IT's my birthday!!

Well, not anymore but my birthday recently just passed :D

I'm so excited because this year I received a Cricut Expressions 2 as a present from Kream!!!

I've always wanted one, but never could justify dropping $300.00 on a paper cutter-not including the cartridges that go for around $50-$60 retail. 

So in the scrapbooking mood, I went ahead and ordered myself an ATG gun thru amazon.com- a bit much?? I don't think so.

As I was saying, the CE2 requires cartridges to work so I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations or advice on it. I will mainly be using my CE2 for scrapbooking, parties and maybe card making.

Halloween 2012 LMFAO twin outfits

We won first prize & Most creative costume

My twins and I at a Halloween party.

LMFAOcostume:
Leggins: Walmart & Target (girls section $4 each)
Wigs: Amazon.com ($8 each)
Glasses: Walmart (party section pack of 6 for $1.25)- I punched the "shades" out, then cut a strip of cardstock and glued it a long the top of the frame. Then cut gold squares using scraps of gold ribbon I had laying around and glued them on for embellishment
Tanktops: Target (boys section pack of 5 white t-shirts $11.00)- I cut the arms off the t-shirts and painted a shuffle dude on one shirt and "I'M IN MIAMI BUDDY"on the other shirt, originally wording had the "B" word on it but wanted to keep it PG
Twin chains: Dollar Tree (Christmas tree gold garland $1)- I used cardstock to make the "pendants" and just hot glued it to the garland, I didn'e even use half of the garland that was provided

Shufflebot Head:
Box: DollarTree (free- just ask someone for an empty box)
Gold paint: Home Depot ($4.87-- Who knew you needed ID to buy spray paint?!)
Mouth covering: Old tights that had runs in them- I knew I saved them for a reason!
Eyes: 2 Red Solo Cups, Black Acrylic Paint and 2 bicycle lights (I had these items laying around the house)

Treyden

The wig takes a little getting used to

So does the glasses..

Treyden dancing

Close up of one of the shirts

Close up of the glasses

Mason

Toddler Play Group. DAY 1

on our way to our 1st play group!

I didn't know what to expect and I must admit was quite nervous. We got picked up by their school bus and the driver was actually really nice- he assembled both car seats in a matter of minutes and had us all buckled down and ready to go in no time. 

First game we played---PUZZLES!!!

 The boys were kind of shy when we first got into the classroom. They kind of clung to my pant legs and moved every minimal movement I was able to move. One of the group leaders brought out puzzles and they sat down and behaved for about 45 seconds LOL. I'm kidding, they weren't too bad.

don't let this smile fool you, he bites! lol

 I was actually surprised that Mason was so happy during the group play. He skipped his morning nap and I was almost positive that he was going to be fussy while we were there. I guess he was so tired that he kicked into his hyper mood- hey! works for me :D

sensory play

 They boys LOVED this sensory table- and I loved that I didn't have to clean up afterwards.

mingling :D

more twins !!

 Treyden has this thing about holding onto toys and other items for as long as he could- he had the shovel in his hand for practically the whole day and wouldn't give it up.

 

ballpitt

 They so owned this. Most of the kids were just sitting in the corner playing with a ball..

 My sons were jumping and diving into the balls and throwing balls everywhere.

They might as well done cannonballs into the ballpitt.

 OWNED!!

Yeah, they were in here for quite some time....

 Oops I dropped the camera as I was taking a picture

And then they discovered the slide.

Oh, how cute. lol

That just about wraps up my morning.

 Bus ride home. They both knocked out about 2 seconds after I took this picture. I thought they would nap a little bit longer once they got home, but no.

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SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN GOING TO GROUP PLAY:
-your going to group play, not the club: dress comfortably but be aware of what you are wearing. I thought I was being conservative by wearing a long sleeve flannel button up shirt to find out as I was putting on my seat belt (on the way home I must add) that 2 buttons had unbuttoned on its own sometime during the play group which I hadn't realized, exposing my bra and a whole mess of unnecessary cleavage. It was pretty embarrassing to think about. Anyways, my boys are pretty active so I made sure to wear sneakers and stretch pants . Also, you might want to wear layers or short-sleeves under your clothing- a)so you dont make the same mistake I did and b) it gets hot chasing after little toddlers in a room full of other little toddlers
-bring extra clothes for your son or daughter just in case: Kids get dirty/wet so easily
-most group play dates offer drinks and snacks: if your child has a food allergy let them know ahead of time.
-most toddlers haven't quite mastered the concept of sharing toys (mines included): frustration is bound to happen make sure you are around your son and daughter to help regulate

Shabby Chic BABY bootie favors TUTORIAL

I made these for my friends baby shower.. aren't they cute?

