Spencer and Jenny

Spring has Sprung

2010-04-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from the Easter Holiday. I LOVE my girls!!!!

The sKiNnY

2010-04-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything in ages (much to Brooke's dismay)... so, here's the skinny.

Madison
*Will turn three on May 2nd (just incredible...time truly does fly)
*PERFECT AGE!!!! She is hysterical!
*Although it took a few weeks to get it, she is completely potty trained :) YES!!
*Speaks with an Italian Accent (imagine with me..."Mamma I donnn't aaaaa dooo iiiit")
*Sneaks into our bed every morning at about 5 am
*I consider her to be our young Julius Caesar bc of the fact that she asserts her
self importance in her continual usage of the third person. It's so funny bc you don't really pay much attention to certain things until they are observed and commented on by others.
*Has begun eating pretty much everything put in front of her (She loves salmon, for example)
*Loves Ballet class. Two weeks ago she was awarded the star of the day for listening well and being nice to others. Ms. Lacie was genuinely thrilled with her behavior that day. This was very exciting bc Madison can be somewhat of a bully (she's very territorial)
*I registered her for two day a week preschool next year which I know she will love.

Caroline
*Seriously the sweetest little girl ever! Madison has always been so particular and moody; whereas, Caroline is sooooo even tempered.
* I took her in for her well check on Monday and she weighed 15.5 lbs. She was in the 90th percentile for her height and head circumference, but only the 50th for her weight. She is going to be tall and skinny I think.
*WILD CHILD....She has not begun sitting yet because she is trying with all her might to crawl (SHE ROLLS NONSTOP). She refuses to even stay in her bumbo chair; she wants to be moving constantly. Caroline and Madison have such an amazing relationship. The two of them really have a hard time being separated. Caroline's greatest desire is to keep up with her sister, and it frustrates her tremendously when she cannot keep up.
*Caroline loves veggies and hates fruit...Weirdness!!!! Her favs are squash and green beans. How strange is that? Her least fav... Sweet potatoes.

Spencer
*STUDYING ALLLLLL THE TIME!!!!
*He passed his CBSE last month, which was an amazing confidence booster for the two of us. The CBSE is essentially the practice STEP I, which Spencer is scheduled to take on June 11th. It is soooo stressful knowing that this one exam determines pretty much everything about our FUTURE!!!!

Me
WOW this isn't very skinny is it?
*I love/hate staying home. I suppose that will never change. I absolutely adore my girls, but there comes a time everyday usually around 3:00 where I AM DONE!!!! I really would like to go to grad school but quite frankly we can't afford to go into anymore debt :(
*I keep seeing friends from the past post about their international travels and I am seriously getting the ITCH!!!! I can't wait to have money... That is if we do after OBAMA CARE becomes reality. I have plotted out a 17 day trip through the Mediterranean for after Spencer finishes his residency (I prob. have too much time on my hands) and I daydream about it a lot! Sooo sad I know.
*I can't wait to start working in the yard. I am going to try my hand at a vegetable garden this year.
*I was always highly skeptical of Weight Watchers bc if you look at the ingredients for most of their products...they are filled with crap (high fructose corn syrup, etc.) However, I have been truly impressed. My goal weight is 140 (my weight my senior year of high school) and I am 5 lbs away :) SAAAWWWWWEEEETTTTT!!!!

Okay that's all I can think of... Tis sort of skinny... I mean it's bulleted :)

Story time

2010-01-31T19:24:00.000-08:00

Every single night throughout my childhood my father spent at least an hour tucking my brother and me into bed. Some of my best memories involve the outlandish stories that he would concoct during this nighttime ritual. I have decided to do the same with my girls. Although some nights all I want to do is kiss Madison goodnight and go sprawl out on the couch and read or watch TV, I know that I should take full advantage of her deep desire to snuggle, read stories, and sing songs (I realize it will not be long before she no longer even wants me to enter her domain - aka room). Two nights ago I decided to create my own rendition of the princess and the frog. She now requires my telling of this story at least five times per night. I figured I should definitely jot some of the stories down so that she can read them when she is older. Disclaimer: I use A LOT of adjectives for the simple fact that I know it will increase her vocabulary ten fold.

