday Beautiful!!!! ** Melissa L.

Happy Birthday Beautiful Lady!!! Make it epic ** Holly C.

Happy Birthday to My WONDERFUL BEST FRIEND, & someone I consider to be A SISTER. I hope that you have an INCREDIBLE DAY!!! ** Marianne P.

Happy birthday to one of my sweetest friend ever, have a great day, miss you and love you xoxo ** Lori E.

Happy Birthday sweetie...and many more..Love you ** Victor A.

Happy Birthday Traci.....
"You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely."
~ -Ogden Nash ~ ** Tom S.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU , HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR TRACI, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!! My song to you this special day. Aunt Linda.

Happy Birthday!! Have a fantabulous day! ♥ (take care a you and those "on the way" babies!) ** Kim Q.

Happy Birthday Traci. Hope you have a great day. Take some time off from blanketing and baking and just kick up your feet and chillax today. ** Terri T.

Happy Birthday Beautiful!!!! ** Shani D.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! May the little ones not drive you nuts and your sweetie surprise you! ** Elizabeth D.

Happy Birthday Traci ♥
Wish I could be there in person to wish you a Happy Birthday! ♥ ** Debi S.

Happy Birthday mama! Enjoy your day! ** Heather W.

Happy birthday BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL mama! ♥♥♥♥ ** Marianna C.

Happy birthday babe! We love you! Happy birthday to the best wife and mommy ever!♥♥♥ ** My Hubby again :)

Happy Birthday beautiful super mommy! Hope you, John and the kids have a wonderful day. ♥ ** Jennifer S.

Traci Have a Wonderful Happy Birthday, I always see you cooking, baking etc for your family and everyone else, I hope you get spoiled today, enjoy your day. Love Diane C.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOXXXY!!!!!!!!!! ** Megan M.

34 Weeks...

2011-09-13T06:23:00.001-04:00

Your babies are tipping the scales at just under 5 pounds a piece and are about 17 inches from head to heel. You are now carrying more weight than a mother of a singleton at 40 weeks - no wonder you're so tired! The protective vernix coating on your babies' skin is becoming thicker, but the lanugo hair is almost gone. Although a c-section delivery is very possible, nearly half of all twins are still delivered vaginally, and your babies are getting into position (hopefully head down) for the big day. They may present in one of several combinations:

*Both babies may be head down

*The bottom twin may be head down and the upper twin may be breech, or vice versa

*Both babies may be breech

*Both babies may be sideways (transverse)

*One baby may be transverse and the other may be either breech or head down.

However, the most common presentation is the first twin is head down and the second is breech or transverse. If your babies are in the breech position, your health care provider will continue to monitor your babies' positions in the hopes that they will turn. If they don't, a c-section will most likely be recommended.

*Your baby acts completely like a newborn, with her eyes opened when awake and closed when sleeping. You may also find her settling into more of a routine for sleeping & awake times.
*She has learned to blink. She can also see more clearly when there is a bright light on your stomach and probably has the outline of all your organs memorized!
*Antibodies from your blood are being tranferred to her. These immunities continue to build until birth. Then breastmilk will add even more protection against disease.
*Your baby may have already turned to a head-down position in preparation for birth. *If she is your first baby, she may be settling into the pelvis with her head pressing against your cervix.
*Fingernails have reached the end of the fingertips now. She may scratch her face even before she is born!
*Your little one's length is 17.7 inches (45cm) and weight is 4.7 pounds (2146 g).

Remembering 9/11/01... Ten Years Later...

2011-09-11T13:54:00.002-04:00

May God bless the USA always, the families that lost love ones who perished and for all of us who continue to remember! Moving forward in love, light and happiness. 9/11/01 forever etched in our hearts and minds.

Times of impact: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. 2819 dead from 115 different nations. 343 Fireman/paramedics, 23 NYPD, 37 Port Authority officers.

********************************************************

I will never forget what happened ten years ago today!

"Ten years ago marks the anniversary of the attacks that killed 2,977 people."

"Silence was spread across New York City at 8:46 a.m. -- the time when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center a decade ago."

I remember the fear like it was yesterday!

My prayers are with all the those who lost their love ones on this day and all those who came to rescue and protect America!

¤*¨¨*¤.¸¸ ...¸.¤\
\ 9/11 AMERICA \
.\¸.¤*¨¨*¤ .¸¸.¸.¤*
..\
☻/
/▌
/ \ NEVER FORGET!!! keep the flag going. GOD BLESS AMERICA

50 Rules for Dads of Daughters....

2011-09-10T09:35:00.006-04:00

http://www.fromdatestodiapers.com/50-rules-for-dads-of-daughters

I was in tears as I read through this list, as I’m sure many grown daughters will be. Mothers – bookmark this list of rules and encourage your daughter’s daddy to read them, memorize them, and put them in to action. And, to all you Dads out there – be sure you pay close attention and heed these wise words.

***********************************************************

1. Love her mom. Treat her mother with respect, honor, and a big heaping spoonful of public displays of affection. When she grows up, the odds are good she’ll fall in love with and marry someone who treats her much like you treated her mother. Good or bad, that’s just the way it is. I’d prefer good.

2. Always be there. Quality time doesn’t happen without quantity time. Hang out together for no other reason than just to be in each other’s presence. Be genuinely interested in the things that interest her. She needs her dad to be involved in her life at every stage. Don’t just sit idly by while she add years to her… add life to her years.

3. Save the day. She’ll grow up looking for a hero. It might as well be you. She’ll need you to come through for her over and over again throughout her life. Rise to the occasion. Red cape and blue tights optional.

4. Savor every moment you have together. Today she’s crawling around the house in diapers, tomorrow you’re handing her the keys to the car, and before you know it, you’re walking her down the aisle. Some day soon, hanging out with her old man won’t be the bees knees anymore. Life happens pretty fast. You better cherish it while you can.

5. Pray for her. Regularly. Passionately. Continually.

6. Buy her a glove and teach her to throw a baseball. Make her proud to throw like a girl… a girl with a wicked slider.

7. She will fight with her mother. Choose sides wisely.

8. Go ahead. Buy her those pearls.

9. Of course you look silly playing peek-a-boo. You should play anyway.

10. Enjoy the wonder of bath time.

11. There will come a day when she asks for a puppy. Don’t over think it. At least one time in her life, just say, “Yes.”

12. It’s never too early to start teaching her about money. She will still probably suck you dry as a teenager… and on her wedding day.

13. Make pancakes in the shape of her age for breakfast on her birthday. In a pinch, donuts with pink sprinkles and a candle will suffice.

14. Buy her a pair of Chucks as soon as she starts walking. She won’t always want to wear matching shoes with her old man.

15. Dance with her. Start when she’s a little girl or even when she’s a baby. Don’t wait ‘til her wedding day.

16. Take her fishing. She will probably squirm more than the worm on your hook. That’s OK.

17. Learn to say no. She may pitch a fit today, but someday you’ll both be glad you stuck to your guns.

18. Tell her she’s beautiful. Say it over and over again. Someday an animated movie or “beauty” magazine will try to convince her otherwise.

19. Teach her to change a flat. A tire without air need not be a major panic inducing event in her life. She’ll still call you crying the first time it happens.

20. Take her camping. Immerse her in the great outdoors. Watch her eyes fill with wonder the first time she sees the beauty of wide open spaces. Leave the iPod at home.

21. Let her hold the wheel. She will always remember when daddy let her drive.

22. She’s as smart as any boy. Make sure she knows that.

23. When she learns to give kisses, she will want to plant them all over your face. Encourage this practice.

24. Knowing how to eat sunflower seeds correctly will not help her get into a good college. Teach her anyway.

25. Letting her ride on your shoulders is pure magic. Do it now while you have a strong back and she’s still tiny.

26. It is in her nature to make music. It’s up to you to introduce her to the joy of socks on a wooden floor.

27. If there’s a splash park near your home, take her there often. She will be drawn to the water like a duck to a puddle.

28. She will eagerly await your return home from work in the evenings. Don’t be late.

29. If her mom enrolls her in swim lessons, make sure you get in the pool too. Don’t be intimidated if there are no other dads there. It’s their loss.

30. Never miss her birthday. In ten years she won’t remember the present you gave her. She will remember if you weren’t there.

31. Teach her to roller skate. Watch her confidence soar.

32. Let her roll around in the grass. It’s good for her soul. It’s not bad for yours either.

33. Take her swimsuit shopping. Don’t be afraid to veto some of her choices, but resist the urge to buy her full-body beach pajamas.

