Music to my Ears!

Don't mind the crazy taping at the beginning. This is what they LOVE to do lately. Play peek-a-boo with each other! Silly Boys!

One Complaint!

If you know me, then you know that I don't complain (too much). I mostly go about my business and take things for what they are. I deal with it, I figure it out. I just do. I do have one complaint. Most of you (that know me well) have probably heard of this complaint over and over again. I LOVE MY DOG. I HATE HER HAIR! Seriously. I. HATE.HER.HAIR.!!!!! Just a bit of advice if you ever come to my house, DON'T WEAR BLACK (or brown, or any other color her blond hair will show up on). Her hair WILL show up on your clothes. I am a clean person. My house is (pretty much) always picked up and cleaned. HOWEVER, no matter HOW much I vacuum, her hair is still everywhere. It's a huge pet peeve of mine. Seriously, it's on our clothes, bags, shoes, stuck to the boys blankies, stuck to the boys' booger smeared face (kidding) (okay, not really). You get the picture...EVERYWHERE!!

So, I've had an idea for awhile now... You know Dr. Evil's cat? The one that kinda looks like this.

Well, picture that on a dog. Do you get where I'm going with this? YES...that's right! I found a picture of this dog on the internet. He's hairless!

What do you think Hurley Girl would look like if I shaved her? I'm talking straight up used a razor and shaved her silly! Smooth and silky with no hair at all?

I'm thinking it's a good idea! What do you think?

Just in case you couldn't tell. I am totally kidding about this post. Well, kinda kidding! Seriously, I'm kidding.

Blessed

Have you ever felt lucky? Like, really, really lucky? I'm happy to say that I do. I really, really do. I don't feel like I'm winning a prize, so to speak. I don't feel like something great is going to happen either. I just feel lucky. I feel blessed! I feel super-duper lucky to be the mommy to my children. Seriously, I'm getting all mushy on ya! I'm just going to go with it though.

In my life as a mother, I have (luckily) only had two "scary" moments...scary unknowns. I am fortunate for that.

