Jesus Shaves

Just had to add this really quickly, as it cracks me up!

When Jon and I were in Granbury last weekend, we saw this coffee cup at a random store on the town square.



For some reason it REALLY made me laugh. I mean, I really, uncontrollably cracked up over this thing! When you add a hot beverage to the cup, Jesus shaves! hehehe

No, I didn't buy it, but perhaps I should have for my early morning/late nights that are facing me just around the corner.

That's all for now... just had to share a quick chuckle that only people with my random sense of humor will truly appreciate.

37 Week Appointment!

Today I am actually 36 weeks and 5 days, but we had the 37 week appointment. All still looks great. This pregnancy has been boringly uneventful, which we'll take! (Blood pressure still holding in there at 100/60!)

Before I give the update from Dr. White, I have to step back and give the Baby Gabe Poll results:

58% of you guys think that little Gabe will weight in between 7 and 8 pounds; 36% think that he'll weight between 8 and 9 pounds; and 6% think that our "little chunk" will be over 9 pounds!

OK...

And 47% of you guys think that little Gabe will make his big arrival into the world on August 18th; 26% think that he'll come between August 15th and 18th; and 26% he'll be arriving VERY soon - before August 15th!

That all being said, Dr. White agrees with the majority for his arrival date of August 18th. He sees no reason at this point why I should not make it.

HOWEVER... if the majority wins for his weight, then Gabe will have to arrive SOON! I didn't have a sonogram, but by feeling on my tummy, he thinks that Gabe is 7 1/2 - 8 pounds RIGHT NOW! Seriously, if you touch my tummy, you can tell that it is truly "all baby." From the top to the bottom and left to right - Gabe is taking up every bit of the space in my tummy.

I didn't ask Dr. White how much he thinks that Gabe will be at birth, however if he stays in "cooking" for another 19 days, then he will for sure be over 8 pounds! Am I looking at having a 9 pound PLUS baby? If so, doesn't bother me a bit, as it's still better than carrying 15 pounds of baby along with TWO "bags of fluid," etc. Besides, he's "cutting me open" to take Gabe out, so he can be 12 pounds as far as I care. ;-)

Can't ask for anything better so far!

Baby Gabe Poll #2

Wow - I am more shocked by the turn out of the poll than I am the results! As of 9:00 Tuesday morning (less than 24 hours posted), we have had 33 people vote. I didn't realize that I had so many lurkers out there. ;-)

The winner: 61% of you guys think that little Gabe will weight in between 7 and 8 pounds; 33% think that he'll weight between 8 and 9 pounds; and 6% think that our "little chunk" will be over 9 pounds!

Jon and I both were two of the votes who voted for "between 8 and 9 pounds." Our logic is that Jacob and Caleb were born early (yes, GREAT for twins, but still early) at 37 weeks and 4 days and weighed 7 pounds, 12.5 ounces and 7 pounds, 2 ounces respectively. If Gabe stays in place until the c-section date of August 18th, he will be 39 weeks and 3 days - which will mean that he gets to "cook" two weeks longer than the boys! (At this stage of the pregnancy, all he is doing essentially is getting more fat reserves.) Plus there is more room for him to grow in there with there only being one - and that Jacob and Caleb "stretched out" a good home for him!

BUT... the question is... will he actually make it "in Mommy" until the scheduled c-section date of August 18th?!

Here's the scoop as to why Gabe will or will not make it in Mommy until then:

* I am still walking at least a half mile with the boys in the blistering Texas heat every day (which could induce). However, I have yet to have one true contraction while walking (by this point one or two could be expected).

* I carried the twins to 37 weeks and 4 days. Does that mean 37-38 weeks is the time that my body prefers to carry a pregnancy? Do remember, however, I was on bed rest for almost 12 week prior (which is what we think kept the boys "in" that long).

* Do also remember that they didn't take the boys because I went "into labor" - it was due to my sudden blood pressure spike (so, again, I've NEVER had a REAL contraction at all).

* We had a c-section scheduled for February 5th with Jacob and Caleb, however they found a way to make their arrival one day early on February 4th. Will Gabe keep the family tradition and do the same (August 17th)?!

Baby Gabe Poll #2 When will Baby Gabe make his big arrival? Sometime in July. Early August - before the 15th. Between the 15th and the 18th August 18th After August 18th. The results...