34. Somewhere between the time she turns three and her sixth birthday, the odds are good that she will ask you to marry her. Let her down gently.

35. She’ll probably want to crawl in bed with you after a nightmare. This is a good thing.

36. Few things in life are more comforting to a crying little girl than her father’s hand. Never forget this.

37. Introduce her to the swings at your local park. She’ll squeal for you to push her higher and faster. Her definition of “higher and faster” is probably not the same as yours. Keep that in mind.

38. When she’s a bit older, your definition of higher and faster will be a lot closer to hers. When that day comes, go ahead… give it all you’ve got.

39. Holding her upside down by the legs while she giggles and screams uncontrollably is great for your biceps. WARNING: She has no concept of muscle fatigue.

40. She might ask you to buy her a pony on her birthday. Unless you live on a farm, do not buy her a pony on her birthday. It’s OK to rent one though.

41. Take it easy on the presents for her birthday and Christmas. Instead, give her the gift of experiences you can share together.

42. Let her know she can always come home. No matter what.

43. Remember, just like a butterfly, she too will spread her wings and fly some day. Enjoy her caterpillar years.

44. Write her a handwritten letter every year on her birthday. Give them to her when she goes off to college, becomes a mother herself, or when you think she needs them most.

45. Learn to trust her. Gradually give her more freedom as she gets older. She will rise to the expectations you set for her.

46. When in doubt, trust your heart. She already does.

47. When your teenage daughter is upset, learning when to engage and when to back off will add years to YOUR life. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

48. Ice cream covers over a multitude of sins. Know her favorite flavor.

49. This day is coming soon. There’s nothing you can do to be ready for it. The sooner you accept this fact, the easier it will be.

50. Today she’s walking down the driveway to get on the school bus. Tomorrow she’s going off to college. Don’t blink.

2nd NST and Another Ultrasound,,,

2011-09-08T21:25:00.004-04:00

Today I had to go for my follow-up ultrasound to check on the sizes of the babies and for another NST. John came with me for this appointment.

First they called me back to have my NST done. They hooked me up to all of the monitors and handed me my little clicker. The nurse was really good this time and found the heartbeats right away without even using the ultrasound wand to find them. So she hooked me up and I just sat. John read a magazine. LOL. So again, I just sat there listening to the beautiful sounds of my babies hearts beating and clicking the little button every time I felt someone move. The girl came in a couple of times to check on me and every time she looked at the paper thing she said how great the babies were doing and that everything was perfect! So I only had to sit there for like 20 mintues again because both babies were very cooperative once again.

The nurse then switched me to the ultrasound room so we could check the size of the babies and do the Doppler. Both babies are doing really well and had great heartbeats. Baby A is still head down and Baby B it transverse laying sideways across my belly. Baby A is measuring about 4lbs. 4oz. and Baby B is measuring about 5lbs., so they aren't as far apart in weight as they were 2 weeks ago but there is still a difference. The ultrasound tech got everything she needed and then we waited to talk to the doctor. He came in to talk to us and said everything is going really well and that the NST was perfect and he's much happier about the sizes of the babies. He said he is giving me off next week so I don't have to go in for another NST for two more weeks. "He's giving me the week off for good behavior" lol. So next week I just have to go to see Dr. R.

John and I are very happy that the babies are doing so well and time is just ticking away. They will be here before we know it. We have so much to do it's crazy! I'm doing really well. I just feel huge and uncomfortable. I have a toms of aches and pains and I'm exhausted. But other than that really good. LOL.

33 Weeks...

2011-09-06T11:13:00.003-04:00

It's getting cramped in there...
Your babies are approximately 17 inches from head to heel, each weighs about 4.25 pounds, and you are probably all very aware that it is getting more and more cramped in there. Your babies' adrenal glands have developed and are producing hormones that stimulate your breasts to lactate. If you are thinking about food more in this home stretch, consider that seafood can boost the development of your babies' brain, which will develop most during the ninth month. However, the FDA recommends you consume no more than one serving per month of shark or swordfish due to potentially higher levels of methyl mercury found in these fish. And be sure to select a fish that isn't overfished. Check out this seafood guide to find sustainably-harvested fish.

*Amniotic fluid is at its highest level during your pregnancy.
*Your baby's head size has increased 3/8ths of an inch due to rapid brain growth.
*Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in your baby's brain will give her the skills she needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, she may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing.
*While most of her bones are hardening, her skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier.
*Your baby takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since she gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages her lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development).
*If your baby is a boy, his testicles will be descending from his abdomen into his scrotum. Sometimes one or both testicles won't move into position until after birth.
*Your infant is now 17.2 inches (43.7cm) long and weighs 4.23 pounds (1918gm).

6th Doctors Appointment, 1st Stress Test...

2011-09-01T18:13:00.006-04:00

So today I had another doctors appointment and my first non stress test.

First I had my doctors appointment with Dr. D. I was getting so aggravated because my appointment was at 1:30 and my NST was at 2:30. I got to my doctor appointment early to make sure I would get in and get done so I could get to my NST. Needless to say at 3:15 I got to my 2:30 appointment. Talk about stress!!!!

I was just sitting there waiting and waiting and finally at like 2:15 I went up to the desk and had asked them when I was going to be called back to see the Dr because I had an appointment at 2:30 for my NST. The girl behind the desk apologized and said it would be soon and she would call next door to tell them I would be a few minutes late. No problem, right? So then I sat there waiting and waiting some more. Finally, at like 3:00 I went up again to ask them when I was going to be called back and to tell them I would just skip the Dr appointment and a girl that works there walked by and was like... "let me guess you want to know when it's your turned" as she giggled. I looked at her and was like "yeah, my appointment was at 1:30 and I have an appointment for an NST at 2:30 and I'm sitting here!". She got this shocked look on her face and was like, oh, let me run and see what's going on and I'll have someone call next door and tell them you are still here! She came back and told me I was next to be called back but I had already heard this so I would believe it when I see it.

They finally called me back and weighed me and took my blood pressure. Both were really good. I haven't gained any weight in the past 2 weeks or whatever it was and my blood pressure was good. The nurse then took me into the examine room to wait for Dr. D and she honestly came in pretty quickly. I was a lil shocked. So she was looking through my chart and said everything is going really good. My weight is good, blood pressure good, all test results from before I passed with flying colors. So she just needed to hear the baby's heartbeats. I laid back and she found Baby A right away but couldn't find Baby B. I told her not to worry about it because I was going next door for an NST as soon as I was done here.

We talked for a few minutes about whether either John or myself were getting fixed once the girls were born and again I told her that John said he would do it. I've done enough. LOL. She agreed and said but if you have to have a C-section then I'll just do a tubal then because it will be easier. I reminder her again that I won't be having a c-section. I told her my plan is to get to 38 weeks like I did with Rae and Vi and then have her induce me. Then the girls would be born vaginal with no problems or complications. That is my plan and I'm sticking to it! She just laughed and told me again how "most" twins are born via c-section and last time I got lucky. I just told her to stop and that last time she delivered the girls it was a breeze and it would be a breeze this time too. She laughed and said "yeah a breeze... look at all of this grey hair!". So I go back in two more weeks for another check-up.

Oh and while I was scheduling my appointments for the next month I found out that Dr. D and Dr. R are both going to be away for two weeks between Sept 21st and Oct 3rd. So I can't go into labor during that time span! WTH???? I seriously hope these lil girls do not try making an early appearance!!

I left there and ran next door to the Maternal Fetal Center and apologized immensely for being so late. They took me back after a little while and strapped me up to the monitors and stuff. So now I just had to sit there and wait. I sat there listening to the babies heartbeats and I had to click a little button every time I felt them move. The babies were very cooperative so I was done in like 20 minutes. Everything was great and the babies are doing awesome. Both of them had fantastic heartbeats and were very active. So now I just have to come back again for another NST next week.

32 Weeks...

2011-08-30T11:57:00.003-04:00

Settling Down...
Your babies are both just under 17 inches long from head to heel and each weighs almost 4 pounds. Just like newborns, your babies sleep most of the time. They even experience rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the period of sleep when we dream!

*Your baby is up to 3.75 pounds (1702gm) now and is 16.7 inches (42.4cm) long.
*You might notice he's not moving around as much now. Don't worry! She is fine -- just running short on room. She still has plenty of growing to do though, believe it or not!
*All five senses are working. Your little one is fascinated and practicing testing these out as much as possible!
*Toenails are completely formed even though she may not be quite ready for a French manicure.
*Hair on your infant's head continues to grow in. Will she have dad's black hair or your red hair?
*Brain scans have shown that babies have periods of dream sleep (REM) starting around the eight month. What do you suppose your daughter is dreaming about?

