Christmas 2009

Despite our trips back & forth to Indianapolis, we did need to celebrate Christmas with our families & two older children. Spencer & Kate are getting harder to buy for each year. I love that Spencer is a sports junkie & loves to read anything sports too! Kate still loves her dolls & enjoys playing with her American Girl stuff. However, she does have a love for clothes & lip gloss!

Spencer got some new sports games & a new basketball hoop for his room. We do have to restrict the play times because our bedroom is right next to his room. Both kids have been playing Rock Band since they have more time on their hands. They do a much better job than I ever could do! Kate has been hanging out with Maddie (cousin) and playing dolls, coloring, baking & watching movies. Kate has become quite the baker. Aunt Nessa got her a cake decorating set & she can't wait to use it.

John & I did not buy gifts for each other this year. We did each decide on something we wanted & purchased it for our gift. He got a hands-free phone toy for his car. I thought he already had one, but I guess this one is better. I decided to get a Moby Wrap for my new babies. I am so excited & want to thank my niece, Jill, for her blog post that sparked my interest. Thank you!

We don't need anything. We both just want our family together and our boys to be home & healthy. We are looking forward to the New Year! John is worried about getting old & I am hoping to have time with our twins before I have to go back to work. We are hoping that we will be able to take a family vacation this summer & share our twins with everyone we visit. I know, we are just very proud parents! It has been a wonderful year & are so thankful for our many blessings. Look out 2010....Here we come!

Brothers Together...part 2

Carson & Graham Downing ...Carson weighs 3lbs 3oz & Graham weighs 4 lbs 10.5 oz

Tuesday, Dec 29th ...We finally got the boys together.
I can't believe the difference in size. They are doing well
& we are so grateful for the prayers & the progress they
are making each day.

John & Rae with the boys

Brothers Together

Graham in his new bed

Mom holding Graham & Dad holding Carson

John & Carson

Rae & Graham

Day 2 Baby Photos

Graham on Day 2

Carson on Day 2

Carson on Day 2

Where do I start? It was a whirlwind of unplanned events that brought us to delivery day for our twin boys. First, I had to go to my doctors for a glucose test that morning. Unfortunately, when you ask a pregnant woman to fast for 12 hrs, then drink a bottle of orange sugar water, it just results in vomiting & cancellation of the test. I went home and ate a blueberry muffin & some milk. I was feeling fine until I had a debilitating back spasm. After being on the floor for some time in excruciating pain, I got the pleasure of vomiting again. John helped me to bed & I napped for about 2 hrs.

I decided to get up and had quite a surprise. I immediately called the doctor & they sent me straight to labor & delivery. After my arrival & an examination, they confirmed that I had ruptured, but the babies were fine. I was given medicine to stop my contractions & a steroid shot for the babies lung development. I am only 33 wks & 2 days so the decision was made to care flight me via helicopter to St Vincents Womens Hospital in Indianapolis. Based on our prior visits, we had planned on delivery there. Unfortunately, John had to drive over & didn't get to ride with me. He was a little bummed & I also had envisioned my first helicopter ride being much more enjoyable & breathtaking than viewing the cornfields of Indiana.

Upon arrival in Indianapolis (a 35 minute flight), the goal was to stop my contractions & get another steroid shot in me for the babies lung development. After 2 hrs of consistent contractions & little pain relief, they had no choice, but to do my C section. I took a turn for the worse, and everything went very quickly. I was wheeled to surgery & the babies were born.

On December 16, 2009, at 11:02pm Carson Keller Downing was born weighing 3lbs 1.5oz and measuring 15 inches in length. Then at 11:06pm Graham Edward Downing was born weighing 5lbs 1oz and measuring 17.5 inches in length. Both babies were whisked away immediately after delivery without any sound of a cry. As a mother, it was very alarming & frightening. John was able to find out the babies were doing fine & being taken to the NICU.

I was wheeled to recovery & after 1.5 hrs, I finally got to see my babies. The pictures above show the oxygen they are receiving & all the other monitoring lines that are being used to help our babies.

As of today, both boys are off of oxygen and breathing well on their own. They are eating small amounts and we are taking one day at a time. We are dealing with minor issues and time will help them grow strong. Carson will continue to have heart monitoring and will have surgery when he is around 15 lbs.