Items Needed:
-cardstock paper (you should be able to fit 3-4 booties on one 12inchx12inch piece of scrapbook)
-glue gun
-scissors
-pencil
-embellishments (ribbon, lace, puffy paint, buttons etc)

1) Print and cut out the bootie template- I originally found the link here, but I enlarged mines and made 2 bottom sole pieces.

this is my enlarged template

2) Trace your template onto some cardstock and cut out

one bootie frame and 2 sole bottom pieces

For the tutorial I just traced everything on one sheet but when I made the actual favors, I used a heavier card stock for the bottom sole. I had a bunch of small scrap pieces that I bought by the pound and just used that. It worked out perfectly because it was much sturdier and easier to glue the tabs onto.

3) Fold along the dotted lines and roll the bootie up.  Glue the flap to hold the frame. It should start to resemble a baby bootie by now

glue side flap onto the back of the bootie

4) Insert one of the bottom soles and start gluing tabs down one by one. **tip: glue the 3 front tabs and back tabs first** 

 gluing top front 3 tabs first- helps hold the sole in place while working on the rest of the bootie

this is what it should look like when finished

5) Glue the second bottom sole piece to the bottom of your booty- covering all your tabs.

 

bottom piece

6) Glue the bootie buckle/strap to finish. How cute is that?! You can go right ahead and embellish at this point. Ribbons, buttons, tulle, flowers, puffy paint, markers, even stickers are a few things that you can use. Be creative and have fun!!

Last step before decorating

options are endless!! each one has its own uniqueness 

Thank you for visiting! I hope you found this helpful.

TWIN ESSTENTIALS

CALLING ALL expecting MOTHERS of Twins!!

I don't know about you, but I've had mini panic attacks thinking about what I needed to get/buy to prepare for the arrival of my twin boys. So, I've formulated a little list of twin essentials and stuff that we've used for YOUR benefit- you can thank me later :D

 so here a a few items that I bought/used and absolutely lovee- (what to buy when expecting twins) : 

-Crib:

Mason practicing sitting in Trey's crib

We bought convertible cribs with warranty on them. I was able to fit both boys in one crib for a month or two- they just slept side by side on the horizontal-- I've eventually moved them to their own separate cribs where they still sleep today. We also invested in some really nice quality tempur-pedic mattresses for them($$$$). Any FIRM mattress should do but we figured that they'd be sleeping most of the time as infants we might as well let them sleep comfortably. They sleep through the night and I like to think the mattress has a lot to do with it :D

-Car seats: you'll need 2... or one for each baby. 

Look at how tiny they use to be!!!

these are the car seats we bought- a little on the heavier side but no complaints. I've actually gotten a lot of compliments on it as well.  I planned on passing all my stuff to my future nieces or nephews so we tried to not purchase any gender related color items. FYI: some hospitals require infants to do a carseat safety test (to see if your baby is able to hold his head/neck up on their own.) If your baby fails this test- you will be required to buy a baby sleeper car seat (I think that's what its called)-- its a car seat but is not reclined, it actually lays flat so your baby won't block his/her airway while in car rides. My twins both passed the test but I know another couple that had a son that didn't pass his car seat exam. They had trouble finding one and also mentioned that the sleeper seats can get pretty pricey. Here's an example of what one might look like: http://www.langtoninfo.com/showitem.aspx?isbn=4000984089356.

-Clothes: my twins were born on the lighter side (4lbs 8oz and 5.01lbs) and born in the month of MAY. Even though the weather was hot outside and warm in the house, we had to constantly struggle with keeping their temperatures up for the first month or so. Baby hats- a must. onesies, long-sleeved outfits, baby socks, bibs- the usual. Keep in mind that during this time you'll probably be mostly home.. and spit ups are bound to happen-- I wouldn't worry about splurging on clothing just yet. PLUS, they grow just too darn fast.

-Swaddle blankets : we swaddled the twins until they didn't fit the blankets anymore. The swaddle blankets have other usages as well, I've used them rolled up as mini pillows so they don't roll off the bed when they nap, as burping cloths and even as a bib. The hospital gave us a few of theirs (the white ones with red and blue stripes)-- I use those as cleaning rags for the house.

