Remembrance

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be so he put his arms around you and whispered, "Come to Me" With tearful eyes we watched you and saw you pass away and although we love you dearly we could not make you stay. ... A Golden heart stopped beating hard working hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes the best On Wednesday, December 21st in the evening, Evan went to Heaven to be fully healed. I have found such peace knowing that he probably went to straight to shooting hoops or playing baseball with a huge grin and laughing so everyone can hear. I got to see Evan the day he passed away. I didn't know that it would be the last time, but I will never forget our last few moments together and his half thumbs up to tell me that he loved me, Scott, Olivia and the twins. Selfishly we all wanted him to stay here with us, but deep down we know that was not possible. Again, he is fully healed and back to the Fun fullied, sweet and happy Evan we all knew and loved. Thank you to everyone for your kind words, thoughts, prayers and simple messages to me and our family. We will celebrate Evan's life in a private ceremony on Monday Dec 26th. There will be a public celebration sometime in January. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. Cherish each moment with your family and friends. Love, Scott, Stephanie, Olivia and the twins.

Phil 4:13

Special Donut and 20 Weeks

I am 20 weeks today! Halfway there whoo hoo! I have a big bump to prove it ha! At around 17 weeks things started to get much better and I wasn't feeling sick all day long. During the evening once in a while can leave me feeling icky, but for the most part I am hungry and thank the lord! I actually want food now, enjoy it and Scott is so thankful I can cook more now!

Speaking of food, I have to tell a funny story. As I have been feeling better I have been craving some things that are not so great for me, but hey I went almost 4 months eating only bagels so I don't feel bad. Anyway, I have been wanting those little powdered and chocolate donuts and chocolate milk. I will say I am drinking lowfat chocolate milk, not whole milk, but the donuts..not the best choice! Well someone in my household also loves these donuts and I am having a hard time hiding them. Yup miss Olivia. I made the mistake one morning of giving her one chocolate and one powdered donut and now every morning when I go in her room to get her up she looks at me and says, "I have special donut?"

Now if you have ever witnessed the tantrum that ensues my daughter when she does not get her way, you would know how difficult this battle is every morning at 7:30! I am really bad about hiding the donuts and she beats me to the cupboard in the morning and even if I do hide them it's like she still knows and searches high and low until she finds them. I honestly find this hilarious and exhausting at the same time! She is so much like me I just can't even believe it!

Ok now I am hungry for special donuts!

Questions

After we announced our news we have been asked several questions so I thought I would take a minute to answer the most commonly asked!

1. Are their twins in your family?
There are a set of fraternal twins on Scott's side and my mom's side, by they are several generations down the line. Also, we learned that if you are having identical twins, it is simply just god's plan. Fraternal twins are genetic, but not identical sets. We are just a lucky chosen family. There is your lesson for today!

2. How do you know they are identical?
They are sharing one placenta, which all identical twins do. They are in separate sacs, but share on placenta.

3. How do you know at 14 weeks they are both girls?
You are considered high risk when carrying multiples, so in addition to seeing my regular obgyn I see a high risk specialist as well. Everytime we see him, we get to have a 4D ultrasound. Both, him and his tech were sure they were girls. Also, since they are identical, they are automatically the same sex.

4. What is different about this pregnancy?
What isn't different about this prengnacy ha! Well first, the first trimester was way more intense. I pretty much new I was pregnant before I even took a test, because I was tired and sick literally right out the gate. It just got worse from there and the exhaustion was beyond anything I can remember with Olivia. It didn't help that I have Olivia to keep up with, but Scott was and still is so helpful when I just need to rest.

I started showing much sooner, and before we went to the Dr. at 9 weeks I kept telling Scott at the end of the day. "I didn't think people were really serious when they said you show faster with the next pregnancy, look at this." I felt like I was showing, proabably in my head since no one really knew.