So let me know what you think! I have my thoughts, but what are yours?!

Also remember to vote in yesterday's poll if you have not already done so: Baby Gabe Poll #1.

And see our Babymoon post from this past weekend.

Baby Gabe Poll #1

The time is drawing closer...



Three weeks from today, as a matter of fact!

Don't miss the previous post about our Babymoon this past weekend, but also vote in the first (in possibly a series) of Polls!

Baby Gabe Poll #1 With the twins, Amber carried 15 pounds of JUST BABY! How much will Gabe weight? Less than 7 pounds Between 7 and 8 pounds Between 8 and 9 pounds Greater than 9 pounds Oh, he'll be all of the 15 pounds or MORE! ;-) What did other people say?

The polls are anonymous, so you lurker (ahem - stalker) types have no fear! ;-) I am so curious to see what all of the readers think!

Oh, and if you have ideas for more polls, let me know.

Back to reality...

Jon and I had an AWESOME time together this weekend on our "Babymoon" - just the two of us. Yes, we did talk about the little "goober-heads" a lot, but it was great to be together - alone - again. This was the first time that we have been away together without the boys for more than a couple of hours. Of course, since I am oh so close to popping, we had to stay within a little over an hour from the hospital...

We began the weekend Saturday morning by getting the boys up and fed breakfast. Then we headed out, on the way stopping for donuts and coffee/chocolate milk. (No fair - we got donuts and the boys had to eat breakfast at home?!) We dropped the boys off at my parents' house west of Fort Worth (Aledo area) and got the boys settled in. At this point I began to get really nervous, but felt better when my mom said "boys, tell your Mommy and Daddy bye-bye," and Jacob proceeded to get up from his puzzle, walk to the door, turn to us and wave while saying "bye!"



We got on the road to head a little bit further Southwest to our final destination - Granbury, Texas!



We started out the day by walking around the town square, looking in many of the antique shops, gift (random stuff) shops, and book stores. Then we decided that we needed to get lunch, so we walked to Babe's Chicken. We were surprised to see Babe's in Granbury! We love the original location in Roanoke and this was where we took our family to celebrate telling them that we were pregnant the first time (before we knew twins), so it seemed right to eat there again. Plus the food is GOOD!



After we devoured a great lunch, we walked around for a bit longer, and then headed to our Bed and Breakfast to check in.



We stayed at Angel of the Lake B&B.



We specifically were in Gabriel's Room! This is actually what lead us to "Babymoon" Granbury, Texas. Jon somehow stumbled across the room while looking at local B&B's online, and that was our "sign" that we should go!



The room was very nice and QUIET - which actually made us a little sad... but it was nice to get some much needed REST!



After getting settled in and resting briefly, we headed to the lake, which was conveniently located directly across the street!



The water was a bit murky, especially compared to the last time Jon and I went to the "beach" together in Cozumel, but nonetheless we had fun swimming for a couple of hours.

We then went back to the B&B to clean up and get ready for a night out. Of course, part of my "cleaning up" involved getting in the blue marble jacuzzi tub next to the beautiful harp stained glass window - very nice!



Our evening plans were a Dinner Cruise on the Granbury Riverboat. Our dinner consisted of steak, baked potato, steamed veggies, croissants, and cheesecake. The cruise is BYOB and a nice glass of wine would have been great with dinner, however we improvised considering our (well, uh, MY) circumstances. ;-)



After we ate dinner, we went to the upper deck of the boat where there was live music and dancing. So many people came up to us, wanting to touch the belly (I guess they think rubbing the pregger belly will give them good luck?), ask when our baby is due, ask if this is our first ("What - this is your third boy?! When are y'all trying for the girl..."), and so forth.



After the cruise we turned in for the night, where we had a great evening snack at the B&B. Part of the "hospitality" of the B&B is that they have always have a fridge stocked with sodas, a coffee pot with coffee, a hot water pot with tea bags, M&M's, peanuts, and brownies available! I got into the nice, comfy robe that was provided, and had some hot (decaf) tea and a warm homemade brownie - that I didn't have to make!!

The next morning we slept in!!! And what's even better is we got dressed and went to the main house where we could smell fresh coffee and breakfast cooking - again, not by myself!

After breakfast, we checked out and went back to the lake for a little bit longer. We didn't swim this time, but just walked around in the sand.