-Electronic double breast pump: I got mines through my insurance for free! You should definitely inquire about this and have it ready to go by the time you're in the hospital because you start producing breast milk right away.  Each hospital will have pumps that you can rent. They should also have a lactation consultant that will help/teach you how to breast feed and pump. My twins were born at 35 weeks gestation and didn't latch on right away, nor did I produce that much milk right away- don't let this discourage you. Those first few drops are liquid gold to your little ones.

-My brest friend twins deluxe pillow:

the boys after I just breast fed them at the same time on "Mybrestfriend"

This made it soo much easier to feed two babies at once, and it had the cushion on the back so I can lean on it which I absolutely loved. I was able to get them to feed at the same time so this was ideal for me. If you don't have the money for it, I suppose pillows should do the trick as well.

-Nipple shields: I mentioned earlier that my boys were born premature and one of my sons was actually in the NICU for 3 weeks (I was discharged without him)- While he was there he was being bottle fed so latching on to my nipple was pretty difficult. Here's a picture of what one looks like: http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1237&bih=589&tbm=isch&tbnid=5F_bVTKH4mju5M:&imgrefurl=http://www.babyviva.com/product/nursing-and-nursing-accessories/2441/24mm-nipple-shield.html&imgurl=http://www.babyviva.com/photos/product/giant/9995130S2441/nursing-and-nursing-accessories/24mm-nipple-shield.jpg&w=900&h=900&ei=nZJHUOK9A4bk0QGzsoCICQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=2214&sig=104266973711980618259&page=1&tbnh=120&tbnw=120&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:0,i:113&tx=38&ty=78. You just put the shield over your nipple and the baby thinks that its a bottle nipple and will suckle on it. They get use to the bottle nipple and you'll have to ween them off it. The lactation at the hospital actually gave me my nipple shields for free- it doesn't hurt to ask. I believe they run for around $8.00 retail.

-Bottles: if you hate washing bottles- Dr. Brown is not what you want. It's suppose to help with gas and acid reflux but my twins had those problems anyways. You don't need that many bottles unless you like to leave them all to the end of the day and wash all your bottles at once.We received 2 starter bottle packs of Dr. Browns and they were more than enough.

-Diapers & Baby wipes: We used Pampers Swaddlers when they were just born. When I did my registry I didn't know what to put or how many so I put 10 boxes of each size. I got a call from my friend laughing at me because I didn't realize that they grow so fast the first few months. I readjusted it to 2 boxes of newborns, 2-3boxes of size 1 and 4-5 of size 2. My boys are 15 months now and currently wearing a size 4 diaper. At first we went through 8 diapers every day for each baby- now we go through 4-6 diapers each. I believe they stayed in size 3 diapers for a while (I would stock up on those) But if anything you can always exchange unopened boxes for a bigger size.

The boys had sensitive skin when they were younger. Huggies brand wipes gave them the most awful diaper rashes imaginable. We still use Pampers wipes to this day, but as of diapers go we purchase which ever one is on sale or is the cheapest. We'll use the "cheaper" diapers during the day and use Pampers at night because we found that the other brands tend to leak overnight. Don't forget to get coupons in your Sunday Paper as well as signing up for emails for varies websites (like pampers.com)--they give free samples and send coupons to your house as well. 

-Diaper Genie or a separate trash can that has a lid: you'll definitely want one when they get older and start eating solid food AND drinking whole milk.

-Hand sanitizer, disinfectants, soap: the whole nine yards, I mean-how much do you really like your sleep? GERMS + weak/undeveloped immune systems= TWO sick babies. enough said.

-Bed sheets- accidents are inevitable-whether its throw up, spit up, or even leaking diapers. I stocked up on these. I would stay away from plain white sheets- dark colors are good because they hide stains easier but printed ones are just oh soo cute :)

-Boppy-

my son Treyden in his Boppy pillow <3

 we got one for each baby and still use it to this day. I used it as a pillow while they rested and played, as an arm rest whenever I bottle fed them, as a nursing pillow- when I didn't feel like hauling out the brest friend, cushion for them as they were learning how to tummy time and sit, and they still lay on it when I give them bottle before night time as they feed themselves.  We got the plain white ones and bought fabric covers that we can easily slip on and off to wash.

-Stroller- So this one took a lot of research. A double stroller and a double twin stroller are not the same thing. Double strollers are for parents that have a toddler and an infant as the double twin strollers can fit 2 baby infants in it.