I was the sun, the kids were my planets...

2011-08-29T18:45:00.002-04:00

I was the sun, the kids were my planets

By Beverly Beckham

August 27, 2006

I wasn't wrong about their leaving. My husband kept telling me I was. That it wasn't the end of the world when first one child, then another , and then the last packed their bags and left for college.

But it was the end of something. "Can you pick me up, Mom?" "What's for dinner?" "What do you think?"

I was the sun and they were the planets. And there was life on those planets, whirling, non stop plans and parties and friends coming and going, and ideas and dreams and the phone ringing and doors slamming.

And I got to beam down on them. To watch. To glow.

And then they were gone, one after the other.

"They'll be back," my husband said. And he was right. They came back. But he was wrong, too, because they came back for intervals -- not for always, not planets anymore, making their predictable orbits, but unpredictable, like shooting stars.

Always is what you miss. Always knowing where they are. At school. At play practice. At a ballgame. At a friend's. Always looking at the clock mid day and anticipating the door opening, the sigh, the smile, the laugh, the shrug. "How was school?" answered for years in too much detail. "And then he said . . . and then I said to him..." Then hardly answered at all.

Always, knowing his friends.

Her favorite show.

What he had for breakfast.

What she wore to school.

What he thinks.

How she feels.

My friend Beth's twin girls left for Roger Williams yesterday. They are her fourth and fifth children. She's been down this road three times before. You'd think it would get easier.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without them," she has said every day for months.

And I have said nothing, because, really, what is there to say?

A chapter ends. Another chapter begins. One door closes and another door opens. The best thing a parent can give their child is wings. I read all these things when my children left home and thought then what I think now: What do these words mean?

Eighteen years isn't a chapter in anyone's life. It's a whole book, and that book is ending and what comes next is connected to, but different from, everything that has gone before.

Before was an infant, a toddler, a child, a teenager. Before was feeding and changing and teaching and comforting and guiding and disciplining, everything hands -on. Now?

Now the kids are young adults and on their own and the parents are on the periphery, and it's not just a chapter change. It's a sea change.

As for a door closing? Would that you could close a door and forget for even a minute your children and your love for them and your fear for them, too. And would that they occupied just a single room in your head. But they're in every room in your head and in your heart.

As for the wings analogy? It's sweet. But children are not birds. Parents don't let them go and build another nest and have all new offspring next year.

Saying goodbye to your children and their childhood is much harder than all the pithy sayings make it seem. Because that's what going to college is. It's goodbye.

It's not a death. And it's not a tragedy.

But it's not nothing, either.

To grow a child, a body changes. It needs more sleep. It rejects food it used to like. It expands and it adapts.

To let go of a child, a body changes, too. It sighs and it cries and it feels weightless and heavy at the same time.

The drive home alone without them is the worst. And the first few days. But then it gets better. The kids call, come home, bring their friends, fill the house with their energy again.

Life does go on.

"Can you give me a ride to the mall?" "Mom, make him stop!" I don't miss this part of parenting, playing chauffeur and referee. But I miss them, still, all these years later, the children they were, at the dinner table, beside me on the couch, talking on the phone, sleeping in their rooms, safe, home, mine.

Beverly Beckham can be reached at bbeckham@globe.com.

© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.

First and Earthquake... now Hurricane Irene...

2011-08-27T22:03:00.004-04:00

Ok, so Tuesday we had an earthquake and now we have Hurricane Irene coming with a bunch of flooding and Tornado warnings. There is so much craziness going on in the world right now!

Yesterday we had to make a trip to the grocery store to pick up the necessity stuff and John had to clean off our back patio so that nothing blew away or got damaged. It's crazy because the way they have our townhouses set up it's like a windtunnel back here!

John had to work today so I was home with the munchkins all day. The day started out normal but then by the afternoon we were getting terrible rain storms. They sent John home from work at 3PM because the dealership was closing. They evacuated all of the shores and stuff and were closing roads. They wanted people to stay in doors. I made a big pot of homemade beef stew which turned out totally yummy! I know it's summer time but it seemed very fitting. So, John came home and we just hung out watching the weather channel to see what was coming our way. The storm was just crazy! As we were watching the news we kept getting the emergency broadcast signal that there were Tornado warnings for our town and them telling us what to do and where to hide in case of a Tornado touching down. The rain was so heavy outside, poor John had to keep running out there to empty the water out of our window well for the basement because the water was literally pouring into the basement! I felt so bad that I couldn't go out there and help him. He was trying to dig the well down deeper and cover it up. He even dug a few small trenches out there to try to help. While he was out there of course my crazy lil monkeys wouldn't get away from the door and kept wanting to go outside with daddy. At one point he came running into the house and told the kids to get away from the windows and stuff because the sirens started going off. I don't know if it was because of flooding, a tornado or what! it was just a crazy scary night!

Thankfully the water in the basement was minimal, thanks to John going out and doing what he did. We had no tornados touch down here but Pitman and I believe Glassboro did. We made out so well and are very thankful for it. Some people got seriously flooding, wind damage and trees falling in there yards and houses and much worse.

Here is a picture that was taken as it hit North Carolina landfall. It's amazing!

6th Ultrasound...

2011-08-25T20:53:00.002-04:00

So today we went for another ultrasound. Everything went well for the most part. Both babies are growing like weeds, they both have great heartbeats and they are both head down! The babies were pretty cooperative for the US tech. She got all of her measurements and everything. Baby A is now measuring 3 lbs. 8 oz. and Baby B had a huge growth spurt again and is now measuring 4 lbs. 11 oz. so that is where the doctor is concerned but not worried. The girls are in two separate sacs so they each have their own placenta, so it isn't like Baby B is stealing all of the food and nutrients from Baby A. So they just want to keep a close eye on it to see how they grow. He said it could have been something technical or with the babies positioning so that's why he said he is concerned but not worried. They are going to start sending me for weekly stress tests already starting next week and also growth checks every two weeks for the rest of my pregnancy.

I guess doctors always have to give you worst case scenarios because he went on to say I am far enough along to where if I were to go into labor they would see if they wanted to stop it or just go ahead and take the babies. He said technically once you hit 32 weeks the babies are viable so we'll just play it by ear and see what happens. My goal is to make it at least 38 weeks and then be induced like last time. That's my story and that's what I'm sticking to!

I am so not ready for the babies to get here yet. I have so much to do to get ready for them and I have no energy to do it. I've been so tired because I'm not sleeping at night because my hips have been bothering me so bad and I have to pee like every 45 minutes. So yeah... I'm just feeling huge & uncomfortable, exhausted, slightly overwhelmed and trying my hardest not to stress out.

Don’t Dance So Fast...

2011-08-24T18:05:00.001-04:00

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,’Hi’
You’d better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift..
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

- David Weatherford

Earthquake rocks New Jersey and New York... Really!!

2011-08-23T21:33:00.000-04:00

Published: Tuesday, August 23, 2011, 1:56 PM

By Star-Ledger Staff The Star-Ledger

NEWARK— A rare earthquake centered in Virginia rattled parts of New Jersey and New York shortly before 2 p.m. today, causing buildings to sway in cities and towns across the region.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries or structural damage, but the quake rattled nerves.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that a magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit at 1:51 p.m. and the epicenter was northwest of Richmond, Va., about halfway to Charlottesville. The Associated Press is reporting the quake was felt in Washington, D.C., New York City and North Carolina.

The quake was later downgraded to a magnitude 5.8.

U.S.G.S. Geophysicist Julie Dutton said an earthquake of this magnitude is rare for the East Coast but that the effects are felt widely in our region because quakes move more easily through the bedrock.

UPDATE ON TUESDAY'S EAST COAST EARTHQUAKE

"It is definitely unusual to have a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Virginia,'' Dutton said.

The East Coast quake followed a 5.3 magnitude shaker in Colorado, but Dutton said the two events most likely are not related.

"It's actually about 6 kilometers deep, which is pretty typical for quakes in the East," he said. "They're very shallow."
About the quake:

Don Blakeman, a geophysicist at the USGS, said the magnitude of the earthquake might change once more data is available.

The 5.8-magnitude earthquake that was felt shortly before 2 p.m. in several states along the East Coast this afternoon originated in central Virginia, more than 300 miles from Newark.

Blakeman said there are fault lines throughout the East Coast but scientists have yet to identify where the main ones would be. He said the makeup of the earth's surface in the East Coast ensured that the quake was felt throughout the region.
Virginia's largest recorded earthquake was in 1897 and was of the same magnitude as the one today, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The last earthquake in the greater New York area was recorded at 1.6 magnitude on June 9 in South Plainfield.