As much fun as Jon and I were having together, we figured we better head back so that we could get the boys home in their own beds for their afternoon nap while I unpacked and Jon picked up Abby (our dog) from his Dad's house in Irving. (But not before Jon could get a Venti Mocha Frappaccino for the drive home!)




After all, we get back to reality starting bright and early tomorrow morning. :-(

Even more love for the all of boys!

The boys and I went to a Tiny Tots Playgroup yesterday! As many of you know, my Mothers of Multiples group - McMoms - has a playgroup for little ones that I have "headed up" for the last year. At first all of the kiddos didn't participate much, but they have really started to actually play together more and more in the past year. I've also had fun chatting with the other twin Mommies. What a relief to hear some of the same frustrations and day to day challenges of having multiples!

So, anyway, this summer I have really slowed down on planning get-togethers, but one of the girls, Christina, wanted to plan another play date. We got it all set up, and, seeing as every playgroup might be the last time the boys get to see their friends in quite a while with their brother's arrival drawing ever-so-close, we were definitely in!

Well, we arrive to soon find out that everyone else was bringing in food (nobody told me we where having a pot-luck playdate)... and then I see gift bags... and then cake...




SURPRISE!
It looks like this playgroup was a dual purpose get-together!

Unfortunately, the boys were NOT having too good of a day. I am not sure what the deal was! But nonetheless, I was a little embarrassed that my babies were the ones trying to spoil the party! Jacob is getting even more molars in (and he was the one that was especially moody), but teething doesn't usually effect him that badly! Hmmm.... perhaps they were a little jealous that there was a party thrown for Gabe and not the big brothers! hehehe I laugh, but I seriously do think that there might be a little something to that. Both boys have been especially clingy to me. They are smart and do know that something HUGE (yet so tiny) is about to rock their little worlds.



But, anyway, after we went outside and regrouped a little, all went pretty well. They - especially Jacob - were still not their normal happy-go-lucky selves, but they at least kept it together.

Here's a great shot of us temporarily organizing the chaos to get a group picture...



Even though neither Jacob nor Caleb are looking at the camera in this picture, I thought it turned out GREAT! I mean, 13 kids and NOBODY is crying?! We'll take that!



Thank so much to my sweet, sweet friends Christina, Carly, Kelly, Michelle, and Cinnamon!!

Now... I must go pack for the weekend. Yup - the time is HERE! I'll make a post about what all we did after we get back and settled. (Remember: we still be within an hour and a half from our delivering hospital, Baylor Grapevine, just in case!)

36 Weeks - * YIKES! *

We are now officially to the "less than one month" countdown!

I had my 36 week appointment this morning and all is still going well. For those of you who know about my history of HELLP Syndrome, my blood pressure was 100/52 today and there was no protein at all in my urine - as well as zero swelling in my legs (which is quite amazing for any one in this Texas heat, let alone a pregger chick!). This is way uneventful when compared to the twins' pregnancy! In the back of my mind, I keep waiting on something to happen since every appointment was so dramatic with Jacob and Caleb, but it looks like all is just going to be smooth sailing.

* Well... mostly smooth sailing... *

I like to have to demeanor that I've "got it all together," but lately I feel like I am losing it. I am having some HIGH anxiety about Gabe coming and how Jacob and Caleb will be affected by the addition to our family. Will they regress after Gabe arrives? Will they have even more meltdowns/tantrums? Will they try to hurt him?! (OK, so not intentionally, but they are having a hard time understanding "gentle" here lately.)

In an attempt to "make it all better," I have been frantically trying to get our house PERFECTLY in order for when Gabe arrives, getting myself into one project after another. I already have ADHD and I think a little OCD, so nesting gets taken over the top - EXTREME in my case. I am flat, worn out, exhausted, but our closets are starting to look pretty good. ;-) Oh, and I am trying to work on cooking a lot of meals that can be frozen now so that we will actually eat more than Chick-fil-a (much to Jon's dismay) or Subway, without me putting pressure on myself to cook while tending to two toddlers and a newborn.

I guess what it comes down to is I am freaking out a little about having THREE BOYS within 18 months, so I am trying to be as prepared as I can be - like THAT will help when all of the chaos hits! What freaks me out the most is that I have ZERO CONTROL over life right now - and I HATE THAT! (I admit it - I am a MAJOR control freak!)

