I don't get it

I just don't understand why I couldn't get a boyfriend in the 7th grade???


(Carowinds with my youth group, May 1984)

Could it have been the red gauchos, the OP sleeveless shirt, the yellow jellies, the hip glasses, the hairstyle (is that what you would call that?) or the extreme length of my arms?

Obviously, it was back to cleaning out closets today.

26 weeks

Tomorrow will be the beginning of my 26th week of pregnancy. As much as I've tried not to think about it, getting to this week and, most importantly, getting past it has caused me some anxiety over the past month or so. Max was born at 26 weeks so the number has always been in the back of my head - probably my least favorite of all the 40 weeks. :) Now, I don't think I'm home free if I get through the next week...36 weeks is my goal and is what I'm striving for. And can I just say that as I type this these babies must be having a play date inside my belly...I can literally look down and see my stomach moving up and down on both sides. One of the most amazing (and a little odd I'll admit) things to experience!

Here are my 26 week pictures I took today. You're getting to see me in pajamas which tends to be my outfit of choice lately...they fit, are comfortable and don't cut off my circulation.





I'm hoping that this will be the week Max can move into his new room. Our neighbor came over and helped Don move a desk, file cabinet and a few other things downstairs and into our spare bedroom. My sister and mom have told me (right Mom and Andrea???) that they would help set his room up so I'm hoping we can do that this week.

We have our monthly ultrasound tomorrow at the high risk doctor - one of the perks of being old, having twins and already having a premature delivery. And then on Tuesday I have my monthly appointment with my regular doctor...can't wait to step on the scale this month after all my visits to Marble Slab and Sonic (still on the cherry slush kick), my eating of a tub of cookie dough, and a few stops to McDonald's.

Oh, one cute thing Max said this morning. He came over to me and rubbed my belly and then asked "are the babies going to live with us forever?" It was said so innocently and not in a selfish way at all. I know he's still trying to comprehend all these things we're telling him and just can't quite figure it all out yet. But, he will soon and will be such a GREAT big brother...I cannot wait to see him with his brother and sister!

I'm offended

I've posted about politics before and it didn't go well, but I just can't keep my mouth shut on this one. When President Obama made his comment last night about the Special Olympics I was completely offended. Please tell me why, as the President of the United States, would you choose to make a derogatory jab at some of the most innocent and naive people on this earth? Now, I know politicians are humans and make mistakes - President Bush was well known for his misuse of the English language - but this is different. I would rather my president say "strategerie" then to make fun of disabled individuals.

And by the way, this is not a Republican/Democrat thing. Ann Coulter, one of the Republican talking heads, consistently refers to special needs people when making jabs at her rivals. She makes me sick...especially since she feels no remorse about it and continues to say she thinks it's funny. No class whatsoever. And besides that, eat a cheeseburger, Ann.

Now, I know people would say I'm being ultra sensitive, but after sending Max to a school for children with special needs I HAVE become more sensitive and most people would too if they were ever put in that situation. As I've mentioned before in previous posts, Max would probably not be considered a special needs child now, but there was a time when we had no idea what his future would hold and him being a special needs child was well within our reality. With Max attending the Meyer Center for Special Children I also got to know and become very familiar with children who do have profound special needs - children who will hopefully be a part of the Special Olympics one day. Please, President Obama, do not use these children in your weak attempt to make a joke.

Below is the new campaign initiated by the Special Olympics to encourage people to stop using the R word - retarded. I honestly don't remember using this word much, but I'm sure I did before Max was born - I cringe thinking about who I could have offended. Again, call me ultra sensitive, but this word literally makes me sick to my stomach when I hear people say it. I know people don't realize that using the R word could hurt someone, but trust me, it's offensive to people who do have children with special needs. And as parents do we really want our children hearing us say that word? It will only encourage them to repeat it and also use it in a negative way.


Okay, I'm now getting off my soap box. Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Gracie Jia Shu Woodard

I just received an email that I have been waiting to receive for 2 1/2 years. My childhood friend, Rachel, recently got "the call" telling them that they had a beautiful daughter waiting for them in China! Rachel and her husband had a log in date of November 16, 2006, and were told at that time the wait would be 12 months...obviously, it has taken much longer and they have definitely been through their share of trials. But God is good and has given them an absolutely gorgeous 1 year old daughter who they have named Gracie. They will hopefully travel to China sometime this summer to get her. Please check out her new blog when you get a chance - Grace and Glory. I have followed several blogs of people who are adopting and it is so exciting when they finally get to meet their child...be prepared to shed lots of tears when you finally get to read that post!

Congratulations Rachel and Brian...Gracie has no idea that she has just hit the jackpot with her new family!!!

Blogless in Greenville

I got nothing. Seriously, my life has slowed down a lot lately so I don't have exciting details or pictures to share. My weeks consist of taking Max to school at 8:30 then picking him up at 11:30, taking him to karate on Mondays and Wednesdays, his physical and occupational therapy on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Bible study on Wednesday mornings, church on Sundays, and then LOTS of time spent laying on my bed or sitting on the couch just trying to let these babies grow. I guess I could blog about...

*I got my taste for coffee back! Yes, it happened about a month ago and it has made my mornings so much better. I even ordered my favorite breakfast bar again. They go great with coffee and I love it when I'm up early by myself and can drink a cup of coffee, eat my bar and watch a little Fox and Friends...my favorite part of the day.

*My mom made a pot roast with vegetables and brought it over for dinner one night this week. So good and even better because I didn't have to cook it. Thanks mom!

*My sister brought me a cute maternity outfit on Thursday...too bad the large shirt is too small. Do they make twin maternity clothes because these clothes made for one baby aren't going to cut it for much longer. Thanks Rea! Andrea also brought over the cookie dough I bought for her kid's school fundraiser. Thanks again Rea...I've yet to bake one cookie but half the dough is gone...hmmm???