When Mackenzi was 2 1/2 months old, I was getting ready to enter my role as a "working mommy". I was starting to bottle feed (instead of nurse) to get her used to it. She had done this before, but only for others. Not for me. She wouldn't eat. I went over to my mother-in-law's house to see if she could get her to eat. She couldn't. I tried to breast feed her, she would start nursing and then scream!! I went to the grocery store and bought EVERY single bottle they sold, from the ones that cost 99 cents to the $10.00 ones. I came back with $40 worth of bottle-loot. Nothing would work...not one of those bottles. I tried to nurse again...suck and scream. I called the doctor. It had now been many hours past her feeding time and I was worried sick. He said that if she didn't eat by morning of the next day bring her in. Morning came and there was no change. So I brought her in. He said that there could be something wrong. Sometimes as a baby grows, their stomach doesn't. So she could be hungry, but her tiny stomach isn't letting her eat. He also told me that there were two options. He could do some referrals, but that would take about a week. Option 2 was the one he recommended. He wanted me to take her to the hospital and get her admitted into pediatrics. They would do blood work and an ultrasound on her tummy to see if it was indeed that her stomach wasn't growing. (I can't remember what the "medical name" for it was called). Which would mean she would need surgery. I rushed to the hospital (which was literally across the street). When I got there, I realized my phone was dead. As soon as we got a room, I called Matt...frantic. He was going to meet me there...but had meetings so he couldn't until later. I tried to call my parents, but I couldn't because it was out of area. We did the ultrasound, which she SCREAMED the entire time. We got back to the room and I nursed her. Matt's parents came (which was a relief since I didn't want to be there alone with her). LUCKILY, everything came back normal, but they wanted to keep her overnight. Matt finally got there and we talked the dr. into letting us go home, since everything came back fine. The REAL reason I wanted to go back home was because at that time she ONLY wanted to sleep on her tummy (a no no for newborns) and I knew she wouldn't be able to, which in turn meant we'd get NO sleep! Also, I was supposed to return to work the next morning! Luckily, nothing ever happened again. I think she was just letting me know she didn't want me to be a working mommy! It was terrifying thinking that something could be wrong with your baby, that I know!Full Term pregnancy for a mother carrying twins is 37 weeks. That was my doctors goal through my WHOLE pregnancy. Not just seeing 37 weeks, but making it through 37 weeks. If a mother delivered before or at 35 weeks, they could be given a steroid for the baby's lungs to mature before delivery. However, after 35 weeks it would do no good. My OB-GYN called it a "Time of Gray Area" of their lung development. They could be born with a severe problem. When I went into the doctor for my first "Non-Stress Test (NST)" of the week, I was contracting. They decided to admit me. I was 36 weeks, 6 days pregnant with the twins. Even though I was only one day shy of being considered "full-term" it was still risky. After trying to continue to induce labor naturally for 7 or 8 hours, my doctor finally came in to do an ultrasound. CRAZY QUINN had once again flipped (which he was known to do every couple of days) which meant it was time to do a cesarean section. It was 6:30 p.m. and my doc said he'd be back around 9:15 p.m. for the surgery. I was scared. I was terrified. There were so many things I was afraid of. I didn't want a c-section. I didn't want to experience it, deal with the recovery of it, or the scar from it (selfish I know). But more importantly, I didn't want my babies' lungs to be under developed when they were born. Because of the unknown (their lung development), each baby would have a team of doctors and nurses from the NICU that they'd be handed off to. The MAIN concern was their breathing. Jace came first. After a few seconds, he cried. As ALL parents know, the first cry is the most BEAUTIFUL sound you'll first hear. (funny how after that first cry, you don't like that sound anymore...funny) I got to look at his face from about 6 feet away then he was taken out of the room. I didn't even get to kiss him. Quinn was next three minutes later. It seemed like it took FOREVER for that little guy to cry. I got to kiss him before he left the room. Matt and I are very fortunate. Both Jace and Quinn had completely developed lungs. They were (and still are) 100% healthy. Our biggest worry in the hospital was Jace's body temperature. Luckily, he was able to bring it up just in time to go home. The twins and I got discharged from the hospital 4 days later. It's not too common for twins to go home with their mommy all at the same time, with no complications. For that we are very grateful.

There are many, MANY blogs out there that tell of families with sick babies, sick children. They use their blog to spread the word, to ask for help, to ask for prayers. I think it's a wonderful thing. The power of prayer is strong and it works. I am glued to these blogs. They are heartbreaking, they make me sad. Really, really sad. I read about these children, tiny little things, facing obstacles that are huge. Obstacles that you would not want to see anybody face, let alone a tiny little thing like a baby or child. I read. I pray. I hope. I wonder. Then, I hug my children. I thank God that we haven't had to face these issues. I pray that we never will. I am sorry for those families. I know I am lucky to have mine! I do not take that for granted.

Flashback Friday

This is a picture of Mackenzi and her Uncle Trevie (Matt's brother) at Huntington almost 2 years ago. She sure does love her uncles. On this day she couldn't keep her hands off of him. She kept hugging and kissing on him. She ended up laying on his chest and falling asleep! Look at that crazy beach hair!!!

Wake Up Bobo Brothers

Happy Earth Day!!

Happy EARTH Day!

As Jack Johnson would say...Remember to "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" all through the year!!

Please Join Us...

As we wear orange and pray for Baby Stellan as he has a very serious surgery this morning!! You can click on his name in orange or on the picture on my sidebar to read more about it!!

Our Weekend of Sunshine!!

We started things off with a bang this weekend on Friday. We went to Dana's house for a playdate and stayed until early afternoon. After an awesome lunch, the kids had a BLAST swimming in their spa. We then went to Uncle Cody's baseball game and then came home to eat dinner. After dinner and baths, we went to Victoria Gardens to get some ice cream. We bought one small one thinking that it would be enough for us all to share. We were wrong. Matt and I MAYBE got 2-3 bites each. The rest of the ice-cream was shared by mostly Jace & Kenzi. They were equally pigging out!!