So there is my brutally honest 36 week update. Overall things truly are going great and I can't complain. We have been blessed with what appears to be another very healthy child. Most of the time the boys and I are staying so busy that I don't think about the upcoming chaos - it's just at night when I STOP, sit down, and get quiet for a minute - then I have time to think. (* ding, ding, ding * There's my problem - I think too much!)

But only 27 days (or less) until Gabe is HERE and then I won't have time to worry anymore. :-)



On happier news, Jon and my "Babymoon" is drawing closer!! More about that to come...

34 weeks (almost 35 now) and still growing!

Last Friday, before the Baby Celebration, we had our 34 week appointment.



Because we were having a sonogram, my mom came out to sit with the boys so that Jon could go along.



All was still looking GREAT with both Baby Gabe and Mommy! This pregnancy has been so much more uneventful, thank God!

He was measuring to be 35 weeks, rather than 34 weeks, so either the date is off (which is a possibility since I was breastfeeding when I became pregnant) or he is just a big guy! He is guesstimated to be about 5 1/2 pounds right now.

Although the machine was out of paper to print any still shots, we got all of the sonogram on DVD. For those of you who really like watching sono footage - here ya' go!



As you can see at about one minute in, Gabe is still most definitely, without a doubt, a BOY! (So, the cute blue and sports themed nursery that we finished TODAY will still be applicable. LOL! I'll have to remember to post some nursery pics soon...)

Here's the belly today - at 34 weeks and 4 days along.



To compare to my last pregnancy, here is a shot of me at 34 weeks and 4 days along with Jacob and Caleb. (It was taken on our Anniversary dinner - which is why I am actually dressed and looking moderately good.) Wow - I am about HALF the size that I was with the twins - hehehe, go figure!



The OR has been booked for our scheduled c-section on August 18 at 8:00 am! I would really, really like to try for a VBAC, however Jon and my doctor are pretty adamant that I not take the risks involved, so I am going to suck it up and respect their thoughts here.

I guess that means - if Baby Gabe will hold out that long - we have 34 more days until we get to meet him! Since he is measuring big, however, we'll see...



One more picture for the road...

Celebration!

On Saturday, we had a Baby Celebration for little Baby Gabe!

The "Baby Celebration" pretty much was a Baby Shower - but since Gabriel is a second pregnancy, we did not call it a "shower," rather a "celebration." Another difference in this "celebration" is that, since we are having a third boy and were blessed with TONS of stuff for the twins that we still have, we had a "teddy bear drive" in lieu of gifts to go Tarrant County Sheriff's Department, where Deputies will distribute them to children effected by domestic violence and similar situations.





Mostly we feel that EVERY child is a blessing and deserves to be celebrated, so we wanted to get to get friends and family together to have snacks, cake, punch, and, of course, chocolate and coffee to celebrate our newest little gift from God - but did not want everyone to bring gifts. Thus, a Baby Celebration!



Jon and our dads were there (mostly because Jacob and Caleb came and we needed help corralling them while I visited with everyone!). But, since they were all there, we thought it would be fun to "punk" them and have a little surprise game - just for them. We gave each guy a baby bottle with about 4 ounces of juice, in which they had to suck down as fast as they could. Well, my dad and Jon had the same exact though, as they, simultaneous, unscrewed the top and chugged it within seconds! (So quickly, my camera did not get the shot in time, but this is them afterward.) Taking the top off had NEVER crossed our minds - but they both agreed that it was the first thing they though of! I must say that I am a little freaked out that they BOTH had the same thought. My dad won because his was sucked dry and Jon had a little left at the bottom. He had to wear a sign that said "I'm a Sucker," and also got a sucker out of the deal. (The gift isn't as funny, considering he didn't actual suck it down!)



We ended up collecting 40 bears at the celebration! I wasn't expecting that many, but am honored that we will be able to give so much on Gabe's behalf. Here's a cute pink bear, as I rarely see many pink things anymore! ;-)



And, because my friends and family are such sweet, generous people, many couldn't just bring bears to donate; so I ended up getting gifts anyway! The biggest gift given? Diapers and wipes! Overall, we got a grand total of 862 diapers (ranging from Size 1 - Size 2/3) and 3191 wipes for Gabe's little butt - literally! Wow! It's A LOT of wipes, but figure they will most definitely get used around this joint, considering they will be used on three hinies.