"The crust in the Eastern part of the U.S. carries the quake much more energetically," Blakeman said. "This will have been felt all the way up into New England, West, and down into the Carolinas."

As he was speaking, Blakeman said the USGS had just registered an aftershock at roughly 2:40 p.m.

"There absolutely will be aftershocks when you have a good-size earthquake that's shallow in the crust," Blakeman said.

Jonathan Husch, chair of the department of geological, environmental and marine sciences at Rider University in Lawrenceville estimated the intensity was about a 3 in New Jersey, meaning most people felt a mild shaking, as if a large truck was passing their building or house.

"Earthquakes in the eastern part of the U.S. are not unusual. They're not common, but they're not unusual," he said.

The quake in Virginia may be the largest ever recorded in that area, Husch added.

Many scientists who study earthquakes say the New York City area is overdue for a moderate earthquake that will damage buildings.

"This wasn't it," Husch said.

AROUND NEW JERSEY

In South Brunswick, police Sgt. James Ryan said the shaking brought staff out of their offices and immediately jammed the township’s emergency lines.

"The 911 line is flooding with calls right now," Ryan said at 2 p.m. "People want to know what happened. They want to know if there was an explosion."
earthquake-nj.jpgU.S. Geological SurveyA 5.8-magnitude earthquake in central Virginia was felt in several states along the East Coast this afternoon.

The quake was felt in the offices of Alcatel-Lucent in Murray Hill, Union County.

Liza Ottesen, who works as a manager there, said her whole desk area started "swaying."

"Everything started to sway very slightly, gently back and forth. It was very odd; I'm in the middle of a large building and nothing sways back and forth," she said. "I stood up and looked around to see if anyone else had noticed the same thing, and everybody was doing what I was doing."

She said there was no damage, but described the feeling as "strange."

"It was a swaying that is not supposed to happen to a building," she said.

Middletown Police also reported some minor damage at a Sears store.

“A couple ceiling tiles fell out,” Sgt. Paul Bailey said. “And maybe the supports that hold them up. Nothing earth shattering, pardon the pun.”

In Plainfield, employees in the Park Madison building — a mix of local and state government offices — were evacuated after the tremor, according to James Pellettiere, a Union County spokesman.

“They were quickly brought back into the building ,” Pellettiere said.

Farther north, in the county’s six-story administration building in Elizabeth, there was a continuous shaking, according to Sebastian D’Elia, another spokesman.

“The building shook a little bit like spaghetti,” said D’Elia, who works on the building’s top floor. It went on for a minute and I kind of got sea sick.”

D’Elia said the county’s emergency management office was jammed with calls – a situation being experienced at local 9-1-1 dispatch centers around the state.
Video: Earthquake hits New Jersey, Newark city hall evacuated A 5.8 earthquake in Virginia was felt across the state causing evacuations in Newark. Outside City Hall, Mayor Cory Booker let workers know it was safe to return to the building. (Video by Michael Monday & Nyier Abdou/The Star-Ledger) Watch video

“Unless you have damage or emergency issues that need to be addressed, please do not call police headquarters,” he said.

In New Brunswick, county employees in the four-story Middlesex County Administration building were evacuated, according to county administrator John Pulomena.

The quake was felt in the Middlesex County Courthouse, but, although most of the people inside left the five-story building, there was no official evacuation ordered, according to the county Sheriff's Department.

J.D. Armelin, whose business office is in 75 Paterson St. in New Brunswick, said he was sitting in his chair in his office when the earthquake struck.

"I was in my rolling chair and I started rolling around, and it shook," Armelin said. "That was crazy."

He said he first attributed it to the work on the construction next to the building where they are preparing a site for a new parking deck and road, but when he got outside, he realized it wasn't the project.

Maliek Baker was sitting in a barber's chair in the Onyx Salon on Paterson Street, across from the Middlesex County Courthouse, and felt his chair start to shake.

"I said to a couple of the barbers that my chair was shaking and they laughed it off," Baker said. "Then one of the barbers went outside and saw that people were coming out of the courthouse and standing around. Then he came back in and said, 'Maliek, you're right. It was an earthquake."

Camden County’s Office of Emergency Management received several reports of possible damage to buildings but nothing serious, said Jay Vilardo, an emergency management planner.

“We’re just monitoring and assessing calls that are coming in,” he said around 3 p.m. “Just a big scare — that’s all.”

At Bergen Community College in Paramus, ESL professor Heidi Lieb was among faculty members putting in summer office hours when the quake struck.

“They’re doing construction on the building, so people probably chalked it up to that. But I have never felt a shake like that,” said Lieb. “Everybody’s coming out of their office to see what was going on, and nobody knows what to do.”

"We don't have any earthquake training,' she said. "Earthquakes, tornadoes. We just are not prepared for these kinds of things."

Atlantic City went into emergency mode with evacuations of high rises, including hospitals, schools, casinos and hotels, when the tremors hit, said city emergency management coordinator Thomas Foley. It also put coastal towns on the alert for a potential tsunami.

After the quake, buildings were inspected for damage. Foley said City Hall employees were sent home because of the late hour by the time the inspection of the building -- which was not damaged -- was completed. The housing authority evacuated its high rises, which did not sustain any damage but one person suffered a heart attack during the event, Foley said.

He said he received reports of a crack in a wall in one house and a broken water pipe in another building.

Emergency management officials also notified beach patrol to be on the alert.

"God forbid we see the water start receding, we've got to immediately evacuate the beach,'' he said. But the epicenter of the quake was so far inland that it did not pose a threat of a tsunami.
Earthquake hits during Ledger Live taping A 5.8 earthquake in Virginia was felt in the Star-Ledger newsroom during a Ledger Live taping. Watch video

There were no reports of widespread power outages caused by the earthquake in the central and southern regions of the state, according to officials at both Jersey Central Power and Lighting and Atlantic City Electric.

There are minor scattered outages reported on PSEG's online outage map. According to PSEG's spokeswoman Karen Johnson, no outages in their coverage area resulted from the earthquake.

At this time, there are very few reports of damage to any infrastructure in the state. Roadways, Bridges and tunnels all seem to be intact. Deptford Township in Gloucester County has reports of a gas leak on one street (Craig Drive) and there have been several residential evacuations at that location.

Gloucester County College also reported a gas leak in one building that has since been evacuated. There were no reports of any injuries.

DOWN THE SHORE

On a packed 26th Street beach in Avalon, the tremors forced people upright in their beach chairs, looking quizzically at each other for 10 seconds until the shaking stopped.

"Do you feel that?" people shouted to each other.

Dozens of beachgoers reached for mobile phones, which quickly overloaded the capacity and prevented most calls from going through.
Why East Coast quakes are different from West Coast quakes

News of the Virginia earthquake was quickly confirmed and spread down the beach as an Army helicopter swooped up the coast at low altitude.

In Cape May, it was more of a shimmy than a quake along the beach. But the odd rumbling underfoot was enough to cause people to break from a lazy afternoon of tanning and sit up from their lounge chairs to look around in amazement at the beach umbrellas wiggling in concert.

Strangers who had ignored each other all day suddenly looked across chairs and blankets to asked in disbelief, "Is this an earthquake?"

It lasted nearly 45 seconds, long enough to convince any doubters and those sunbathers who awoke late from their chairs that it was indeed a quake.

The two-story headquarters for the Manasquan beach operations was closed following the quake after walls buckled and several gaps and cracks opened up, said Walter Wall, the borough beach manager.

The building, constructed in 1954, will be temporarily shored up and evaluated more thoroughly Wednesday. Regardless of the extent of the damage, Wall said, it could hasten plans to rebuild the structure.

“There were plans to get a new building anyway,” Wall said. “So, this may expedite the situation.”

The building is the location for the beach offices, a room for beach emergency responders, lifeguards, and police who patrol the beach and boardwalk after hours. Following the earthquake, Wall said, beach badges were sold just outside the entrance to the building.

PREVIOUS EARTHQUAKES

New Jersey has seen earthquakes before. A series of four hit Morris County in February 2009, with the largest of a magnitude 3.0 at its epicenter in Victory Gardens. A 2.5 magnitude earthquake hit the same area in December 2009. A pair of quakes also hit Somerset County in February 2010, the larger of the two measuring 1.5.

A magnitude 5.0 quake centered near Ottawa, Canada, shook some parts of New Jersey last June, though no damage or injuries were reported.

