Christmas Morning

We tried to get a picture of the whole family after church on Christmas morning.

 Not bad for a "set the cheap camera and run back to your spot" picture!

And I really hate pregnant pictures of myself (I think I have two pictures between 3 pregnancies), but since I had the nice Christmas tree as a backdrop, I told Colonel Mustard to take a picture-- quick before I changed my mind. Someday I might want to remember how huge I was...and I probably won't want to remember the panic attacks I keep having because they are growing so fast I am certain sometimes I'm going to suffocate from lack of air!

6 Months (roughly)

Merry Christmas

As usual, it is impossible to get a good picture of these three together--I must have taken 50 and this is the best it got!

...and now they are nestled all snug in their beds...squawking and talking like three bobble heads!

We tried to threaten that Santa would bring coal if they didn't behave better. Ethan said, "That's okay. If he brings me coal I'll paint a face and some polka dots on it and have a pet rock to be my friend!"

Can't argue with that.

My Christmas letter this year will be short. Our fridge went out a few hours ago, and as usual, I feel like throwing up, so I'm saving what energy I have left for Santa!

We have had a good year-- we're all still here and mostly healthy, so what can really be bad? It's hard to believe this will be our last Christmas as a family of five-- I figured we'd be spending many, many Christmases as a family of five. It's also hard to believe that next year, the girls will outnumber the boys. I always believed our family would have more boys and I will admit, I'm a little sad it won't-- I really love me some boys!

I'd like to say I'm excited for 2012, but we have many different challenges ahead this next year, and sometimes the thought becomes a little too daunting, so I'll hang onto 2011 for the last few days I can.

In the last few weeks, I've thought a lot about Mary. I often feel overwhelmed at the task I've been given. I feel very weak in spirit from the constant sickness and discomfort and sometimes wonder how I'll survive to the end of this pregnancy. I have been comforted when I think of Mary and the burden, much greater than mine, she must have carried. Can you imagine, knowing for nine months that the child you carried would be the Savior of the World? What an amazing woman she must have been.

We hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and can feel of the spirit of that precious baby born so many years ago.

Love,
The Peacocks

Resolution

 

I know it's not January yet, and I hate New Year's resolutions anyway, but I needed to record for myself that I really made one and kept it! Actually I wouldn't really even call it a resolution, but rather a goal I made for myself at the beginning of the year.

Last January, I made a goal to read the entire standard works in one year, and I'm very proud to say that yesterday I finished! I feel a little guilty admitting it was only my second time that I've read the Bible in it's entirety, but now at least I can say I've read it through twice. I thought I'd record for myself Ten things I learned.

1) It is nearly impossible to feel the spirit of the scriptures if your kids are in the room. You will get a lot more out of it if they are asleep when you read  (or otherwise engaged in an activity in another part of the house).

2) The Old Testament is still as boring (for the most part) as I remember it. However, there is some very solid history of the foundation of the world and it really helps you to understand why so many in the world are as screwed up as they are!

3) If you can get past (and stay awake) the middle of the Old Testament, the end offers some of the most beautiful poetry ever written. (and it is very well appreciated at that point)

4) The New Testament, while obviously boasting the most important history of Christ's life, is surprisingly dry after John, and didn't capture me as well as I had hoped.

5) Revelation and Isaiah still make no sense to me (guess that means I need to keep reading)

6) The Doctrine and Covenants is a unique historical record. While not as eloquently written as some, there is a lot of important doctrine to be had.

7) It took me until the very end of the Doctrine and Covenants to feel the spirit of the book and the witness I had been seeking since the first section.

8) The Book of Mormon-- I saved the best for last. Wow--is all I can say! If you thought you appreciated the Book of Mormon, try taking many months of reading other scripture and then coming back to the Book of Mormon. I was so excited to finally get back to it. The spirit is overwhelming when you simply open the book. There is no other book like it.

10) I could pick out a few chapters in 2 Nephi, Alma, 3rd Nephi and Ether and give a more pure and concise explanation of the gospel than all other scripture combined. Amazing book--and by far the most captivating story as well.

10) I really want to do this again next year and see what I learn that is different. (Though I must admit I am a little sad thinking about 9 months before I get back to the Book of Mormon) 


If anyone is looking for a worthwhile New Year's goal this next year, I can promise you will not be sorry for trying this one. ( and remember, these are just my opinions--try it yourself and let me know what you learn.)

The Name Game

The worst part about having a new baby boy?-- finding a name everyone can agree on and a nice middle name to match.

The worst part about having a baby girl?-- finding a name, any name... that Colonel Mustard can agree on (forget if anyone else likes it or not).

So you can imagine the dilemma at our house of coming up with TWO girl names and TWO middle names to go with them.

We've really tried to solve this problem--unfortunately nothing thus far has stuck.

The kids and I made a list of about 25 names that at least two of us liked. We gave the list to Colonel Mustard and instructed him to circle any names he would Remotely consider--------he crossed off every name on the list.

Then we talked about keeping to our "southern roots" and naming them Bobbie Jo and Billie Jean.

The kids like Fiona, so we decided on Fiona and Fantasia.

Out of desperation, we came up with Philomena and Wilomena.

These are all nice ideas, but we thought maybe we could be more creative.

Since all our babies have looked the same, Colonel Mustard and I are a bit concerned if we will be able to tell two newborn girls apart. I told him to be sure they took a Sharpie and wrote "A" and "B" on their feet when they came out until we could find a better way to identify them--- but then again, why bother. We can just put "Baby A" and "Baby B" on their birth certificates and be done with it.