Saturday morning we got the house cleaned up and bags packed. Then we were off to Huntington Beach. This was our first beach experience with a.) the kids on our own and b.) three MOBILE toddlers. Needless to say it was a lot of work, but a lot of fun. One thing we didn't take into consideration until after we were in the parking lot was that Huntington has SUCH long beaches. It takes forever to walk to the shoreline, especially with three toddlers and tons of junk!

After a few hours at the beach we went to The Veirs' house for a BBQ. Eric is Matt's old roommate from college. They have a BEAUTIFUL house in Huntington Beach. They also have two kids (a three year old boy and a (almost) 2 year old girl). The kids had a blast playing with their toys and in their backyard. We had a great time catching up with them as well. The kids just happened to have all of the same jammies!! So cute...Yesterday, we decided to hang out in the backyard and enjoy the super warm weather. We filled up the kiddy pool and water table. We all put on our swimsuits and relaxed. The kids loved it. Then we had a yummy dinner under our gazebo...summer style: BBQ chicken sandwiches, potato salad and watermelon! I'm so happy that the "summer weather" has arrived! Hopefully it stays this way! I'm diggin' it!

Flashback Friday

It's hard to believe that these LITTLE babies are my big boys! I use to LOVE this outfit, little cowboys. They were wearing preemie clothes. WOW! How things change in a year! The dolls that they are laying by are Mackenzi's. My mom took this picture and used the dolls to show just how LITTLE they were!! They're the same dolls she's holding in this picture of her. See she was practicing taking care of her babies so she would be ready when the boys came!!

Chaos!

It's a perfect word to describe our life lately. I'm really not complaining. There could be worse things happening than just a few chaotic moments here and there. So, don't think of this post as me complaining or looking for sympathy. Instead, think of it as a way of me sharing what life is sometimes like at the Rogina household.

We were SUPER busy with Easter festivities. We had a party at the Cornett's. The kids had an awesome time...

After it was off to Palm Springs to spend the night with G-Pa and G-Ma. We went to church and then had brunch with Great Grandpa and Great Grandma....Easter dinner & an egg hunt at Kevin and Dana's house... Then, Monday came. A time to catch up after being gone all weekend. Time to relax...okay, maybe that's going too far. Jace and Quinn had a stomach bug last weekend...their tummys were still not well. Kenzi was a little cranky and tired. Mommy has been a little cranky and tired too.

Yesterday I went to Henry's to get some produce. I love it when grocery stores have carts to accommodate my family. They have the double shopping cart with the car in front for Kenzi to drive. Anyways, I didn't realize that it was FREEZING outside. I got out of the car to go get a cart and couldn't believe how cold it was. So, I put Quinn in the cart, put on his jacket and hood. Next is Kenzi, put her in sweatshirt on and put her in. Then, I get Jace. It's so windy that I have to hold the cart with my foot so that Kenzi and Quinn don't take off down the parking lot like a race car on a drag strip. As I'm struggling to get Jace out, I get a whiff of a horrible smell. FLIPPIN' GREAT! So I open the back end of my SUV, lay him down and start changing his diaper (ALL THE WHILE HOLDING THE CART WITH MY FOOT). I see that it's not just your simple ol' pooper. It's EVERYWHERE!!!!! Down his pant legs, up his shirt, it's a doozie! My mind starts thinkin'..."should I just go home and do this...I don't have a spare change of clothes with me...I'll only be 10 minutes...by the time I get home and come back it'll take 30...oh hell!!". So I make the choice that most moms with small children make. I wipe him up, use a wipie to clean the inside of his pants and shirt the best I can, throw on his sweatshirt and put him in the cart. I wipie my hands, squirt on some antibacterial gel and get my shopping done in 10 minutes!! MY GOODNESS...of course I went straight home and cleaned him up!! I wonder if anyone was watching me in the parking lot. I'm sure it was a nice show.

Today I got to clean up a flood in my bathroom from a little girl who flushes too much toilet paper down the toilet. LOVELY!!! Also, my cell phone wont turn on. Which ISN'T cool because I don't have a house phone, so I feel LOST!

But, hey...at least I get to see things that put a smile on my face on a daily basis!!!

Don't you know that princesses ALWAYS pick flowers and ride horses? At least, that's what I'm told.

