Mike and April you just found out you are having twins. What are you going to do next?

WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!

That's right, we are heading to Disney tomorrow morning at 6am. We are planning on getting up at 2:00 am to make sure we are able to get ready, get to the airport (2 hours away), and ride the park and ride to be able to make our plane. We will be down in Orlando from Monday to Friday.

Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey! Hey Mickey!

Baby Stuff...

Sincerely sorry for the delay! Last week was a bad sickness week, but I did want to write about our weekend in Asheboro and the craziness of registering for baby (or in my case babies).



March 13-15 we took off to my mom and dad's for the weekend. It was packed full. Stacy, Kevin and Aaden were there for the week so when we got there around 10pm on Friday they were just putting him to bed, and me being prego I did the same after some hugs and kisses from the family. On Saturday we decided to head to a new store that mom had scoped out in Charlotte, which was Ikea. So mom, Stacy, Aaden, Crystal and I all took off on Saturday morning at 9am to head out for Ikea, Babies R Us, and then Concord Mills Mall. Mom kept trying to warn us on how HUGE Ikea was, but until you are there you just can't believe it!! Mom went in to grandma mode and got several cute items for Maddie and Zach, plus Aaden. One in particular I thought was adorable was this tableware set. It had a bowl, cup, spoon and an adorable bib that looked like a monster. I tried to find a good pic online, mom got me a pink one for Maddie and a blue one for Zach and Aaden received a red one. Stacy found a great deal on a highchair for only $25. When we were done at Ikea mom went and got the car to load everything in the trunk. I wish I had a picture of how packed everything was. While we were shopping I think we forgot that we had Aaden with us, which meant we had his stroller in the trunk which can take up a lot of room, so we had to stack things very strategically to get it all in! After Ikea we took on the task of registering at Babies-R-Us. Trying to register for things when you are a first time parent is very overwhelming. When you are expecting twins it is even MORE overwhelming! They give you this HUGE list of things that you should register for, but you don't even know what it is to begin with and you don't know what brand or shapes or sizes and you just want to throw your hands up and cry "Mommy"! So thank goodness my mom and Sister were there to tell me what they had/have and what brands were the best. Every time I looked at something I would say "mom what do you think?" or "Stacy do you have this?". By the time I made to the other side of the store I was so mentally exhausted and tired of choosing that Crystal and I ended up sitting on the floor in defeat. So after 2 1/2 hours of being at Babies-R-Us (yes it was that long), I turned in my scan gun and we headed to the mall to refuel and shop a little more. I forgot to mention the weather during our shopping extravaganza. It was pouring down rain the entire day. So what does everyone do when it is raining? They go shopping! So when we got to the mall there were hardly no parking spots. Mom dropped us off at a store and took on the task of trying to park. (I think she had to follow/stock some people that were leaving so she could steal their spot.) The first thing we did when we all got in was hit the food court. This place was so packed!! Our family went during Christmas, but I think this particular Saturday was more crowded than at Christmas. So we finally ate and we ended up splitting up so we could get our locations done with faster, because by then we were all tired! Crystal and I headed to the book store fast so I could get a book on Twins and then headed to The Motherhood to cash in a gift card. Mom and Stacy headed to Carters to buy a few outfits for Aaden. (side note: Aaden has really started to fill out. He is also longer than most 2/3 month old so most of his clothes were too short.) We all met up about an hour later so we could head home. I have to give little Aaden his props! Poor thing had to go shopping with a bunch of chicks all day and most of the time he stayed in his car seat/carrier. He only had maybe two fits. He was quite the trooper. I mean think about it, if it was an older male say anywhere from 12-90 he would have thrown a lot more than just two fits.