There were also several other things brought - gift cards, some really cute clothes, lotions, etc. (At least Gabe won't get ALL hand-me-downs now! LOL!)



My friend, Amy, came up with the idea of doing the celebration for Gabe and made/sent out the cute invites shown above. My mom stepped up to do a lot of the other work involved in the celebration, however, since Amy lives so far away and my mom felt it was a lot for one person to tackle. Because of both of their hard work, I gave them each a bottle of wine. (Although that's not NEAR enough for all of the work that they put forth!!) You can't tell very well from the picture, but the wine bottle is in a little cradle-looking basket and wearing a diaper and baby t-shirt. :-) (Yes, I am too creative for my own good - I know!)



Mommy and Daddy were overwhelmed by all of the friends and family who turned out for the celebration and all of the great gifts received.



Here's a shot of all of the bears and stuffed animals collected. Wow, guys, this is going to potentially put a smile on 40 once scared kiddos' faces! I am so excited to present these in honor of our son.



After we stacked them all up, we did let Jacob and Caleb play in the huge mound of animals for a while before bagging them up.







My LITTLE guys had so much fun, however, whether he'll admit it or not, I think Jon had as just much - if not more - fun diving into the mound of bears!



THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all who came out to be a part of this special day! We had a lot of fun, and hope that you did as well. Gabe is one lucky little boy to already have so many people who love him so much.

Going along just fine!

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont



Can I get an AMEN from you other Mommies out there?!

All is going well this way! This Friday will mark 34 weeks, and, thanks to my mom for watching them, Jon will be able to go with me to the appointment/sono without having the boys along! We'll let you all know how that goes. I am still feeling pretty well - just your typical lower back pain, starting to waddle, having to get up to pee at night, occasional shortness of breath, a few Braxton-Hicks here and there... but overall, not too shabby! LOL! I mean, I am still able to get out and about with my boys, so I am not complaining. On those lines, the boys and I are still taking our morning walks, but they are not daily any more, much to their dismay. I am just getting scared walking alone with them in the Texas heat on the days that I am feeling questionable (and having some Braxton-Hicks) this far along. BUT, with it not getting dark until around 9:00 or so, we have been able to all get out and about as a family in the evenings, which is even more fun! After dinner, we will typically either go for a walk in the wagon or play in the back yard. It's great because Jon pulls the heavy boys in the wagon, and I head back if I am starting to cramp up or anything - which means the boys get a longer walk in (they love being outdoors) AND I get some quiet, ALONE time back at the house!! (It's the little things!)




Jacob is now walking circles around me, and really having fun chasing Abby around the house. (I'll have to get some pictures of that. It's funny, but a little sad too - poor Abby!) His balance is great considering it took him so long to finally get up and go. Caleb, on the other hand, still doens't want to walk solo. He loves pushing his push toys and holding our hands, but refuses to even put pressure on his legs when we let go. According to Jon and I, ECI, our doctor, and several books on strong-willed children, it seems that Caleb is just stubborn and very strong willed. (Hmmm... stubborn? Strong willed? Sounds like Caleb takes after both Momma and Da-da! We're lucky we only have this problem with ONE of our children... thus far...) If we don't try to make him stand up or walk, he will take little baby steps, but as soon as we acknowledge him or merely say "good job," he collapses. He does that with a lot of things (such as eating) as well... the little toot! The sum of it all - we have to just keep being patient that our little "Cay-Cay" will walk when he's dang good and ready.

Anyway, have to get some much needed rest for now, but I will update more on Friday!

"Pffffftttt" (givin' some raspberries)

The coolest thing in Jacob and Caleb's little worlds right now is giving raspberries. Check out the video below where Caleb couldn't get enough of blowing raspberries on Momma's leg.



What's even funnier is that Jacob has had some pretty bad gas the last couple of days (he'll be so mad in a few years reading this, letting the whole world about his flatulence - hehehe), and so he'll "toot," and then laugh and blow a raspberry. I don't know if the noise coming from his little bottom reminds him about it, or if he thinks he is being a sly boy and covering it up. Either way, it is hysterical!!

Here's another video of both boys "attacking" their Momma. I have already started having to remind the boys the "it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt." Towards the end, Caleb gets a little excited and head butts Jacob. It really was merely a tap, but Jacob was getting sleepy.