You go to the Dr. more often. like I said earlier, you see a high risk ob and your regular ob. I am pretty much at the DR. every two weeks right now and that will only increase as we get closer. The neat thing is we get to have so many ultrasounds and see our babies grow each time!

Twins tend to grow faster in the begining and slow down later simply because there just isn't any room. Therefore twins tend to come earlier and often times at 38 weeks they are considered full term. If I go that long we would be looking at a due date around April 9th!

5. Are you having any cravings?
Since I couldn't eat much in the beginning it was bagels with lots of cream cheese. I like blueberry with strawberry cream cheese or cinnamon raisin with plain. Aside from that chocolate shakes. I think at night they helped my stomach. I still am eating both of those things, but not as often. I certainly am hungry for carbs, meat kind of gross's me out and I sometimes really love milk. I think my food adversions are worse right now though. Sometimes things just don't taste right at all and I always tell Scott things are bad and he laughs. I really hope everything starts tasting good soon.

I think those are the most common questions right now! Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts, prayers and well wishes. So many of you have already offered so many things and we are just so thankful.

We will keep everyone posted and if I get brave I will post some pictures soon!

From Three to Five!!!!

Olivia wanted to share some news with everyone!

You read that correctly, we are expecting identical twin girls!!! We are so excited, scared and over all simply in shock about this journey that we are on! I am 14 weeks and starting to feel human again! It was one rough first trimester and I am just praying that all goes well for me and these babies!

We will be sure to keep everyone updated about this next chapter of our lives! Please pray for two healthy babies!

26 Months

I always tell myself to really enjoy and embrace each stage we are in with Olivia because she truely is changing so fast. My baby whom needed us for everything, now is so very independent. Well, she's always had a bit of that in her, but now more than ever. As with any stage of life, there are several joys and a few challenges that we are dealing with. Again, I go back to her fierce independece. It is a great thing and also a challenge for us. Scott and I are learnig to be more patient as she discovers all of the things that she "thinks" she can do all by herself. An example would be putting her socks and shoes on as we are running late and trying to get out the door.

At 26 months she is talking in full sentances most of the time and really telling us everything she wants and needs. Sometimes we don't understand what she is saying, but usually within a day it becomes more clear. She still loves to be outside as much as possible and we have been so blessed with some amazing weather so we are taking full advantage! She still loves her Mickey Mouse, but has started to get more into movies like Toy Story, Tinkerbell and Cars. She loves to play with her kitchen and I think we are finally starting to get into some books yay!!!!!

My once, very good eater has reverted to eating pretty much cottage cheese, apples, yogurt, chips and sometimes peanut butter & jelly. She does like breakfast the most so she eats waffles, toast or cereal in the am but after that the rest of the day is downhill:(

This stage that we are in now is indeed very busy, but very fun. Olivia continues to simply amaze us each and every day with her ability to learn, make us laugh, cuddle and give kisses at the end of the day and of course challenge us with her I do it myself attitude!

2 Year Photos

We got Olivia's two year pictures taken last night and we had so much fun! Check out the photographers blog for a sneak peak. The same photographer also took pictures of Evan and his brother's this week too. Take a look at these special moments!

http://amyblanchardphotography.blogspot.com

Family

A few weeks back, both of my brother's were in town for the weekend. One passing through as he headed for his new home in Birmingham Alabama,and the other, home for interviews (which he got and is now moving back whoo hooo!!!). All of us have not been together since the holiday's and as we all get older, we really do enjoy and cherish our time together. Lately, the importance of family and how special and blessed we are has really been weighing heavily on me...for all of my family actually.

Many of you know that my cousin Evan has been struggling with a brain tumor for over a year now. Over the summer he started to rapdidly decline and last week we found out the tumor had entered his brainstem. There is no cure and we are all hoping and praying for a miracle, but the truth of the matter is for some reason, God needs him more than we do right now and we are just trying to enjoy what each day is bringing him, his brothers, his parents and the rest of us.