We went to church on Sunday and Mike and I felt truly blessed because when they were going over their prayer list our names were announced. I mean we aren't even on the prayer list where we are members, so we felt truly loved and now that we are expecting twins I think we could use all the prayers we can get! After church we went out to eat at Lonestar, where I like an idiot threw my purse across the booth and everything spilled out in between the seat and the wall. So whenever the family behind us left we went into "operation retrieve April's cell phone and whatever else she dropped down there". Now that I have become pregnant I'm definitely having more "April moments". After dinner we headed back to the house to hang out until we had to leave. Us girls attempted to do hand/foot prints for Aaden's baby book. It literally took all three of us to paint his hand, hold the hand flat, while making sure it was pressed against the page, but I think it turned out pretty good! After that mom and Stacy surprised me with baby stuff that they had bought the day before. I tried to tell them "you didn't have to do that", or "why don't you just wait and give it to us at the shower", but secretly I was excited b/c this was our first baby gifts since finding out about boy/girl twins. Even Crystal bought clothes for them too! They got a slew outfits and my favorites were the bibs that mom found. She said she had to buy them b/c they mention something about grandma! Maddie's sayings are "I'm all that", "Girls are just better!", "Cute 24/7", and of course the cutest "Don't make me call grandma". Zach's bibs say "Who needs sleep?" (which I pray is just a joke), the ever so clever "Like father, like son", "Trouble is my middle name", and the very true "Grandma never says No!"

Unfortunately the weekend had to draw to a close and we had to head out. I hate living so far away. Thank you mom, dad, and Stacy for a WONDERFUL weekend. We love and miss you all dearly!!

Names...

This weekend we went to visit Mike's family in Jacksonville. We left around 7pm on Friday night and we made a pit stop in Tarboro to visit a friends new baby girl (she was so beautiful). While we were at the hospital she started to cry and later it started to scare Michael. While we were going to the car he was really thinking hard..."we are going to have two crying babies". I thought it was funny how it just hit him! Then we were off to his mom's house. We arrived around 10:30pm where we got to watch the end of some basketball games with his mom and then we retired for the night. The next day was my favorite day for many reasons. We got to announce/ask about our names, went shopping, and got to hang out with a lot of family.

Since Mike and I started to think about a family we have always thrown the name around of Zachary/Zack. Michael goes by Mike and I thought a short boys name like Zack would be just like his dad. Michael also wanted to name his son after one of his favorite baseball players, Ryne Sandberg. When we found out the we were having a boy I asked what about Zachary Ryan? (I asked to change the spelling b/c when you have an unusual spelling people will miss pronounce the name a lot!) Michael and I felt that it was perfect.

For the girl name it was easy!! When I first started dating Michael he told me of his great aunt who he absolutely loved to hang out with. While growing up they played games all the time and their favorite being Yahtzee. He said "she is just as competitive as I am". She also is a huge Tarheel fan and watches every basketball game! She does not leave her house when they are playing. When I first met her I immediately fell in love with her as if she was my own blood aunt. She has a zest for life and is just so outgoing and truly amazing! (To prove how outgoing she is we played the Wii yesterday and she kicked our butts at bowling and she is in her 80's.) So we always talked about if we have a girl we want to name her after his great aunt. Saturday we went to see her and when we were talking about names Michael said, "for the baby girl we were thinking, if it is okay with you we would like to name her after you, Madelin". She started crying (which made me tear up) and said, "she was truly touched and she was just so proud". So our baby girl's name is going to Madelin and we will call her Maddie. We do not officially have a middle name as of yet. There are two we like, but there is sort of a funny story behind that. Aunt Madelin's middle name is Elizabeth which I think is BEAUTIFUL, but with our last name starting with an N, Mike said NO to Elizabeth b/c Maddie's initials would be MEN. So we told Aunt Madelin and she just chuckled!

After our visit with Aunt Madelin, Mike's aunt Sue, his Mom and I went shopping. I found some great deals for maternity clothes at Ross, which Mom and Sue ended up paying for, which I am eternally thankful for. They wouldn't let me buy anything! Then after our shopping extravaganza we went home to watch our Heels win, YEAH!! Sunday was also a treat, almost all the family came over for a wonderful lunch Debbie made after church. God has given Michael and I just so many gifts and we are truly grateful!

WOW is an understatement!