We are so grateful for prayers & warm wishes that family & friends have shared with us. We are truly blessed to have our twins here before Christmas and pray for a steady & healthy recovery. Heavenly Father has been watching over our family & we know that our faith & prayers have blessed us well. Thank you & we love you all!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Baby Update

It started about 3 weeks ago.....We had an ultrasound at St Vincents Womens hospital in Indianapolis. Why? Because I am over 35 yrs of age & having twins. So, during our first visit the tech was able to tell us we were expecting 2 boys & they were fraternal. She also noticed that Baby A (known as Carson) had one kidney holding more liquid than the other. The doctor wanted to watch it and had us schedule a return visit in 2 weeks. At this point, we are thinking the baby will outgrow the problem & it doesn't appear to be anything serious.



At our return appt in mid-November, the doctor again noticed the problem with the kidney & bowel. They also noticed a slight under development in the cerebral vermis (located at the base of the cerebellum). It appears to be a form of Dandy Walker Syndrome. Luckily, our Carson does not show other characteristics such as a cyst on the vermis or additional fluid in the brain. However, we do not know the range of complications that we may experience after birth. The doctors do believe it to be at the mild end of the spectrum which may mean developmental delays. After some discussion & recommendations, we decided to schedule a visit with a fetal cardiologist. It is common that children with Dandy Walker Syndrome have heart defects, but they are not related in any way.



Today we met with the fetal cardiologist and upon review she found a moderate to large hole between the right & left ventricle. It may close some before delivery, but will not close completely. Therefore, open heart surgery will be required at 4-6 months. This discovery sparked some additional conversations and the doctor recommended we do an amniocentesis. Luckily, we were able to go to lunch & return to the office for the procedure. It was slightly uncomfortable, but the little guy cooperated and it only took about 15 minutes from start to finish. We will have some preliminary results on Friday afternoon & all the details from the test in about 2 weeks.



Plans have changed drastically.....I will now deliver in Indianapolis with a scheduled C-section. I am 31 weeks and the doctors want me to get to 38 weeks. We are looking at mid January for delivery. Of course, I will also be switching my care from my current doctor in Richmond to Indianapolis too.



What a whirlwind of information. We have tried to keep the kids informed and keep ourselves from over analyzing the information, but it is difficult at times. We are truly grateful for these little ones, and can only hope & pray for a healthy outcome. Your thoughts & prayers are greatly appreciated. Our family is very blessed to have such wonderful friends and family to support us. Thank you and we love you!

Thanksgiving & baby update

We had a busy holiday week. Our family celebrated Thanksgiving with my mom & grandma the weekend before, then we spent Thanksgiving Day with John's sister & family and then we had another dinner with my dad this past weekend. John took this picture at the end of dinner. We didn't eat till about 4pm Thanksgiving Day due to a turkey cooking problem, but it was worth the wait!

We have been blessed again this year and are looking forward to starting the year with the arrival of twin boys. We have greatly appreciated the extra thoughts & prayers for our little ones. As some of you may know, one of our twins is smaller than the other. Our doctors have expressed some concern that he may have developmental problems. We are undergoing some tests and will keep everyone posted. We do not know the details, but we have faith that he will be blessed with the strength to overcome these problems.

I cannot begin to list the many things I am thankful for in my life. I hope I continue to recognize these things each day & make the most of each moment. We hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving and we wish you a wonderful holiday season.

They are BOYS!

 

 

 

 

Finally....an update

I have been so busy & just haven't taken the time to post. I shouldn't assume that my life is that uninteresting to everyone out there in blog land. Here is an update of our family....

Spencer started jr high this year. He is doing great and loves it! He is running cross country and just started swimming. He went to some races with John this summer & has a new interest in auto racing. He is addicted to sports (still) and is glad that football season has started. He is really excited about having more brothers or sisters and is looking forward to it.