Flashback Friday...Easter Style

This week I decided to dedicate my flashback Friday to Easter. Easter takes on a new joy when you have children. It's such a fun holiday.

This is Matt & Me in Palm Springs, Easter 2006. The last of our Easter before children (Well physically having children. As you can see in this pic, Mackenzi was growing ever so big in my belly).

This is Mackenzi's 1st Easter 2007 in Palm Springs....also a time that mommy tried out dark brown hair.

This is last Easter (2008) with our new bundles. They were only a couple of months here...keeping us up ALL NIGHT LONG. Hence, the exhausted faces. Don't mind the spit up on the shirts either.

Which leads us to Easter 2009. Three toddlers and Mr. B. Rabbit himself. Jace was happy to see the bunny, until Quinn started crying. This lead him into a frenzy of tears. The poor lady took like 30 pictures, but this was the best we could get. Geez, last year we couldn't even get the boys to WAKE UP for the picture. Now we couldn't get the boys to stop crying for the picture. Oh well!!!

I hope you all have a very HAPPY EASTER!!

On Saturday night, we will be off to Palm Springs for the night

then to Dana's house for some Easter fun!!

Why Not?!?

I've already written a post today, but since the house is somewhat cleaned, the kids are sleeping, and Matt's out visiting a friend, I figured...why not?

I've heard many times that twins, especially identicals, have a special bond. This is sure the case with Jace & Quinn. They absolutely adore each other. You can usually find them together (getting into trouble). It makes me smile EVERY TIME I hear them interact in any way, especially in the quiet of their room. When I go to their room to get them up from their nap, this is what I usually see...

They are at the ends of their beds, interacting with one another. They're talking in their own twin-talk and laughing up a storm. It can't get much better than this...

Oh wait, I was wrong! It can get better...silly boys! Check out their new little chompers! Jace got his about two weeks ago. Quinn's just popped through. They got their bunny teeth just in time for Easter!!

(Side note: they are getting hair cuts tomorrow morning...desperately needed, I know!)

Extreme Drama Queen

Mackenzi's always been a drama queen. I'm not talking about the throw-yourself-on-the-floor-tantrum drama queen...just the kind that finds DRAMA in every situation. You know the type! When she was a baby, she would just make facial expressions that DEFINITELY told you how she was feeling.

This was a face she'd make all the time: scrunchy-nose!

She was in a playful mood when she would do this face. Most of the time she'd make this face: Happy Girl!

She quickly learned some new words that helped to convey the DRAMA of situations, such as: "OH MY!" and "Oh My STARS!". She also had a few classic Kenzi faces that she'd make for certain situations....like "mean girl". We knew we were in trouble when she started her LOVE of playing dress up. The more the better is her motto...It's easy to say that Mackenzi is (and always has been) a total drama-queen. I think I added more fuel to the fire when we were in Havasu a few weeks ago. I was running to the store to get a few things and told her she could pick a movie. She wanted a Barbie movie, so I obliged. She chose Barbie & the Diamond Castle Princess. Well...ever since, there has been a whole lot of action going on. Some new words that she uses (in almost every sentence) are wonderful, just terrible, courage, amazing, fantastic and a few others(that I use to DESPERATELY try to get my 1st graders to use instead of nice, cool, and great). She talks like everything is a big deal and oh so SERIOUS (another word she uses constantly). She's graduated from drama queen to Extreme-Drama-Queen...

For example, my mom was babysitting a few weeks ago. Kenzi and her life-size Barbie were doing gymnastics. Kenzi was so supportive when Barbie was trying new moves. She was telling her, "Good job Barb. You're so COUR-AGE!" and other funny things.

A few days later we were driving and saw some yellow wildflowers. This is how that conversation went:

Mackenzi: Oh no Mommy! It's terrible. That yellow sunflower is all alone. Look Mommy, Look! (said in sheer desperation)

Me: Oh I see it, it's beautiful.

Mackenzi: We need to save it. It'll be so lonely. It will starve all by itself. This is very serious.

Me: I think it will be fine. What would you feed a sunflower anyways?

Mackenzi: Sunflower seeds, of course (with a giggle).

of course!

She always keeps us smiling. What would I do without my extreme drama queen?!?