After months of searching I've decided on the Double Snap N Go(http://www.walmart.com/ip/Baby-Trend-Snap-Double-Stroller/7790503)- for when they're infants and switched to the City Mini Double Stroller (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3811153) when they were 6-7 months old.

We had a smaller car when the boys were born and the Snap n Go was our perfect solution. It was compact and had a huge basket underneath that held my diaper bag and a little compartment at the handle for your keys, it even had a cup holder. What I loved most about it was the fact that I can easily snap the carseat onto the frame and not having to worry about taking the boys in and out of their carseats to the stroller and vice versa.

Once the boys turned 6-7 months they got heavier (obvs) and taking turns on the Snap n Go were just hard to maneuver. I've had my eye on the City Mini-bought it and I love it to death. You should definitely check this stroller out it's side by side and fits through every door we've pushed it through and its LIGHT! It feels like I'm pushing air its so light feeling. Down sides are that it doesn't have a cup holder and the storage underneath is minimal. I still love the stroller anyways. You also have the option of just buying the City Mini and buying bars that you can attach that you can snap in the car seats- but each bar is $60 so I figured I'd save money getting the Snap N Go.

-Play pen:

Mason and Treyden using the play pen as a ball pitt

I originally didn't plan on getting a play pen- My god-sister gave my her old play pen and I use it at grandma's house ALL the time. We bring it out into the yard and onto the porch when we have family BBQs and also leave it in the living room so they can play. We received 100 mini play balls as a gift once and pour it into the play pen to make a mini ball pitt for the boys and they love it. Once the boys leave Grandma's she just throws all their toys into the play pen and put it in my old room so she uses it as a toy chest/storage as well (lol)--so many uses, who knew?

-Baby sling - you really don't need one, but I loved mine. I saw these (https://www.sevenslings.com/) in the back of one of those baby magazines at the doctor's offices. I used mine mostly when the boys were younger. My son Mason use to wake up 30-40 minutes earlier than Treyden and I would just put him in the sling and have access to 1 hand, maybe sometimes 1 & 1/2 hands. He loved the sling because it held him close to my body and was never fussy about it. Since then I've gained weight and my boobs got huge so the sling no longer fits me but my sister uses it when she holds the boys on her hip. They also sell some at Marshalls and Babiesrus. I looked online and they had a promo at sevensling.com and all you had to do was pay shipping and handling.

As goes the other baby carriers- we received 2 baby kangaroo slings that we never used. It's currently collecting dust. It was a cool baby shower present but I wish my finance didn't open the boxes so we could have returned it or exchanged for something else.  The boys never fit into it properly and it either pinched them in the thigh or spread their legs too far apart. I must of read the directions 2-3 times to make sure I was using it correctly but no. To this day I have yet to figured it out. If you're a parent that really wants this, I would recommend waiting until the baby is born so you can see which one that's most comfortable for you and baby or holding onto the receipt just in case you'll need to return it.

-Lotion, baby shampoo, diaper rash cream: We got Johnson & Johnson brand lotion and shampoo from the baby shower and still use to this day. I will say that zinc oxide/ Desitine cream(for diaper rashes) didn't work well with my boys. We use Aquaphor ointment and works like a charm. They barely get diaper rashes anymore but with the Aquaphor, its usually gone by the next diaper changing.

-Baby Nail Clipper/ porcelain nail filer: their nails grow soooo fast! if you're scared to cut their nail- you can use the nail filer. :D

-Bath tub: The boys were so tiny when they were first born I was actually able to fit them both in a salad bowl in my kitchen sink (btw, SUCH a cute photo opt!) We just used a normal tub- nothing fancy just the little blue tub that you find at babiesrus or target or any other baby store. You only need one. Once the boys turned one, we stopped using the tub and let them bathe together. I would advise you to get a stool or something you can sit on because it does a number on your back to sit on the floor leaning forward and getting up and down every night.You will also need wash cloths and towels for your babies.

-Glider: it makes those long nights oh so much easier.

-Diaper Bag: you'll be putting so much stuff in here its not even funny. I would recommend something that has nice handles so you can swing on or  even better across over your shoulder(like a messenger bag). I make my finance carry mines all the time bc it gets so heavy- you might want to keep your significant other in mind when picking one out

-Baby "stationary entertainer": they started using this around 5 months. We only got one- they can share. If money is tight, you can practically almost always be able to find a used one on craigslist-- another option would be the one that hangs from the door. This is good for developing muscles in their legs.