Since New Jersey earthquakes are often at shallow levels in the ground, witnesses often say they can hear what sound like explosions — which is actually the breakage of rocks as it's happening.

The New Jersey area is due for one of its own, said Alexander Gates, the chairman of earth and environmental sciences at Rutgers-Newark, and an earthquake expert.

The seismic areas of the Garden State are similar to those of Virginia — and the last major one was in 1884, a magnitude 5.5 centered off the coast of Sandy Hook, which pulled houses off their foundations. In geologic terms, that means the state can expect one like Virginia’s Tuesday trembler any moment, likely in the next 20 years, Gates said.

“We’re overdue for one about that size right here,” Gates said.

Compiled by Star-Ledger staff writers Tomas Dinges, Mike Frassinelli, David Giambusso, Dan Goldberg, Kelly Heyboer, Ryan Hutchins, Eunice Lee, Len Melisurgo, Steven Strunsky, MaryAnn Spoto, Julia Terruso, Susan Todd and James Queally.

© 2011 NJ.com. All rights reserved.

31 Weeks...

2011-08-23T21:22:00.001-04:00

Your babies each weigh approximately 3.5 pounds, measure just over 16 inches from head to heel, and are getting used to the world of light and dark by opening and closing their eyes. Their facial muscles continue to strengthen, and they can make different expressions. Their lungs are nearly mature; however, these last few weeks are crucial to healthy and complete lung development.

*The rate of physical growth slows down just a bit, but even though she doesn't get much longer, she will gain a lot of weight the rest of the pregnancy.
*Fat continues accumulating. This layer of fat turns her skin from red to the rosy pink she will have as a newborn.
*Calcium, phosphorus and iron are being stored and her bones are growing and hardening.
*Your baby is 16.2 inches (41.1cm) long and weighs 3.3 pounds (1502gm).
*Her brain enters another period of rapid growth, producing hundreds of billions of new nerve cells! Amazing!
*She may move to the rhythm of music. Studies with heart rates show that she also prefers some types of music to others -- already!
*Lungs are the only major organ left to complete development. Remember, that while you may be anxious to meet your little one that these last few weeks can be vital - with each day increasing your baby's ability to breathe on her own.

We Totally Just had an Earthquake in NJ...

2011-08-23T15:10:00.002-04:00

So John and I were upstairs folding laundry and trying to clean up stuff to get ready for the new babies and the house started shaking like crazy!! No joke!!

Kathy was downstairs with the kids and John and I were upstairs. So we're just talking about everything that we need to do before the arrival of the girls as we were folding laundry. John walked over to his bureau to put clothes away and all of the sudden it started shaking. The crystals were shaking, the big mirror on the wall was shaking and the floor was shaking. John and I just looked at each other like WTF was that??? I said holy crap, we just had an earthquake! John just looked at me and laughed. He never believes me. LOL. We ran out of the bedroom and looked down to Kathy asking her what the heck was that and to check on everyone. She looked at us like we were completely nuts! She replied, what was what. So we told her what happened and she was like, I don't know what you're talking about. Aiden was just jumping around but other than that I have no clue what you're talking about. I told them both we just had an earthquake.

My cell phone started blowing up with incoming messages of people updating their Facebook status and sure enough... it was an Earthquake! Friends from Maryland, Virginia, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and I forget where else were all talking about it. They all felt the tremor too! Apparently after further investigation we just felt the aftershocks of the Earthquake. The Earthquake actually hit Virginia. It was just pure craziness!

30 Weeks...

2011-08-16T09:31:00.002-04:00

From about now until you deliver, your babies' growth will be slower than if you were carrying a single baby as they are quickly running out of room to grow! Your babies each weigh around 3 pounds and are about 16 inches from head to heel. An ultrasound image may show your babies holding hands or sucking their thumbs, and you may also notice that your babies don't move at all during your Braxton Hicks contractions. This is because your muscles tighten and constrict their movement. By now your babies are probably more used to Braxton Hicks than you are!

*Did you know your baby is nearly three pounds now?
*Her head is getting larger to accommodate a period of rapid brain growth. Don't forget to continue to "teach" your baby in the womb by exposing to music, literature, and simply talking to her.
*A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her. As she grows and fills your uterus, the amount of amniotic fluid will decrease. Funny, you certainly won't feel any lighter!
*She spends more and more time practicing opening and closing eyelids. Her eyes can move from side to side, following a light source. She may even reach out to touch the light.
*Early lanugo is beginning to disappear that served to protect your baby's skin from the water in the womb. Your little one's own hair may begin to appear.
*Toenails are entering their final growth stage.
*Bone marrow is now in charge of red blood cell production. These red blood cells will continue to service your child's body by transporting oxygen and removing the wastes (carbon monoxide and other gases).
*Your baby has the capability now to produce tears -- yes, within the womb.
*By the end of this week, your baby is now 15.7 inches (39.9cm) long and weighs 2.91 pounds (1319gm).

29 Weeks...

2011-08-09T10:16:00.001-04:00

Your babies are each about 15.5 inches from head to heel and weigh about 2.7 pounds. They continue to be active and grow; however, you are probably feeling fewer kicks and punches. This is because even though your babies are getting larger and stronger, they also have less space in which to gain momentum for these movements.

Your babies' blood is now being produced from the stem cells in their bone marrow. Many expectant parents choose to collect and freeze their babies' umbilical cord blood after they are born and the cords are cut. This usually-discarded blood contains stem cells, which may be invaluable in case the family needs them in the future. Some scientists believe that in the future we will all be treated with our own stem cells to cure conditions such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart disease.

*Your baby's head is in proportion with body now. She appears more like a newborn each and every day!
*Fat continues to accumulate under the skin -- only now preparing for entering the *real world*.
*Your baby's brain can control primitive breathing and body temperatures.
*Her eyes can move in their sockets. Soon she will be able to follow a blinking light.
*Your baby is increasingly sensitive to changes in light, sound, taste, and smell! *Various studies show that your baby may indicate preferences (or disdain) for particular tastes or odors at this stage.
*She is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, she will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if she is performing somersaults for a circus act!
*Her length is now approximately 15.2 inches (38.6cm) and weight is 2.54 pounds (1153gm).

5 Things...

2011-08-05T13:26:00.000-04:00

There are 5 things in life you cannot recover: A stone... after it's thrown. A word... after it is said. An occasion... after it's missed. The time... after it's gone. A person... after they die. Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile, Enjoy Life...

Life...

2011-08-04T10:33:00.000-04:00

28 Weeks...

2011-08-02T10:13:00.002-04:00

Hello Third Trimester!!!

Your babies each weigh approximately 2.4 pounds and are a little under 15 inches from head to heel. They have been gaining weight steadily during the past 27 weeks as their stem cells develop into organs, blood and immune systems, and bones. However, from this point forward, your babies' weight gain will be due to increasing amounts of body fat.

*Eyebrows and eyelashes are now very noticeable!
*Hair on baby's head is growing longer. Some babies are born with almost none at all, while others appear to be ready for their first haircut!
*Eyes are completely formed now. Quite a view from inside!
*Your baby's body is getting plump and rounded. Most of that increase is muscle tissue and bone. Fat will be added during the third trimester.
*Muscle tone is improving. Preparation for the Olympics feels like it is taking place in your womb!
*Lungs are capable of breathing now(but baby would still struggle and require medical attention if born now)
*Talk to your baby often, reading stories, singing songs and more. He or she can recognize your voice now and will often calm to it later on!
*Your baby weighs in now at 2.2 pounds (1005gm) and is 14.8 inches (37.6cm).

5th Doctors Appointment...

2011-08-01T14:46:00.002-04:00

Today was my monthly appointment with Dr. D to check on the babies and have my Glucose test done. I swear that orange stuff they make you drink is terrible! I drank it and felt like I was going to vomit for the next 3 hours. So I showed up at my appointment and they had me drink the stuff right away so then I could sit for the hour before they did my blood work. At one point the receptionist looked at me and asked if I was ok. I was probably looking a lil green around the gills. lol. I told her yeah, the stuff they make you drink just didn't agree with me. So then I waited until they called me into the back to see Dr. D. The nurse weighed me and I gained 4 more pounds but they said it's ok because it's like a pound a week and I didn't gain any weight in the beginning. They took my blood pressure and that was good, which was surprising because I feel like I've been under so much stress lately.