If you will go back to my post on Feb. 13th you will see our first ultrasound and what appears to be two sacks. Well here is the story... Our sonographer could not find a heart pole for the second baby, so she suggested we come back in a week or two to make sure that this one does not develop. Our doctor immediately dismissed the idea and said that this is very common and we are only pregnant with one. He said that I will absorb the other or I might even have what is labeled as a partial miscarriage, but to try not and worry the other embryo is completely fine. Then fast forward 6 more weeks. At our 12 week appointment we used a doppler and heard the heartbeat...ONE heartbeat. Then fast forward to our 16 week appointment, aka yesterday. We walk into the ultrasound room, the sonographer puts the warm goop on me and begins the ultrasound. She then asks, "Didn't we see a possible two sacks?" Mike and I said "yes, but no heart pole in the 2nd". She then nonchalantly says "yea, you're having twins." Mike and I in unison were like "Oh my goodness, you're kidding." So we were in COMPLETE shock!!

We then proceeded with the ultrasound. We started with Baby A. The sonographer told us to begin with that she was going to do all the body before she determines the sex, so we took a bunch of pics and then finally we took the last one... She had a great picture of the butt and two legs and three white lines which indicates a GIRL! I was thrilled. I have always wanted a girl so badly. Mike I could tell was happy, but a little disappointed. We both thought immediately that since one is a girl the other was too...

Then was Baby B. The first shot was the head. The next shot was the legs and you could see a little something sticking out, so she immediately said that she wasn't going to wait to call this one. This one was definitely a BOY! Mike and I both started crying. We have always talked about how we wanted at least one of each, and now we have one of each in one shot. We were just floored. Mike was even extra thrilled that he is getting his son.

So then we had to see the doctor, which he immediately ate his words and was just as surprised as we were. We all laughed for a while, but then had the serious talk. Twins means I am now a high risk pregnancy. I have a high risk of preterm labor for one. He said the average birth is at 37 weeks which is just 3 weeks early. He said that we want to get at least 35 weeks, so my goal is 38. My birth plan has now changed drastically as well. Our doctor immediately began pushing the idea of a C-section due to the possible complications of giving birth to twins. I was a little disappointed with this seeing that I have always dreamed of them putting the baby on my belly and I was the first official one to hold it, now this will not be the case. Later Mike made me realize that this wasn't a big deal and we will have PLENTY of other times that we will be holding them. The other risks are higher in preclempsia, diabetes, and other pregnancy complications. I will likely have double the back pain, double the size and double pretty much everything (which I am completely fine with). I now know why I am having such a hard time with morning sickness and already pretty big in the belly.

We then left and started calling moms, dads and sisters. During dinner we spent the entire time on the phone instead of eating. Talking and texting to friends. Then we headed to Target to do a very quick start on registering. We got our gun, went to the infant section and then reality started to set in that we are going to have to register for twin things... Double the car seats, double the cribs, have a double stroller, and pretty much double of everything. WOW is all we kept saying. The trip home was filled with oh my goodness's. We are still very excited even with the possible complications. Thank you again for all your prayers, love and support. We ask that you still continue to pray for us... We might even need double!!

Below are the two best pics from our ultrasound yesterday. Both are from the rear. So you can see the butt bone on the right and the legs on the left. With baby A you see the three white lines and with baby B you see what Mike calls the "third leg" directly below the word Boy. Enjoy!!

An Important Day

Today is FINALLY March 10th. Today has a lot of meanings.

First, the uplifting news. I am going to the doctor today and I get to see my little baby. I haven't seen the little peanut since it looked like an egg. I can't wait to see it and hear the heartbeat again. Also, if Baby Nowell cooperates we should be able to find out if "peanut" is a boy or girl. The last four weeks have gone by so slow and I'm so happy it is finally here. So little one PLEASE cooperate for us!

Today is also a day of remembrance for us. Our first pregnancy that ultimately ended in a miscarriage was due today. I think about our baby daily and realize that it was probably so perfect that God didn't want it to have to spend a day on the world and decided to take it with him to Heaven. I did want to take some time today to remember our little one. We are very excited to finally be able to add to our family, but we will never forget our baby that was due today, March 10, 2009. We love you and can't wait to meet you in Heaven.

Proud Auntie!!

I wanted to post some adorable pictures of my niece Callie (Mike's sister's baby) and my nephew Aaden (my sister's baby). Aren't they so cute? I found two pictures where they are both laughing. I am truly blessed!!!

Callie laughing.

Aaden laughing.