Kate is in the 5th grade and at a new school. We decided to switch her to a different elementary school and she is doing great. I know the principal and a friend of mine is her teacher. She has had trouble with school due to her seizure medicine, but the school is working to make accommodations. The neurologist says if she is seizure free this next year she may be able to stop taking her medication. She is our social butterfly and is always on the go. She decided to opt out of dance, but is continuing with piano lessons. She also started swim team this year and is doing very well. She loves to get pedicures and is always trying to get me to take her. She is slowly welcoming the idea of twins. I know once they arrive, she will be overjoyed & telling us all how to take care of them.

John has attended some races this summer, played basketball & golf, and is busy with the start of bowling season. He is bowling 2x a week and has realized he has arthritis in his ankles. Thank you Miles for the laughing diagnosis. He thinks he is getting old and he may be right. Ha Ha ! He is great at helping me out at home & with the kids. We are so lucky to have flexible schedules!

I am 5 months along in my pregnancy and just gaining weight(only 13lbs so far). I am working full time & feeling good. I haven't been sick, just very tired. I have missed eating cereal with milk, yogurt & ice cream. They make me feel terrible. I drink lots of water & of course, am always going to the bathroom. I am trying to work as long as possible so I will have more time off after the babies get here. I am fortunate enough to have 6 months off at full pay for my maternity leave. I go for a 3D ultrasound on Sept 29th and hopefully, we will learn the sex of the babies.

My youngest sister just had a baby 3 months ago & both my brother's wives are pregnant. One of them, Larrin, is having twins too!

Our life has been very simple this year. We have forfeited all of our vacations and have visited places & friends close to home. I have to say I have enjoyed the relaxation and free time spent with the kids.

I promise to post some pictures from summer & will keep you updated on the baby news.

It's Twins!

Where do I start? John & I always thought we would have 3 or 4 children, but somehow we stopped at two. About a year ago, we decided we really wanted to have more children. I wanted two more, but John would only commit to one more. He said he was too old...ha ha ha!
I told him we will just have to have twins so we won't have to worry about it. I started telling myself everyday we would have twins & said lots of prayers. Well, I got my wish! I had my 1st ultrasound last Wednesday and it was confirmed. John could hardly believe it when I called him.
Kate has been a little less excited than Spencer, but I know she will come around. She loves babies & bossing little ones around way too much! We are having another ultrasound late September. We will find out the sex of the babies this time. I have lots of preparation to do before January.

O Remember, Remember

I just thought I would share this video from Henry B. Eyring. I have always struggled to keep good journals and notes of great & funny things about my kids and my life.

About a year or so ago, I found http://www.lds.journal.com/ . It allows me to log in at my computer or on my phone, jot down things about my day and even answer questions about my life & childhood. It has been great to know that I don't have to do my journals handwritten to share my memories & thoughts. You can add photos & even print out your journal entries in bound book form.
I hope my children appreciate the scrapbooks and journals I leave behind. They will allow them to see His hand in our lives every day.

Staycation 2009

Yes, we stayed home for spring break this year. It was actually quite nice not packing up a suitcase, waiting in lines or finding a house/dog sitter. We enjoyed the freedoms of sleeping & eating whenever we wanted, having friends sleep over, and relaxing with a good book or a movie we have been meaning to watch. I did come to a few realizations while on this staycation.....

• Having no schedule for an entire week is really quite liberating & relaxing

• I do enjoy cooking & wish I had more time

• I'm glad we have family dinner together almost every night
  
• We don't really watch that much television when the weather is nice
  
• Car rides are quiet when the kids have ipods
  
• I can read a lot when I am not working

• The Zoo was great even though we were cold all day

• We own too much stuff & don't need it
  
• I have a great husband & kids
  
• We are all looking forward to summer vacation
  

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I am always trying to find new recipes for my picky eaters. We eat a lot of chicken & it's hard to find creative ways to serve it up. This was recipe was a hit, so I thought I would share.

4 chicken breast halves, skinless & boneless
4 slices of Swiss Cheese
4 slices of thin ham
1 can cream of chicken soup plus 2/3 cup milk
2 cups of fine seasoned stuffing or bread crumbs (not cubes)

Mix soup & milk in a bowl with whisk. Set aside. In a baking dish, sprinkle bottom of dish with about 1 cup of seasoned stuffing. Top with chicken pieces, then ham (I cut mine into 3rds) & then top with Swiss cheese (also cut mine into 3rds) Pour soup mixture over all. Sprinkle rest of seasoned stuffing over top.
Bake at 300* for 1 1/2 hrs . Cover with foil if getting too brown.