Tonight, Colonel Mustard suggested that we get a big box of crayons and each randomly reach in and pull out a crayon. Okay, baby A will be "Magenta", and oh look...baby B gets to be "Light Blue"!

Colonel Mustard's favorite idea however, comes from Ebay where a couple sold the right to name their baby girl for $15,000. Never mind they had to name her "Virgin Mary"-- they got a hefty sum for doing so! Imagine what we could get for the rights to name our twins! (tempting)

So if anyone has any suggestions--we're open to them. Remember however, not to be offended. Colonel Mustard will probably hate your idea too--unless you're paying him to use it!

Whine Session

You ever have one of those days when you just feel picked on and nothing is going to help you feel better but to whine? Yeah, I have a lot of those days. Today--is one of those days.
I feel like total crap--again nothing new for me, but I judge the quality of the day on how long I can go before giving in to the meds. Today, I made it out of bed and straight to the pill bottle--a pretty good sign that today is going to suck.
Now it's Saturday and normally I would just say junk it, but I had plans today. Colonel Mustard had to work today and I NEED to bake today. I keep putting it off because it's just no fun right now, but next week is the last week of school before Christmas. Yes, I know what you're thinking-" go to the store already and buy some cookies--no one will think any less of you at this point." That would be great and all, but Ava has a school party next week. They are making Christmas cookies AND Gingerbread houses. (thanks to whomever thought we really had to do both). Ava can't eat anything at the store. Even the allergy friendly cookies are off the table for her--so I'm stuck. And I can't find any recipes that don't require major modifications. And I'm not creative AT ALL today.

So.... I sat down and cried (cause that's what pregnant ladies do). And then I decided I would whine a little so everyone knew how picked on I felt today. ( Funny-- I don't feel any better after whining) Now I'm going to go find that pill bottle again and put on some big girl panties--cause Ava WILL get to celebrate just like everyone else even if I have to alternate cookie cutting and vomiting!

Here's hoping you have a funner day than me!

Family Pictures

We had family pictures done a few weeks ago and I was just changing out the old for the new. I couldn't help but notice how much difference a year makes-- our kids are getting so old! Andrew reminded me yesterday that he is only about a foot shorter than me. Thanks kid-- I was already feeling the pinch when I went to go buy him new shoes and we wear the SAME size. That's right-- I bought my 8 year old the same size tennis shoes as I wear! My final height prediction for that kid is 6'1"- 6'2" and I predict he will be battling to overtake my height by 12 or 13 (let's see how close I get) Fortunately for me, the other two have never been able to quite maintain Andrew's hyper-growth, so maybe it will take them a little longer to pass me up!

thanks to our great photographer, Dixie Taylor Photography!

A little story from my Garden

I know it seems a little off to show produce from my garden in December, but I have to start the story from the beginning.

These are just a couple of samples from my garden this summer. Not that strange. I have had several "twin" vegetables in my garden before, but this year was a little different. This year I had a LOT of twin vegetables in my garden--noteworthy enough that I snapped a couple of pictures because I thought it was so funny that it kept happening (too much fertilizer?!?)

Little did I know in July, when I took these pictures that less than two months later, my garden anomaly would become a very poignant memory to me.

Colonel Mustard and I have made it quite loud and clear that Ava was our last child. After that awful pregnancy, I was certainly done and Colonel Mustard could not wrap his mind around any more kids given the never ending doctor and hospital bills she has brought to our plate. I prayed for a year and a half to make sure we were making the right decision, and when I didn't receive an answer, I assumed that meant we were done. Not 100% sure, but confident enough that Colonel Mustard and I decided to make a trip to Goodwill with all our baby stuff-- yep everything--except Ava's baby clothes (it hadn't been long enough and I was overly emotional giving away the boys' stuff).

The day before my baby's (Ava) 3rd Birthday, I had a very rough day. I went to church feeling not well and my heart seemed to be pounding out of my chest. On top of that, I had several "I'm going to throw up" moments the few days before--and to top it off, I knew some one expected-- had not arrived yet. That evening I stopped the denial and headed out to get the test to convince myself of what I already knew. I wish I could say I was happy, but few things are more terrifying to me than a positive pregnancy test.

I became the sickest I've ever been it the following 3 weeks--and an ER doctor insisted that medication wasn't enough, my HCG levels were "sky high" and I needed to be seen by my doctor right away. At 7 weeks I saw my doctor and informed him that this child must not be human because I was pretty sure I couldn't get sicker than I was with Ava--and yet I was. Less than two minutes later he confirmed what has always been one of my worst fears--I was not carrying a human--I was carrying two. It was a very surreal moment lying on the table shaking and crying-- I shall never forget the instant when he deleted "single" and typed in "twin A."

Long story short-- a lot of medication, a lot of weight loss (and huge gains), a lot of crying, a couple of Moms to pick up the pieces when I couldn't hardly get myself to the shower-- here we are, still sick 99% of the time (but thankfully functioning as long as I'm drugged), 21 weeks in and 5 ultrasounds later--we are expecting twin girls!-- Very hard for me to say out loud!

And I guess I should thank my Heavenly Father for these two little miracles (although I must admit for the last 5 months it seems like the worst practical joke ever). I'm certain in 5 years time I will never be able to imagine my life any different--and I will always laugh at the twin vegetables in my garden and remember a time when they were simply, a funny coincidence.