Jenny's Rendition of the Princess and the Frog

Once upon a time there was a magnificently beautiful princess who lived in a mighty castle that towered over a small village. The princess lived very lavishly, but was forbidden to associate with anyone outside of the castle walls. You see the stately king and queen were very protective of their only offspring. Her only friend was a wee frog that she had found down by the pond one spring afternoon. He became her confidant and she very much depended upon him (if he was indeed a him). One day the princess overheard the cook and the maidservant discussing their plans to eliminate the frog. (Devious British Accent) "He's always hippitie hoppitin around...driving me bloody mad," said the maidservant. "Yeah and once he even found himself hippitie hoppitin right into a bowl of my Yorkshire pudding...I shoulda taken care of him right then," said the cook. The princess was horrified. How could they possibly wish such harm to her best friend in all of the world. She knew she had to do something and quick. The princess took the frog far away into a lush forest abundant with ponds and lilly pads of course (for his recreational enjoyment). Tears rushed the girl's eyes. She decided that she must part with her dear friend with a kiss (MUHAA). Oh my something began to happen...the frog suddenly transformed into a gorgeous gallant prince. Oh MY!!! It was of course love at first sight and the two of them began smooching once again (MUAHH) and lived happily ever after. THE END.

"Again mama...the princess and the frog." - Madison - I love it.. it is tooooo cute.

Random Thoughts...Thom Yorke...Mainstream???

2009-11-30T08:07:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me is aware that I have been a devout Radiohead fan since I began listening to them in the 10th grade. Recently, many Radiohead fans have become livid over Thom Yorke's "Hearing Damage," which appears in New Moon. If I were still the same person I was in high school, I would share these fans' angry sentiments. In fact, I would have refused to ever read the Twilight series because of its' popularity. I remember reading an article in college in which Thom Yorke ranted about how much he hated "Creep," which was by far the song that made his band famous. He has always hated mainstream music and has evidently chosen to stay underground with his strange, depressing lyrics (which I love by the way). However, somewhere along the way I grew up and pulled the stick from my rear end and apparently Thom Yorke has done the same...

Sisters

2009-11-17T21:01:00.000-08:00

Madison is completely enamored with her little sister. Every morning she goes in and says, "Good Morning" to which Caroline responds with a huge smile. It absolutely melts my heart. I truly hope that they remain close throughout their lives.

Six Weeks Old

2009-11-17T20:40:00.001-08:00

Nicknames...

2009-11-17T20:28:00.000-08:00

So my mother has always had very unique and interesting nicknames for us. For example, I have been called "hamberhawkins," "strawberris curls," "lizard," and of course my most well known nickname, "riggs." My brother was given names such as "koopa - remember Mario," "brandoggy," and "spud." Now she has nicknamed Caroline "Mohawkins," which at the moment suits her perfectly as you will soon see.

I, of course, have begun doing the same thing. Madison's current nicknames include "Maddie Weebers," "Toodles," "Boo Boo," and "Madellini." I have called Spencer some derivative of his middle name, Don, since we started dating. It was "Donahue" for quite some time...then morphed into things like "Sha Don Don" and "Donald." I know... I am quite strange. Our dog Brandi has also donned many a nickname. When we first got her I decided her middle name would be Lou (Brandi Lou). Through the years I have called her things like "Louhannesburg" and "Louis." Haha...