We enjoyed this with a salad & crescent rolls. What an easy meal!

Spencer's Birthday

Well, I had almost forgotten to post for Spencer's birthday. I can't believe how much time has past since we had our first child was born. He turned 12 yrs old this year.

Spencer Davis Downing was born on March 11, 1997. He shares his birthday with my mother too. He was such a great little baby & we couldn't believe we were parents. He made it very easy for us.

He was so good & John loved taking him to the race track. He would talk to anyone & was such a good car rider on our trips.

I love this picture. After he got his glasses, they were always hanging off the end of his nose. I think that is when we started calling him "little man". This is one of the bunnies we found in the back yard.

As he got older, he loves to be outside. He enjoys riding his bike, playing with friends & developing his love of sports. How many jerseys can a boy have?

Spencer is a true sports junkie. He can't get enough!

He remembers all the facts he reads & loves to watch games 24/7.

Now instead of just watching sports, he plays. He loves playing football & basketball.

He is crazy about his dog, Wayne. They sleep together & hang out watching

sports. He is a growing & changing boy. He got braces this year, wears contacts & now has an attitude.

Overall, Spencer is a good kid. He has nicknamed himself "Beast" hence why we had to take

this picture at the Beastly Bazaar. He loves his sister & his family, is great with his younger nieces & nephews, and makes us laugh.

He makes the move to jr high school this fall. He plans on trying out for football. It makes me nervous, but he will probably be just fine. He has had a rough year & is looking forward to a great summer of swimming & fun with friends & family.

Spencer, we love you & Hope you had a great birthday!

Kate's Birthday

Katherine Audrey was born on February 18th, 1999. She was
so adorable and such a beautiful baby. We couldn't begin to imagine the joy & laughter this little girl would bring into our lives.





















She didn't have much hair and we let her play cars with her brother. She was a messy baby, but she was so funny too! She grew up fast, but still loves to snuggle & tells us she loves us about 5x a day.














She finally got some beautiful blonde curls. I couldn't have been happier to have a daughter with curly hair, but it soon would straighten out & disappear. Some even got cut off by her brother.



















She has a great smile and loves to get her picture taken. She loves to watch people, make silly faces, and loves to draw & color. She is a daddy's girl and knows how to work her magic on him.








She is a smart and talented girl. We are very proud of her. Don't all parents think their kids are the best?

Of course, they do!!!










Now, She is 10 years old. She is a social butterfly, loves music & High School Musical on every level, American Girl dolls, loves to bake, help in the kitchen, and shop for clothes. She has great friends, still loves to snuggle and play with her baby dolls.


















She had a little sleepover this year for her birthday. We made strawberry cake with vanilla icing, played school, and watched High School Musical 3. She makes me laugh everyday & we are crazy about our little girl.














Happy Birthday Katie Bug!
We love you!

(She really does sleep like this every night. Crazy. huh?)

Happy Anniversary

It was 16 years ago on February 12, 1993 that John & I decided to spend eternity together. We were married in the Chicago, IL temple on a cold & snowy day.

We had a wonderful reception with family & friends. We spent our honeymoon at Disney World in Orlando and have been addicted ever since.

We have been blessed with a great life & two beautiful children. I am so glad to be married to John & look forward to another 16 years. Then that's it....just kidding!
Happy Anniversary John! I love you!
















This photo is me with my grandparents. I am so lucky to have known & grown up with my grandparents and my great-grandparents.

In this photo...My maternal grandmother, Thelma Snelling, myself, my paternal grandmother & grandfather, Barbara & Bill Hughes.
















My family at the reception from left to right....

My brother Rob (15), my sister Jennifer (17), my sister Vanessa (10), John & me, my mom, my brother Keith (12), and my dad.

I am the oldest in the family & it is crazy to see how young they were when I got married. It was sad that I was leaving home.















John's family at the reception from left to right....

His sisters, Kathleen & Elaine, John & me, his mother, Audrey, his brother, Mike and his sister Joyce. Maureen was unable to make it.