God's Pharmacy

God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish - all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born! Check out "God's Pharmacy" below. These are all best and more powerful when eaten raw. It's as if God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body! We're such slow learners...

CARROTS: A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye. And, YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

TOMATOES: A Tomato has four chambers and is red; the heart has four chambers and is red. Research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine, and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

GRAPES: Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell, and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

WALNUTS: A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

BEANS: Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys!

CELERY: Not only celery, but also bok choy, rhubarband, and the like look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium, and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

AVOCADOES, EGGPLANT, and PEARS: These all target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

FIGS: Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

SWEET POTATOES: Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

OLIVES: Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

CITRUS: Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female, and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

ONIONS: Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Babymoon, here we come! Well, in a few more weeks...

Remember our Babymoon with the boys?



It was before I entered the "blog world," so many of you may not even know that Jon and I took off to Paris when I was 13 weeks pregnant with the twins!

We saw some of the most amazing, beautiful, and historical sites of the world... the palace and gardens of Versailles (including the Hall of Mirrors); many amazing, breathtaking churches/cathedrals including: Chartres, Notre-Dame (where we climbed, or should I say hiked, up both bell towers and lit a candle/said a prayer of continued blessings for growing family), Sainte-Chapelle (with the most unbelievable 50-foot stained glass windows that depicted the entire Bible), Sacre-Coeur (built to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus); Champs-Elysee; of course, the Eiffel Tower; Place de Vosges; Jardin de Plantes; many world renown museums including: The Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Piscasso (we both agreed the guy is/was a genius, however we disagreed on one thing: Jon thinks he was crazy, I think he was tripping on acid! haha), Sciences et de Industire (yes, we did go to a science museum while in Paris, and yes, I do know that we ARE both nerds!); through all of the Landing Beaches of Normandy (Caen, Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Gold, Juno, and Sword), the Memorial Peace Museum (D-Day Museum), Saint Laurent (the American Cemetery with all of the American soldiers that lost their lives during just that one war); and the boys did rather enjoy the selection of French pastries and cheeses (pasteurized only) while there as well!


Lighting a candle and saying a little prayer for our "twins" (we didn't know boys yet) in Notre Dame Cathedral. We can laugh about it now, but at the time we were especially adding a little prayer for "Baby B" (Caleb), as he was so tiny and we were not sure if he would make it. Well, "Baby B" is our CHUNK (the bigger of the two) and such a little "toot" now - the boy is indeed a fighter in every sense of the word!


No big sights to see here - but I just thought it was cool that Jon was having a latte at a cafe on a street corner in Paris, on a rainy day, just across from the Opera House where Phantom took place - how cool is all of that?! (I had an amazing Chocolat Chaud - Hot Chocolate - which was purely candy in a cup... OH, YUM!)

For more pics, go to these two links.
(Warning: there are almost 1000 posted, so you might want to glance at them on the page rather than clicking on Slideshow!)

http://picasaweb.google.com/aggiefrog/2006ParisTripPart1

http://picasaweb.google.com/aggiefrog/2006ParisTripPart2

Well, this past weekend, Jon looked around and booked another Babymoon for this "go 'round!" OK, so we can't pull off going back to Paris or take our trip to one of the other previous Babymoon options, such as Ireland, this time, but we will still have a blast!

A quick clue?

The room that he found for us to stay is actually called "Gabriel's Suite!" That's when we knew that we HAD to book it! I mean, to find a room with the same name as our soon to be born son...


Here is the jet tub, shower, and vanity that are finished in royal blue marble along with the stained glass angelic blue harp window in "Gabriel's Suite."

This "trip" will actually serve a dual purpose, as it will also be the first time that Jon and I have gotten away TOGETHER - just the TWO OF US - for more than a few hours since Jacob and Caleb have arrived! I am not sure what we are going to do with ourselves, and I am also not sure what my parents are going to do with the boys for more than 24 hours! ;-) The sad thing is Jon can't even give me a margarita to get my mind off of leaving my poor little angel boys all night. hehehe We have a some fun things lined up, so hopefully that will somewhat get my mind off of them. Either way, I think we all already know that Jon and I will be talking about the boys most of the night anyway. Ahhh, yes, we are indeed parents!

The time is drawing closer and closer to Baby Gabe's arrival, so that should give you another clue that we are not going anywhere too far away, as we want to stay fairly close to the hospital.

I'll let you know more later. ;-)