Newborn Pics

2009-10-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

A Birthing Story

2009-10-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

Caroline's birth ended up being quite easy. We arrived at the hospital at 6 am, and the nursing staff was able to get me set up in my room immediately. We completed all of the preliminary paperwork and the nurse inserted the dreaded iv (which hurt until they removed it at midnight by the way). They started my oxytocin at about 7:30 am, and then Dr. Broome came in around 8 to break my water. Now for the rough part... The anesthesiologist came in around 9:30. I was excited because it was the same one I had with Madison. The first time it literally took him five minutes to get the catheter in, and the drugs numbed both sides perfectly throughout the labor. This time, however, it did not go so well!!! It was extremely painful and he had to replace the catheter twice. I was so frustrated I thought about telling him just to forget it (but then I came to my senses). Finally he finished, but I was numb on only one side. My left leg was like a dead tree trunk, but I could feel everything on my right side. In fact, when the nurse came in to do the first exam I could feel everything, which was UNACCEPTABLE... Another anesthesiologist came in around 11:30 and took care of me. He was awesome!!! Finally around 3:45 I gave everyone the boot, hoping that I could get some rest before it was time to push. I started feeling pressure around 4pm and called for the nurse. She didn't seem convinced I was ready. I then had a double contraction and could feel Caroline actually swivel down the birth canal. It was the most amazing feeling. I didn't really know what I was feeling until the nurse began the exam and said she could already see the head. I had to push for 30 minutes with Madison, so this was somewhat shocking. She went to the nurses station and paged Dr. Broome. The nurse then came back into the room and said we were going to do a test push. She had to stop me in the middle of the contraction. Once Dr. Broome was scrubbed in and ready to go, I only had to push through two contractions and little Caroline's head was out. She began crying the second she entered the world, which made Spencer and me both cry because we knew she was healthy at that point (you know...you are always paranoid that something will be wrong). When she started crying, Dr. Broome said, "You aren't supposed to be doing that yet." So the nurse was suctioning her nose and mouth while Dr. Broome was pulling the rest of her body out. She is such a little miracle. Her apgar score was a 10!!! It kind of freaked me out when they handed her to me though, because she was so much smaller than Madison was. The two of them look like identical twins - only Caroline is a mini - Madison. Well there it is... the birthing story. I must say though I am struggling a bit with trying to balance two... However, I know things will improve once Caroline is on a schedule and once we can take her out into the world (STINKING SWINE FLU & RSV).

Birth Announcement

2009-10-16T20:47:00.001-07:00

Things have been CRAZY!!!

2009-10-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

Check out Heather Witt's photography blog for a preview of Caroline's newborn pics. The pictures turned out fantastic!!! I have not had a chance to upload my own pictures as of yet(I know...it has been two weeks). Every time I think I might have a little down time the girls need my immediate attention.
http://heatherwitt.blogspot.com/

Madison's Two Year Scrapbook

2009-09-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Nursery and Big Girl Room

2009-09-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

My mom requested that I post some pics of Madison's big girl room and Caroline's nursery (not completely finished since we will not move the desk, etc. out until she graduates from the cradle in our room) - so here they are...

Does bowling induce labor????

2009-09-23T07:17:00.001-07:00

NO!!! All I accomplished by bowling two frames was incredible soreness... Five more days to go :)

TWO WEEKS TO GO!!!!!

2009-09-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

I went to my obgyn today and I am dilated to 3 cm and beginning to efface, so we went ahead and scheduled an induction for Tuesday, Sept. 29th. YAY!!! I am sooooo ready... This pregnancy has been significantly more difficult than my first.

Bad Influences???

2009-09-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, so let me give you a little background to start off. I most definitely have a love/hate relationship with our two dogs, Beau (Golden retriever - 95lbs.) and Brandi (Yellow Lab - 80 lbs.). We adopted Brandi seven years ago when she was a year old. She had been abandoned as a puppy and was on the verge of starvation when we found her. Beau on the other hand was the cute little puppy behind the glass window of the pet store at the mall. Prior to our having children, the two of them were our babies. However, while pregnant with Madison, I discovered just how difficult it is to maintain a household with two huge stinky shedding beasts. We often contemplate making them outside dogs, but just can't do it. Well, the main reason we can't do it is because Madison is in love with her "Bo Bo," and could not possibly go on without having the opportunity to pull his ears or tease him with her cookies (okay... it would leave me a little heartbroken as well). Alright, moving on with the story... Spencer and I pride ourselves on our desire to provide a positive example for our children. For example, we are always very polite and respectful to each other as well as to others. "Thank you very much" was in fact one of Madison's first sentences. However, as anyone who has children can attest, children have a special way of revealing all of our faults as parents. About two weeks ago we observed Madison commanding Beau to "MOVE" in a sort of loud growl. Later, she reached in the fridge toward the milk and said, "MOVE MILK - JUICE" (Madison's aversion to milk becomes evident here). We have since begun working on the way in which we address the dogs. We no longer tell Beau to "move" or "get out of the way;" we simply say "excuse me Beau." I must say though it has been a challenge because the dogs drive me MAD!!!

In the Beginning...

2009-09-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

I am finally starting my blog. Wow! I am indeed a slacker. Stay posted - there is much more to come...