Evan is so lucky to have such an amazing family and huge community of friends all over the country who love him and want to see him win this fight. It has truely been amazing to see all of the good in people and to watch my already wonderful family come together and support and hug each other. No one knows what tomorrow brings, but really aside from family, what else matters? Kiss and hug your loved ones' each and everyday and live in the moment with no regrets. It has taken me 29 years to figure that out and my nine year old cousin has been doing it his nine years of life.

Please pray for Evan, his family and all of our family as we try to navigate through this difficult time. Now go hug those closest to you and tell them you love them!

Cereal-sly Olivia is 2!

Today we celebrated Olivia's 2nd Birthday with her favorite food of the moment, cereal! We had her party this morning and did breakfast and a cereal bar!I even made a rice krsipie treat cake and decorated it with cereal. It was so fun. She loved, we loved, everyone loved it and everyone was gone by nap time and we had the rest of the day to play with new toys, go to the pool and hang out as just the three of us! It was such a great day and she really had fun.

We really can't believe she is two already and how fast the 2nd year flew by. She is such a joy and blessing to our lives. I just stopped several times today and thought back to August 6, 2009. We just stared at her all afternoon and wondered what she would be like. We really had no idea and any expectations have been far exceeded!

Thanks to everyone who celebrated with us!

Lately....

We have been enjoying swimming, going for walks, eating ice cream, grilling out, the famer's market, family and all that summer has to offer! Life doesn't get any better than that!

Daddy and Olivia are doing swimming lesson's together, which started this week and she loves it! I think daddy does too and really enjoys the special time together. We had a fabulous 4th of July weekend at the lake with family and friends. Olivia was a little scared of the fireworks, but not too bad. We walked in the Ralston parade, which was very fun and we ate way too much!

Enjoy your summer and relax!

Playing in the sand

Cousin Tyler playing in the Kyak

Driving the boat! Everyone watch out!

Getting ready to watch the big firework show with my popcorn!

Swimming with daddy!

My first pigtails!

Is this the Terrible Two's?

"NO NO NO" I think that pretty much sums up the vocabulary of Olivia this week. Everything is NO. Do you like your treat? "No" Do you want to play with puzzles? " No" Is it time to go bye bye? "No" This child is putting us through a major test this week...as well as daycare. Her notes have not been very good either! She is climbing on things she shouldn't, stealing toys from other kids and telling them, "No!" When we try to discipline her she gets so upset and just cries. We are having a hard time getting her to understand the consequences of her actions and all of the sudden she seems very sensitive. She is also getting up from her time-out chair, which she never does.

At the same time she has decided to become even more independent than before. she wants to get into her carseat by herself and then buckle herself in, which she can't do, but then when we try to help she get's really mad and sometimes hits us!!! Of course we raise our voice and then she just cries the rest of the ride. She wants to get her own cereal and drink out of a big girl glass and put Boston's food in his bowl. You name it and she does NOT want our help. Although I like that she wants to do things by herself, I admit we both don't always have the patience or time to let her do it.

It just seems like everything is such a struggle right now and I really and honestly have no clue what I am doing! If anyone has advice or help that would be greatly appreciated! I know it's all a bit of a guessing game, but right now I am relying on wine and ice cream to get me through it!

Questions

Two questions,

1. When I post pictures how on earth do I add comments to the pictures?

2. Does anyone read my blog? I guess I will know based on comments????

Photo Shoot

When Olivia was 18 months old we had her photos taken by a wonderful photographer and friend who we was doing a fundrasier for their adoption process. We recently just got the digital prints so I wanted to share a few of our favorites! She is 22 months today and it's amazing how much she has changed since this photo session!

Wait it's May?

Really it's May? When did this happen? I serioulsy remember Christmas morning like it was yesterday and now it's Spring. Wait, actually it was Summer last week then Spring and now Fall again. Our weather is nut's right now!