-Baby bouncer(2): I got one for each baby. you'll want something that you can leave your infant in while he/she is awake so they can play in. I got the deluxe infant to toddler rocker (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4230352) just because I tried to get stuff that I could get the most benefit out of.

-Books: you'll want a variety to get those little brains stimulated. You can even ask people to bring books and write a message in the cover instead of buying a card for the baby shower- there's cute poems that's been surfing around on the Internet that you can use as your invitation.

           "Although cards are nice with their sentiment and prayer,
             They're read once or twice then tucked away with care.
             A book is a treasure, words and pictures unite
             Read over and over to teach and delight.
             So instead of a card for Baby and mother,
             Please give a child's book with your thoughts in the cover.
             Your book will be cherished; God will watch from above,
             When it's read they will remember your kindness and love."

 OR

            "We can't wait to see you at the shower
             When (mom-to-be's name) will be the woman of the hour
             We have one request we hope isn't too hard
             Please sign your name to a book instead of a card
             Then mom and dad will be ready when the baby arrives
             To read to their darling for the rest of their live" 

-Humidifier:You'll want cool mist. If you want steam- just run the shower for 10 minutes. We bought this one: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4279441 and LOOOVEE it!

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okay, that's a little list of stuff to get you started.  I hope this was helpful :D

PREBABY TWINS

I remember when....

I remember the day that we found out that I was going to be the mother of twins. Most mothers will typically know if they are having multiples within their first trimester when they have their first ultrasound. I found out at 24 weeks when I went to find out the babies gender. 

 It was a January afternoon and I had to leave for my appointment without my fiance because he was called to work a hour later than usual and meet me there. I remember being so anxious, awkward, nauseous and scared all at the same time (talk about prego hormones- geesh!) 

They called me into the exam room, meanwhile my fiance had not arrived yet. I asked them if I could wait for him because I wanted to find out together- but got denied, it was a busy day and they were jam packed with back to back appointments. 

I laid on the exam chair as the ultrasound technician and her intern started preparing the ultrasound gel and all that good mushy warm goodness onto my belly. So she's rubbing the hand held device over my belly and I'm holding back tears because this is my first actual ultra sound and I got overwhelmed with emotions- I found out I was pregnant later on in my pregnancy so I practically missed my whole first trimester completely, but thats another story. 

I turn my face away for a second as I wiped away my tears so I didn't look like cry baby in front of these two complete total strangers. As my head was turned the tech goes, "Oph! there's the first baby!" First baby? Wait a minute, can you rewind back a second? I replied with, "First baby!?" I guess the look on my face said it all because this lady just started bursting out in laughter. I did not even know I was pregnant 3 weeks ago and now not only am I pregnant..I'm pregnant with twins!@#$?! Talk about emotion overflow at this very second.

 I finally get my blood pressure elevated and calm down a bit trying to keep a straight face as my finance walks (he might as well be skipping- he was so excited) into the exam room- boy was he in for a surprise- LOL I so wish I recorded it. First words out of his mouth, "What'd I miss?.. is it a boy or a girl?" he asked anxiously.  I told him that we still don't know yet but there's something that I needed to tell him. I guess by the way I said it, it made him think something was wrong because his attitude changed to his concerned, scared, nervous persona. I reassured him that everything was okay and let the technician break the news to him as I watched the color from his face flush and come back within a matter of seconds- it still makes me laugh to this day to think of his reaction to my twin news- I thought he was going to faint bc his face turned white so fast. 

As my appointment went on, I swear this dude must have went to the "bathroom" ten times for 15+ minutes at a time. We all know he went to the bathroom to tweet, post, message, call every person on his contact list that he has the "Super Sperm" and that we're expecting twins. By the time my appointment is over I've already had 5 missed calls and a bunch of text messages- I dear not check my Facebook yet. 

So anyways I must tell you-- I have no idea how they can depict the images that pop up on the screen. Luckily, I had an awesome technician that pointed out everything that she saw, from legs to head to arms, their spines.. fingers etc. I just nodded and pretended I knew what it was because I didn't want to be that awful mother that can't tell her sons's hands from feet from the plasma surrounding it. 

I finally see something on the screen that looked something that kind of resembled a smushed face and I melted immediately. "Aweee, look! its my baby's face.. he's SOOOO cute!" -----FAIL!! It was my baby's butt- a face only a mother would love. **SIGH** 

My 30 minute appointment ended up being approximately an hour and a half long. They checked baby A and baby B's vitals and all that good stuff.  

Here's proud daddy......STILL making calls to people.

one.of.my.favoritest.days. <3