Notice I did not include the age at the time of our wedding. John is the youngest in his family and also 6 years older than myself.

They have been a great addition to my life.

Spencer gets braces

About two weeks ago, Spencer got his braces. We spent about 3 hrs at the orthodontist getting the mold and braces put on his teeth and I got to read for 3 hrs and watch periodically. He has done a great job taking care of them and doing all the brushing.

He was pretty grossed out by the pictures of the bad brushing and puffy gums. He lost a tooth today and only has one more baby tooth to lose. He chose red rubber bands for this time,but will get them changed every 12 wks at his regular visit. After our orthodontist visit, I took Spencer to get Maid Rites for lunch. He had no problem eating, but had a lot stuck in his teeth at the end. His mouth didn't start to hurt and bother him until the next day. He wanted to eat cereal, but couldn't do it. I have been fixing him scrambled eggs for breakfast and that seems to be his thing now.

Kate has finished her expander stage and is now in the retainer stage. She will be ready for braces in about 18 months when Spencer will be getting his off. How lucky are we?

Science Fair

It's Science Fair time every year in February and I hate it! My kids have been required to do science fair projects for the last 4 years and I am over it. Every year we spend weeks trying to come up with a project, then how to do it, the report, the board, the presentation prep, and the stress of it all makes me crazy.

Luckily, both kids have done well. This year, they both achieved 1st place honors for their projects and we don't have to go to district science fair. We did this last year and I think it was one of the longest days of my life. Spencer did his project on Heat & Evaporation. He tested different light bulbs and the rate of evaporation over a period of time. Spencer will not be required to do one next year in junior high and I could not be more excited.

Kate did her project on Hot & Cold magnets and does the temperature effect the magnetism. Spencer did this project a few years ago & we were able to adjust & reuse it....good idea huh? She was so excited to get a 1st place ribbon and very proud of her project, despite the small amount of work she actually had to do. Kate also had to do a class presentation and did very well.

The Holidays

I know it has been forever since I updated my blog. I have finally recovered from my 70 hour work week, and feel almost normal. In no particular order, here is what happened during our holiday season. We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

We did Christmas with the Downing Family at Aunt Joyce's house early in December due to the Mopps family vacation trip. We had a good time & played American Idol on the Wii.

On Christmas eve, we got together for Pizza King & Rock Band!

Bryce, Shannon, John & Spencer rockin' it out!

Elaine, Shannon, John & Bryce with
a total Rock Band Performance!

We give the kids new pajamas every year on Christmas eve. I love how they act surprised

and I love how we make them smile for a picture every year. I think they really

love each other.

Christmas morning at the Downing House

You'll notice our skinny tree in the background. Our 9 ft tree was

pre-lit (Don't waste your money!) and the lights gave out this year. Needless to say,

I did not have the time or money to relight the entire tree this year and at the last minute.

Christmas with the Davis family is a breakfast on the Sat after Christmas. We had the usual

egg casserole, pancakes & bacon, fruit and mom's homemade coffee cake.

John & I did find time to attend a Christmas Party at our neighbor's house.

As always, Beau & Julie are great hosts & we have a wonderful time every year.

Maddie, Kate, Allison & Spencer enjoying hot chocolate at Fort St. Clair. We did get to

enjoy the lights, hot cocoa, and cookies, but Santa had already left for the evening. We drove through Story Book Lane before heading back home. We even had snow flurries that night.

Kate & I went to the Yuletide Celebration at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

We enjoyed lunch at PF Changs before the event and went to Circle Center Mall afterwards.

John & Spencer opted to attend an Indiana Pacers game

instead of paying for a nap at the symphony.

Kate has acquired a love for baking. Santa brought her a denim cupcake apron & cupcake baking kit. She could hardly wait to get into the kitchen.

Kate mixing her icing and waiting for the cupcakes to come out of the oven.

She hasn't perfected the icing yet, but she still loves being our little baker.

New Years Eve we went to the Saliwanchik's house. Kate brought her friend Hailey & they had a great time. We do a gift exchange, play card games, have fireworks, and stay over night. After a big New Years Day lunch, we head home & rest up.

Hope everyone had a Happy New Year!