We have been so busy and there is no rest for the weary. We have weddings and graduations in abundance this year so every weekend we are non-stop. Finally today we are home with the exception of a few errands and I am happy to finally be updating in my pj's!

We had a great Easter. Olivia had three Easter egg hunts, ate way too much candy and was spoiled with several toys, games, books and clothes. Mother's day was wonderful and I had a great day with just Scott and Olivia.

Olivia is 21 months, keeping us busy and talking, talking talking! She is forming several sentences and her vocabulary is incredible. I really don't know what is normal for this age, but she says just about everything. Her current list of favorite's is:

Super Why and Sid the Science Kid on PBS
Playing outside, nothing new here
Coloring
Chasing Boston around the house
Puzzles
Dressing herself and trying to put her shoes on
Drinking out of a big girl cup, no sippy cups
Testing mommy and daddy's patience....again nothing new here
Playing make-up with mommy in the morning
Giving lot's of hugs and kisses!
Oh, and ice cream. She is just like her mommy:)

I mean serioulsy!

I came across this post on the Pioneer Woman website, which I follow like a crazy person. I am seriously jealous of her, just saying. As soon as I post this I am heading to the grocery store to fullfill my dream of eating this tonight!!!!

Happy Easter Peeps!



Peeps S’mores for Easter
Ingredients

peeps
hershey’s chocolate squares
graham crackers
Method

Place graham crackers, chocolate and a peep as shown in first picture. Zap in the microwave until soft. (Or place under broiler.) Top with another graham cracker square.
This was printed from: Eclectic Recipes
The site URL: http://eclecticrecipes.com
The Title: Peeps S’mores for Easter
The URL: http://eclecticrecipes.com/peeps-smores-for-easter
© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved

According to Olivia....

Everything is better dipped in applesauce....

Applesauce is the most fun word to say.....

I am big enough to walk up and down the stairs by myself, and I mean walk....

I am very helpful at unloading groceries and anything else in a bag....

Outside is the best place to be, I am not restricted at all!....

I love shoes, socks and trying to dress myself....

When I eat really well I get a treat, I love all treats!!!!.....

I am 27lbs and 33inches long....

Bosty still doesn't like me very much, but sometimes we play....

I miss my uncle Markie and David and love my new cousin Eliza. She came to play with us last week and I took good care of her....

Mickey Mouse, Special Agent Oso and Chugginton are my favotite cartoons....

I love to color....

I am 20 months now and so much fun!!!!!

Busy!

I have one word since my last blog post, which was over a month ago, busy. Actually make that two words, busy and sick. Here's a little update for now!

The sun has been shining all weekend and we have finally been outside playing, going to the park and going for walks. We opened up the house and let out all of the germs. We are hoping that warm weather is finally here to stay, but in NE you never know!

Aside from illness, I am happy to say that I am updating this blog from our new basement! It really wasn't too bad of a project, but we hired people for everything so maybe that's why. I make no apologies for spending the money on other people because in the end I think we saved money but not trying our hand at electrical work, drywall, or laying carpet! We love how it turned out and know that we will spend so much time down here playing with Olivia. Now she has a place for her toys and I don't have to worry about cleaning them up all of the time. I can close the door, go upstairs and not have to look at the mess if I don't want to. The only problem now is that Scott thinks he needs a bigger TV!

Also, a big congratulations to my hubby for passing his comprehensive exam for his masters. Technically he has one class left in June, but UNO already sent him the letter saying he passed and will graduate with his Masters in Education Administration this summer! Olivia and I could not be more proud of him and all of his hard work these past two and a half years!

Olivia continues to change each and everyday and I believe we are already in the terrible two's. At the same time she is so fun and continues to keep us very busy. Her favorite place to be right now is outside so let's hope this weather stays!