Dr. D came in and asked how I was feeling and stuff. I told her I was feeling good, just the normal being tired and uncomfortable. She said with each pregnancy it gets more and more uncomfortable. Especially since I've had 5 babies in 5 years. She seemed concerned that it's putting alot of stress on my body. I just have to make it like another 10 or 11 weeks and I'll be good and the babies will be here. Not like I'm even remotely ready for them, I seriously need to get my stuff together over here. Dr. D found both heartbeats pretty quickly and they were both great! She told me that if there were any concerns or problems with my glucose test that they will call me by next Friday and other than that they will see me in two more weeks. These lil baby girls will be here before we know it!

Blessed Be...

2011-07-31T13:31:00.000-04:00

Thanks to those who hated me, You made me a stronger person
To those who loved me, You made my heart grow fonder
To those who envied me, You made my self-esteem grow stronger
To those who cared, You made me feel important
To those who entered my life, You made me who I am today
To those who left, You showed me that nothing lasts forever

Special Thanks to those who stayed, You showed me the true meaning of Love & Friendship... ♥

5th Ultrasound,,,,

2011-07-28T19:44:00.004-04:00

Today we went for our follow-up ultrasound to check on the babies growth.

Both babies are doing great and had perfect heartbeats! Baby A was weighing about 2 lbs. 1 oz and Baby B was about 2 lbs. 4 oz so they are getting back to about the same size. The doctor said that they are weighing about the size of a singleton baby so we're doing good and he was happy! So as long as we keep going like this and these lil babies keep on baking in the oven it looks like I'll have two good size babies again :)

Keep Shining...

2011-07-28T10:27:00.003-04:00

Sometimes we are drown in thinking too much in work, in mortage, kids school,money or whatever worries we have in a normal day, that we don´t make time for ourselves, time to breath, time to rest our Souls, time to connect ourselves with our own light, to add some positive thoughts to ourselves. It is time to give yourself a rest, pamper yourself with a bath, or lay down in the garden and look the sky or burn some lavender oil or inscense to relax yourself or do a meditation. Our Soul sometimes screams for help, for some peace inside of all the chaos. Give yourself today a time to reflect in how important and precious you are and give yourself a big hug for accomplish many things in your life. You have make it through to today with ups and downs, Because of this, You have to appreciate yourself. Let yourself be in peace for a moment, tonight or today whatever is is in your country.

Appreciate the beautiful You. Be thankful to yourself. Sometimes We clap and appreciate how beautiful other people are. Now, it is time To clap yourself, hug yourself and Say to yourself I am unique, I am strong, I have gorgeous soul, I am loving, I am caring and I am alive. I am LOVE. Blessings and sparkling light to All your Beautiful souls! Keep Shining!
´`'*°☆.♥¸.☆¨´♥`'*°☆.♥ ☆´`'♥*¸.☆¨´`'°♥´`'*°☆.♥¸.☆¨´♥`'*°☆.♥

27 Weeks...

2011-07-26T13:17:00.000-04:00

Your babies each weigh approximately 2 pounds and measure nearly 14.5 inches from head to heel. Their facial features are almost fully developed and synchronizing enough that they may make faces that are visible on an ultrasound. Their skin is becoming thicker and fleshier and increasingly wrinkled, thanks to the amniotic fluid. Their skin will remain wrinkled for the first month or so after birth - just think about how your hands or feet look after you have been in the water for just 30 minutes! During this week, their brains continue their rapid development, and their lungs continue to mature.

*Your little one's brain continues its rapid growth. Don't forget to share music, conversation, and even books with your baby!
*Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. Your baby's hearing continues to develop, he or she may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's.
*Lungs continue to grow and prepare for functioning outside of the womb. Each day in the womb greatly increases survival rates!
*She also continues to take small breaths and although she's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when she's born.
*Eyelids are now open more. Your baby can distinguish between light and dark.
*Retinas have formed.
*Your baby will grow over 1/2 inch this week alone! You may suspect this phenominal growth rate repeats in the preteen years!
*Average size is now 14.4 inches (36.6cm) and 1.9 pound (875gm).

26 Weeks...

2011-07-19T18:33:00.002-04:00

Your babies each weigh almost 2 pounds, measure around 14 inches from head to heel, and hear noises, respond to light, and are generally more aware of their surroundings. In the same way that you can see a flashlight if you hold it against your palm, your babies can see the light coming through your belly. You may notice increased activity when in brighter light and decreased activity in darkened rooms. Their hearing is fully developed, and as they react to sounds, their pulse increases. Your babies may even move in rhythm to music!

*Your baby may weigh about two pounds now (average is 1.7 pound, 760gm) and is 14 inches (35.6cm) in length.
*To support the fetus's growing body, the spine is getting stronger and more supple. Though no longer than the span of the average adult hand, it is now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings, and some 1,000 ligaments.
*Air sacs in the lungs form now.
*Lungs begin to secrete a greasy substance called surfactant. Without surfactant the fetal lungs would stick together and couldn't expand after the baby is born.
*Although they've been sealed shut for the last few months, your baby's eyes are opening and beginning to blink this week. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first 6 months of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes.
*Retinas begin to form.
*Brain wave activity for hearing and sight begins to be detectable.
*Fetal brain scans show response to touch. If you shine a light on your abdomen, your baby will turn her head, which according to researchers, means her optic nerve is working.

25 Weeks...

2011-07-12T06:11:00.002-04:00

Your babies each weigh about 1.5 pounds and measure 13.5 inches from head to heel. They are becoming stronger as their stem cells continue to develop into bone tissue, and their bones become solid through a process called ossification. They are gaining more fat to help them regulate their body temperature after birth (and give them those adorable baby rolls) and pigment is developing in their skin.

*The structures of the spine begin to form -- joints, ligaments and rings. These will protect the all important spinal cord which serves as the information transmitter for your child's body.
*Blood vessels of the lungs develop.
*Your baby's nostrils begin to open. There is a study out of Belfast that suggests babies at this stage have the capability of scent preferences!
*The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. When baby is rooting for food later on, these will be valuable!
*Her swallowing reflexes are developing.
*Dexterity is improving. Your baby can make a fist and would clasp objects placed in palm.
*Your child has now obtained an approximate length of 13.6 inches (34.6cm) and weighs 1.46 pound (660gm).

4th Doctors Appointment & 4th Ultrasound...

2011-07-07T20:33:00.006-04:00

So today was a busy day with doctors appointments. First I had a doctors appointment and everything went really well there. I gained 6 lbs. in the past month which is pretty depressing but I guess the babies are playing catch-up since I have only gained 3 lbs. so far. John keeps telling me not to worry about it that I'll just take care of it once they are born but you know of course I still do. I saw a new doctor today that I haven't seen yet and she was really nice. She couldn't believe that I'm pregnant with my second set of twins and I'm going to have 5 babies 5 and under. lol. So we talked for a little bit about everything that's going on and how I've been feeling. I really need to stop getting so stressed out. It's just so hard! She found Baby A's heartbeat right away but it took her a while to find Baby B's heartbeat. Baby A's heartbeat was down low so she said she thought she was head down but Baby B's heartbeat was high up by my ribs so she thought she was breech. Both heart beats were in the 150's which was good and everything is going great! I go back in 4 more weeks and then they'll be doing the glucose screening test. Yuck! lol.

Then I met up with John and we were off for the ultrasound. We were just sitting in the waiting room talking about life. We don't get to do that much without interruptions. haha. They called us back ad the Ultrasound tech got right to work. Both babies were very cooperative today. I honestly think that it's because in the past I've eaten something sugary before going to make sure the babies were active and maybe they just got a little too active! lol. So yesterday I didn't eat anything sweet all day and i think it really made a difference. The Ultrasound tech was really nice and good at her job. She was quick and got everything they needed and all of the pictures and measurements that they missed before. Baby A was head down and weighing in at 1 lb. 6 oz. with a heartbeat of 157. Baby B was laying more sideways and weighing in at 1 lb. 12 oz with a heartbeat of 154. So both babies are doing well and were jumping around like a bunch of mexican jumping beans. haha. After the girl was done doing our ultrasound we had to sit and wait to talk to the doctor. He was explaining all sorts of crazy stuff, I was just looking at him all confused and then looked at John and said "do you understand what he is saying?" John said "yes" I said "should I worry?" he said "no, everything is fine" so I'll go with that. They want us to come back in 3 weeks to have the size of the babies checked again. Baby B had a big growth spurt and her weight jumped up alot compared to Baby A. They've pretty much been neck and neck up to this point but today Baby B was measuring 6 oz. bigger than Baby A. I'm sure everything is fine. The doctor didn't seem too concerned, he just wants to keep an eye on it. So that's what we're doing and it will be cool because we'll get to see them again in another couple of weeks.