*I bought 256 diapers this week for a grand total of $21.75. Thanks for the coupon/sale info Denise and Donna...thanks to you I'm going to have a hard time spending more than $5 on a pack of diapers!

*I think I just found a new addiction. Last week it was cherry/orange popsicles and this week it just might be a cherry slush from Sonic. Yes, Max and I went there for dinner last night (Sonic burger with mustard/lettuce only) and I looked up at the menu and it was like the slush just said my name. I have never ordered one, but it was GOOD...especially after I drank most of the cherry liquid out and was left with slush ice with just a hint of cherry...YUM!

*I got a magazine on Wednesday from Boden and have been dreaming about the day that I could a) actually wear these clothes and b) actually afford them. I'm imagining myself walking down Main St. in this outfit next spring with my twins in their stroller and Max, eating an ice cream cone, walking sweetly beside me (see previous post)...
Or maybe I would wear this to meet some friends for lunch while my babies are sleeping peacefully...at home with their full time nanny.And then I'd wear this cute outfit with that cute necklace maybe to dinner with Don...again, while all my children are at home with their full time nanny.

WAKE UP JENNIFER!!!!!

*I just bought this book two days ago. I've been reading about breastfeeding and have read that instead of saying "I'm going to TRY and breastfeed my twins" I need to start saying "I AM going to breastfeed my twins." A friend of mine had twins a month ago and has yet to use one bottle...isn't that great! It's going to be tiring and time consuming no matter how the babies are fed so I'm thinking if I can learn to feed them without having to go downstairs in the middle of the night, heat bottles and then clean them...well, that would be great. Also, I have a feeling they will be a little premature and from previous experience I know breast milk is SO beneficial to preemies...I really don't have a choice when I look at it that way. I AM GOING TO BREASTFEED, I AM GOING TO BREASTFEED, I AM GOING TO BREASTFEED...check back with me later this summer.

*I haven't been sleeping very well at night, but it's something I'm getting use to. After lying in bed this morning for over an hour, I decided to finally get up at 5:45. I go downstairs to make coffee and I'm not lying...I hear Max coming down the stairs at 5:50. NOOOOOO...WHYYYYY!?! So, I did what every good mother would do - I turned on a movie, gave him an oatmeal cookie and told him his milk was in the refrigerator. But, the good news is that he has a birthday party this morning and Don is taking him. I get to stay at home all by myself on a rainy Saturday morning...ahhh.

Okay, after rereading this, maybe I shouldn't have blogged today.

Week 24

Today marks the 1st day of week 24, but let me tell you I feel and look like I should be starting week 34! I can't even begin to tell you the amount of people who have told me this past week how much I've grown or how I look like I'm about to pop. I walked into a shoe store a few days ago and the sales person laughed and said "the hospital is down the road." She about died when I told her I have 3 months left! Here are the latest pregnancy pics...





My stud husband ran the Reedy River 10k (6.2 miles) race in downtown Greenville on Saturday. His goal was to finish under 49 minutes, and he did it in 46 minutes and 44 seconds...that's about a 7 1/2 minute mile! A great time and not bad for someone who has only been able to run several days a week over the past few months...hence, another reason for the term "stud." I was horrible at taking pictures on Saturday so this is the only one I got and it's of him almost to the finish line - Don's in the green shirt. Notice the blurry head at the bottom of the picture...that's Max with a MAJOR new hair cut!



My sister, mom and niece did the 5k (3.1 miles) race. My mom and Lily walked/ran most of the race, but Andrea ran it and also had a GREAT time! She finished it in 26 minutes and 3 seconds...about an 8 1/2 minute mile. She placed 6th in her age group which consisted of 134 people...not bad, not bad! Unfortunately, I never even saw Andrea running so I didn't get a picture of her. Here's a picture of Lily and my mom at the beginning of the race.



Now, Saturday would have been a a beautiful day downtown with the family except for the fact that we weren't able to find Max for close to 5 minutes. I can't even begin to tell you the fear I had knowing that each way I looked down Main St. in Greenville I could not see my child and he wasn't answering me when I yelled for him - pure panic and a feeling I still cannot shake. Come to find out he was actually with my nephew and another little friend, but I didn't know that. I thought he was by himself so it just didn't make sense to me how he could have just disappeared so quickly. One of the guys in our group found them about a block and a half up from where we were - across a main intersection in downtown. They just weren't paying attention (and we weren't either obviously) and had kept walking with a group of other people thinking it was our group...when they were found they still had no idea we weren't around...crazy! When someone said they found them I just sat down on the curb and thought I was about to throw up. I will say that there were quite a few strangers who stopped to help us look - wanted to know what he was wearing and looked like - so nice of them. A sweet lady also brought me a glass of water - she probably thought I was a 9 months pregnant lady who had just lost her child and could possibly be going into labor! Anyway, it just made me more aware of how quickly your child can get away from you and that you have to be so careful...a good reminder but unfortunately one that has left me scarred for life! :)

Snow Day!

We FINALLY got our first snow of the season so Max woke up this morning ready to go. The only problem...Max and mama both still have the flu and a temp. But, we both took some medicine, bundled up and went out for just a few minutes.

My little snow angel!



Snowball fight!

Sledding time! We have a great hill right behind our house so everyone in the neighborhood tends to hang out here when it snows...so fun!









Don took Max to my mom's house so I could rest this afternoon. Yesterday was not pretty for me...temp got up to 102, body aches, couldn't get out of bed, you name it. I do feel better today, but something tells me this may hang around for awhile because today is day 8 of Max having a temp and not feeling 100% - when will it ever end? I have learned my lesson though...not another year will go by without our entire family getting a flu shot! :)