18 Months

This picture perfectly describes our "Little Miss" these days. We are obviously biased, but we think Olivia is hilarious these days as her personality has really taken off. She even cracks herself up, ha! She is always on the go, like she has always been, but we really have to keep our running shoes on with her!

She is continuing to learn several new words. We can pretty much ask her to repeat a word back to us and it comes out pretty clear. Sometimes when we say, "one, two," she says, "three," but it sounds like free. It is just amazing. We have been working on animal sounds because several of our books and puzzles are about animals. She does pretty good and it just amazes us how fast babies at this age can pick up on things. She loves to grab her purse and keys and go bye bye on her car. It is hilarious. I keep trying to get a photo, but no luck.

Although we love this stage, we also have new challenges. Tantrums, time-outs, thinking about potty training, not eating anything, tantrums, her strong will and oh tantrums!

Eliza Claire Stoll

After much anticipation, My sister delivered a healthy, beautiful baby girl on Monday February 7th at 3:09pm. Eliza Claire weighed 7lbs 3 oz and is 19 inches long. She is adorable and so sweet. I am excited to be an Aunt and Olivia was very excited to meet Eliza last night. They are going to have so much fun growing up together!

UH-OH!

So Saturday morning I hear Olivia through the monitor starting to wake up. She often times plays in her crib for a few minutes and just likes to hang out. I got up and headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth. As I am brushing I can hear something, but not sure what. I turn off the water and head to her room. Her door is cracked open so as I approach I see her STANDING at the door! I was stunned. She CLIMBED OUT OF HER CRIB....AND WITHOUT FALLING! I just stared at her and couldn't say anything. She started gabbing and pointing to the crib and I just couldn't move. I checked her over for bumps and bruises, but there was none.

At 1:00 I put her down for her afternoon nap and she went to asleep great. The second she started waking up I ran upstairs and got her. I turned to grab a diaper from her dresser and when I turned back around she was already hanging on the side! I screamed NO NO NO!!!

She did not attempt an escape yesterday after her nap and she is asleep now so we will see about this time. Seriously people what do I do? She is just shy of 18 months and I cannot imagine putting her in a toddler bed. She is still my baby, she is not ready.....or is she?

17 Months!

Scott got his first snow day today so we are all at home today in Pj's hanging out and enjoying time together!

Life has been busy as usual and once again I will say, "I can't believe how fast my child is growing." I threw my sister a baby shower this weekend (she is due in 4 short weeks!) and we all went around and gave her some advice. One of her friends said, "Don't be so eager for them to move on to the stage, because you will always miss something about the previous month or stage. It goes by so fast so enjoy each stage with the good and bad." She is so right. It does go by in the blink of an eye and I often times catch myself thinking I can't wait until Olivia grows out of X Y Z. I need to enjoy each and every day, each tantrum, each new development, each laugh, cry and new discovery because I know very soon I will long for her to need me or want my help.

Speaking of new developments, Olivia has really started to be able to express to us her wants. She points, talks, throws a fit....not the best method, but at least I know she doesn't want whatever it is. I feel we are able to minimize some tantrum's because we know more of what she wants. My dad watched her the other day for us and he said she is such a climber. I do not remember you kids ever being climbers like this. She climbes up and down on chairs, the couch and the rocker all day and certainly does not like to sit still for very long, except to watch Mickey Mouse or Special Agent Oso on Disney, ugh!

Olivia still loves to dance and now gets really excited and raises her voice when she see's something she likes, like Mickey Mouse on TV or a special toy. She will grab a book now and babble as she looks at each page and turns it. Very soon more words are going to come together, but for now it is hilarious to listen to her go on and on with gibberish. If we ask her to say a word she pretty much repeats it back and it so cute and she acts so proud of herself. Thankfully she is still a wonderful eater and drinks plenty of milk and when she is healthy she sleeps great too!

She is such a joy and makes us laugh so much right now! We couldn't ask for more!

Here are some photos from the Holidays! I hope you all had a great Christmas!