So today was a good day and both babies are doing really well. So we are happy campers :)

24 Weeks...

2011-07-05T10:20:00.002-04:00

Around 24 weeks, your babies enter the stage of viability. This means that if they were born today, there is a 90 percent chance they would survive with medical intervention. This will no doubt cause you to breathe at least a little sigh of relief. Your babies each weigh about 1.2 pounds and are a little less than 12 inches from head to heel. Their lungs have started secreting surfactant, the substance that keeps the moist, interior surface of the lungs from sticking together; and they are practicing breathing. Now that their eyelids are unfused, you may see them opening and closing their eyes on an ultrasound. They are watching for light and their ears are listening to your heart beat and your stomach growl.

*Bring on the bulk! Baby gains about 6 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs.
*Her body begins to fill out with her appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn.
*Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his distaste.
*Little creases have appeared on her palms. The muscular coordination of her hands has improved as she sucks her thumb.
*Over the next seven days the sweat glands will be forming in the skin.
*Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
*This week your baby is officially considered viable.
*Baby weighs 1.3 pound (600gm) and is 11.8 inches (30cm) long -- almost the length of a ruler!

23 Weeks...

2011-06-28T12:03:00.001-04:00

Your babies each weigh about one pound and are approximately 11.5 inches head to heel. They are continuing to develop facial features and you are probably feeling a lot of movement as they continue to explore their bodies and each other in the comfort of their own personal "living womb." They now have eyes that open and close, ears that can hear, and thumbs well worth sucking. If you suddenly feel regular, jerky movements, don't panic - one or more of your babies has the hiccups!

*Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since he hasn't begun to form body fat.
*Bones located in the middle ear harden.
*Your baby is able to hear. (Dads, did you know: low-frequency sounds mimicking a male voice penetrate the abdomen and uterine wall better than the higher frequencies of the female voice?)
*The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation.
*The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. She has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars.
*If born now, your baby has a 15% chance of survival, his odds going up with each passing day.
*The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.

Another Ultrasound...

2011-06-23T20:49:00.002-04:00

Today we went for another ultrasound. It was just a little quick one to try to get some better pictures of the lower baby that the ultrasound tech couldn't get the last time we were there because she was moving around so much. They needed better pictures of the different chambers of the heart and also her profile shot. So they were hoping that today the babies would be in a better position and more cooperative. She was and she wasn't.

They got the photos that they needed of the heart but no profile picture. She just didn't want her picture taken. lol. The girl tried for a little bit but really had no patience for it. At one point I had to sit up and put a cold rag on my neck and head because I thought that I was going to pass out. I guess the lil lovebugs were laying on something that they shouldn't be. She gave us two pictures but I'm not going to worry about posting them because they were pretty crappy shots so I'll just put them in the keepsake box. Like I said the ultrasound tech didn't have much patience and seemed like she was in a hurry.

Both heart rates were perfect, 147 BMP and 144 BPM. She also said that the lower baby is head down already and in position and the second baby is following suit. So hopefully they'll remember that's where they are supposed to be and I'll be good to deliver these babies the good old fashioned way.

We also saw a different specialist today. He was a bit weird. He came in and was talking to us and told us that she got "good enough" pictures of the heart but that the baby was being a "brat" and not cooperating so they could get a profile shot but that he isn't worried about it. I thought it was a bit weird/odd to call someone's unborn baby a "brat" but John just says I'm too sensitive.

So anyway, we go back in another 2 weeks for a full scan so hopefully they babies will both cooperate at that point and give them everything they need. I also hope that we have a different ultrasound tech. The girl we had today was nice and everything just lacked a bit in the patience department.

I am in L.O.V.E.

22 Weeks...

2011-06-21T09:11:00.002-04:00

Your babies each weigh about 15 ounces, measure just under 11 inches head to heel, and are growing eyelashes and eyebrows. These two latest developments will be a key method of communicating his or her happiness, frustration, confusion, or interest until he or she can talk. Little taste buds are forming on their tongues, and if you are carrying a boy (or two!) the testes begin descending from his abdomen. If you are carrying a girl (or two!) her uterus and ovaries are already formed, as well as all the eggs she will ever produce.

*Your baby weighs close to a pound at this point!
*Your baby can now hear your conversations more clearly than before!When you talk, read, or sing, expect her to hear you. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero.
*Eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed.
*Fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers.
*Be prepared for all those "Why" questions coming! Your baby's brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in what's called the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth. But the brain's amazing expansion program continues until around the five birthday.
*With some help from mom, baby's liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells.
*If your baby is male his testes begin their descent to the scrotum.
*Primitive sperm have formed and he is producing testosterone.
*Length is 10.94 inches (27.8cm); weight is nearly 1 pound (430gm).

For My Sweet Baby Girls...

2011-06-20T14:19:00.000-04:00

21 Weeks...

2011-06-14T10:56:00.000-04:00

Your babies each weigh approximately 12 ounces and are about 10.5 inches head to heel. We'll be giving your babies' measurements head to heel (as opposed to crown to rump) from now on as they begin to stretch out and accurate, full-body measurements are easier to take. Your babies are busy moving within your uterus, surrounded by amniotic fluid, learning how their arms and legs move, and using their hands to feel their facial features, touch each other and even hold hands, all of which you may be able to see on an ultrasound. If you want to find out the sex of your babies, now is a great time to do so! That is, of course, if you want to know and if your babies cooperate and display that particular information for the sonographer. Even with all of the technology available to us today, the miracle of birth can still hold surprises!

*White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense sytems. They help fight infections and diseases.
*Your little one's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque.
*Your infant's tongue is fully formed. If you were able to peek you might catch your son or daughter practicing giving you a raspberry!
*If your baby is a girl, her womb and vagina are formed. Unlike males, females have a limited supply of eggs in their lifetime. At this point your daughter will have 6 million eggs. This amount decreases to approximately one million by birth.
*Baby swallows more this week. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. This is good practice for his digestive system!
*Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that baby sets her internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! Your eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as her signals.
*Length is now measured crown to heel.
*Baby measures about 10.51 inches (26.7cm) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces (360g).

Our Surprise Party...

2011-06-12T20:58:00.007-04:00

Well, today we had a surprise party for the babies!!! We had our family over so that we could reveal the sex of the babies. It was such a good time and so much fun! My dear friend Dawn from Dawn's Edible Delights made us a cake and a yummy sweet tray for the occasion. It was awesome!!! She even stayed at the party for a while to talk and hang out which I thought was very special :)

Everyone came over and we had a nice little luncheon. I had made homemade meatballs & gravy which I'm very proud of, they turned out awesome! I used 6 lbs. of ground beef and we didn't have a single meatball left!! I didn't even get any! lol. I also made stuffed shells which were very yummy. We also had potato salad, pepperoni bread & broccoli bread. I just tried to keep it simple and relaxing. My friend Heather made baked ziti & spicy sausage which were both yummy. My sister Sandy made homemade chocolate chip cookies. I also made these yummy treats that were made of saltine crackers, toffee & drizzled chocolate. I never made them before but they were a hit too as there was not one left! haha. Like I mentioned earlier my friend Dawn made a beautiful and yummy cake and a delicious sweet tray that was filled with chocolate covered pretzels, strawberries, pineapples, popcorn, oreos, licorice and marshmallows. Again, all chocolate covered and so yummy! As soon as I opened it up everyone started diving into it like savages and basically trying to fill their pockets with the treats. Yes, it was just that good!!!

So we had lunch and everyone just hung out. Then we brought the cake out and everyone was placing their bets as to what they thought the babies were. We had alot of boy/girl and boy/boy but only 1 girl/girl by Heather. John and I were just laughing because we already knew. So we each got a knife and cut into the cake. It was a two tier cake. We cut into the top layer first and pulled out the slice and it was pink for a girl. So everyone was like Oh, another girl!!! So then we cut into the bottom layer and pulled out the second piece and everyone was like, no way... it's pink!! OMG two more girls!!! It was really so much fun and such a great way to tell everyone our exciting news! Everyone's next question was about names but we're still working on them.

It was just such a great day and I am so thankful for my family <3

3rd Doctor's Appointment...

2011-06-09T13:54:00.004-04:00

Today I had my monthly appointment with Dr. D. It went well as far as the babies are concerned but I have to say I was a little annoyed with the doctor by the time I left. I love Dr. D, she has been my ob/gyn for like 18 years (seriously!) but today was my first appointment with her for this pregnancy. So when she came into the room she was like are you kidding me?? So I just laughed and said "I guess you weren't expecting to see me here for this, huh?" and she came back with "You did this on purpose, you wanted more kids." we went back and fourth with it for a little bit and I explained to her what had happened with the birth control pills that she put me on. Her reply was, "well, you just weren't careful enough then." I told her the same thing that I told John... There is a BIG difference between saying that maybe one day I will want more kids and taking a home pregnancy test and getting a positive response! She then proceeded to say "well, you're getting your tubes tied after they are born." I told her that I wasn't getting my tubes tied that John and I have already talked about it and he is going to get "fixed". Dr. D then said when you have your c-section we'll just do it then! I said "no we won't because I'm not having a c-section. I'm going to have these babies the good old fashioned way, just like last time. She then proceeded to look into my file, turned to me and said "well, most twins are born via c-section.. you just lucked out last time. We'll just tie your tubes if you end up with a c-section so then John doesn't have to do it." WHAT???? John is fine with doing it and said it is what he will do.

First off there are a few things that really bother me about this whole conversation...

A. It's no ones business if John and I planned to get pregnant or not. I don't feel that I need to defend that to anyone. It's our choice, not anyone elses.
B. That someone would seriously tell me that I'm getting my tubes tied without me saying it's what I want.

There is so much more wrong with today's appointment but I'm not going to go into it because I'm getting more and more annoyed just by rehashing it here.

Anyway, Dr. D then grabbed her tape measure to measure my belly and the Doppler to find the babies heartbeats. I laid back on the table and she did her measurements and then put the Doppler on my belly and found the first heartbeat. I told her where the ultrasound tech told me the babies were sitting so it might be easier for her to find the heartbeats. She moved the Doppler a little bit and then was like "it's next to impossible to tell the difference in the heartbeats" and that she would see me in 4 more weeks. She said the next appointment will be uneventful but then the next one 4 weeks later will be where they do the sugar testing thing.

I scheduled my next appointment and called John as soon as I walked out of the office to tell him about what happened. He couldn't believe it. Well, actually he could. He said that sometimes Dr. D is just standoffish like that. I'm going to give her the benefit of doubt and maybe she was just having a bad day, or maybe she was on call all weekend and was exhausted. I don't know but I have to say I was a bit upset about the visit.

Both babies are doing well and growing like they should be so that's a good thing and I'm happy.

20 Weeks...

2011-06-07T11:24:00.001-04:00

I'm 1/2 way there!!!! Only 20 weeks to go...

Your babies are each about 6.5 inches crown to rump (about 10 inches head to heel) and weigh approximately 10 ounces. They are now big enough that you may be able to tell when they are awake or asleep based on the level of activity. If you are carrying fraternal multiples, they share approximately 50 percent of their genes, but are no more alike genetically than non-twin siblings so they don't have the same appearance, personality, intelligence level, or rate of growth and development any more than singleton brothers and sisters do.

*You're half way there!
*The rapid growth stage is about over. While things have slowed down, this next stage is vital to survival.
*The baby's heart grows stronger. Find a quiet place, lay flat on your back. Locate your own heartbeat by finding your pulse. Next lay your hand on your belly. You may be able to distinguish the two heartbeats!
*His legs are reaching their relative size. With the increase muscle develop occurring as well, you will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon!
*Immunities are being transferred from you to your baby now. These immune cells will protect her from viruses you've already had for up to six months after birth!
*The nerve cells for taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch are now developing in specialized areas of the brain. Production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections.
*Your baby may startle in reaction to loud sounds. Amazingly, she can actually hear noises outside of the womb. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that baby becomes accustomed to during her development stages often are calming after birth.
*If your baby is a girl, her uterus is starting to develop. She has approximately six million eggs in her ovaries. About one million will remain at birth.
*Baby is about 6.46 inches (16.4cm) and weighs around 10.58 ounces (300g).

3rd Ultrasound & the babies are....

2011-06-06T18:53:00.009-04:00

Today we went for our 3rd Ultrasound & anatomy scan!!! You know the “big” one that we’ve all been waiting for! I have to say that the little munchkins weren't very cooperative when we first got there. The babies kept jumping into each other’s space so ultrasound tech was having a hard time getting what he needed. The upper baby was posing all over the place after a while. We found out right away what it was. The technician got all of his measurements and everything he needed and then he moved onto the second baby. The lower baby was just all over the place and wouldn’t sit still long enough or was posing in crazy positions. After two hours of trying we found out what the sex of the second baby was and he got mostly everything he needed. We have to go back in 2 weeks so he can try to get better pictures of the lower baby’s heart. Everything was fine with the heart rate and everything; he just couldn’t get a good picture of it because the other baby kept jumping in the way. So we’ll get to see them again in 2 more weeks!!

The babies were waving their hands, kicking their feet and bouncing all around. They are such cutie pies with the cutest little feet and hands. It is just amazing!!! The lil peanuts were doing kickboxing moves all over the place. It was awesome & crazy. They are both so active! I could feel them moving and fluttering all over the place. We got a couple of pretty good pictures to bring home. So we are stoked because we got to see the lil munchkins and they are both doing great so that's what matters. The ultrasound took forever today and we were there for over 2 hours. Both babies got a good bill of health and are doing awesome! He said they are right where they should be and they both weigh about 10 ounces and 12 ounces. They both have nice strong heartbeats and are doing great. John and I are really happy and excited!!!

When the specialist came in to talk to us he was asking us a bunch of questions about the kids, my pregnancies and deliveries. Once we told him about my other pregnancies he said he isn’t worried about any problems or complications at all. I know how to make a baby. Lol. He did say that the odds of having spontaneous twins back to back was 1 in 8000 and having them back to back to back (because of the twin miscarriage I had in 2009) was 1 in 730,000. He was joking and told us he wanted us to buy his lottery tickets for him and I just laughed and said “yeah, we buy lottery tickets all the time and don’t win!” lol. We’re just blessed in the baby department I guess.

Anyway, I guess you would like to know what they are huh??? They are both baby GIRLS again!!!! I seriously thought it was a boy and a girl but I was wrong AGAIN… it's two girls! So now it’s time to start picking out names. We have a couple of names in mind but we’re still working on it.

It was funny because when we found out it was 2 more girls I felt bad because Aiden really wanted one of them to be a boy. So I looked over at John and was like "we'll just have to have one more and hope for a boy for Aiden to have a brother" John looked at me and was like "No, the shop is closed!! If you want to outsource another pregnancy from someone else it's fine but he better have the money to take care of the baby." "He said that he would be happy to raise someone elses child but he isn't paying for it." The ultrasound tech was peeing his pants laughing! I bet he never heard a conversation like that during an ultrasound before! lol.

We totally have everything we’re going to need because we already have a set of twin girls and kept everything!!! John and I are really happy, we just wanted everything to be ok and for them to be healthy. Right now everything is looking great!

This works awesome because now all of the girls will have an awesome big brother to take care of them and protect them. I know Aiden will be an awesome big brother, he already is. I think he is going to be a little disappointed because he really wanted a sister and a brother but I'm sure he will be OK. I feel a little bad about it because he is going to be the only boy.

We’re keeping the sexes of the babies a secret this time and we’re going to have a little family luncheon at our house on Sunday to tell everyone the news. It will be fun! It just sucks because we have to wait like a week before we can tell anyone. Everyone keeps asking me what the sexes are so I just keep fibbing and telling them that the ultrasound isn’t until next Monday so we can get through the party on Sunday. I know, I’m a brat. lol

Here are some of the pictures from today's ultrasound. The first two are of upper left baby and the second two are of the lower right baby. Enjoy!!!

Dear Babies...

2011-06-05T13:38:00.003-04:00

Dear baby “A” and baby “B”...

Tomorrow afternoon we are going to have another ultrasound and get more pictures taken. We can't wait to see you both again. Daddy and I are VERY excited! Hopefully if all goes well and you both cooperate for the camera this time we will get to find out if you are a girl or a boy, two girls, or two boys. I know you already know but we want to know too so that we can start buying you all sorts of cool pressies for when you get here. Also, it would be alot easier to call you by names rather than referring to you both as baby “A” and baby “B”. So please do mommy & daddy a big favor and sit still for at least a few minutes during your photoshoot tomorrow so we can see you both and get some good pictures to show everyone. Also if you both could just give us a little peak in between your legs so we can see what's there or what's not there that would be awesome too! haha. Don't be shy, everyone will love you no matter whether your girls or boys or one of each! Mommy thinks that there is a girl & boy in there but she is usually wrong about these things. So we'll see if i'm right this time or not. See you tomorrow!!!!

Love,
Mommy