It couldn't be all about the boys.

We had to get some pictures of the proud grandparents. They really enjoyed seeing the boys for the first time. They never had a sonogram with my sister or me and were suprised with the sex when we were born. It's amazing how far technology has come in such a sort time. I know that we take for granted the peace of mind that comes with seeing the boys every three weeks and we only get that because twin pregnancies are considered "high risk."
And now the proud parents! My lord my stomach looks huge. And, sorry about the closed eyes - I was relaxing!

The boy's latest photoshoot.

Click below for the latest pictures of the boys.

Babies

They are both healthy and measuring the same size, 18 weeks when I was only 17 weeks along! It was great news to know that they are playing nice and sharing the placenta equally. We just have to pray that this continues. The ultrasound technician was adorable and keep using adjectives like perfect, gorgeous, and beautiful. Also, told us that we needed to go celebrate that night for creating two perfect little boys. Of course, we were eating up and did go celebrate that night. My parents were in town so we went out to dinner at a super yummy place in downtown, Andina and then had foot massages at Barefoot Sage.

Bump Update.

Here are the latest bump pictures from this weekend. 18 weeks, 4.5 months along.
Dramatic close-up.
Bare belly. Don't mind the mom jeans and the Oregon "tan".
I haven't felt them kick yet, but I think I've felt the little flutters they tell you about.
Shelby feeling left out.
We are really getting excited and anxious to meet them! We have started the childcare search so send us lots of good luck thoughts and prayers.

Oh. My. Lord.

I am officially having pregnancy side effects. Up until this point everything had been pretty minor and then around 9:00pm last night I learned why so many people think they're having a heart attack when they have indigestion.

As I was sitting in one of our new La-Z-y boy recliners (one to rock each baby to sleep in – Thanks Mom and Dad!) I started having chest pains.
I figured that it must be the way I was reclining so I went to lay on the sofa. After a few minutes of tossing and turning, moaning and groaning Darrell asked if I was alright. I responded in my most pitiful voice, “I think I’m having a heart attack.” At first he thought I was having heartburn so he suggested that I have some milk, now I know what heartburn is and I knew this wasn’t it. Then he realized that I was having indigestion so he got me some coke to help me burp. To my dismay he brought it over warm, to which I responded “What? No ice?” He sighed and said “Trust me warm is better for this.” Not being one to know how to make myself burp, as I usually try to prevent these sort of things, I started sipping on the coke hoping to feel better. Darrell corrected my form and said I needed to be chugging. So I did, and within a few minutes was burping like a champ! Indigestion solved.

While once grossed out by this little trick, after last night, I gained a new respect for my niece Katie who can burb her ABC’s on command. She will never have to know what an indigestion heart attack feels like. And thanks to the chugging warm coke cure, hopefully neither will I.

Goodbye Mollyhead.

So it's been over a week and I've been thinking that I really should blog about this, not to be Debbie Downer, but out of respect for the situation and as a way to get closure for myself. I’m at peace with our decision and know it was the right thing to do and I thought I'd be able to post this without getting terribly choked up but as I typed the title my eyes starting filling with tears.

Last Monday, July 14th before I left for work I let Shelby outside for the day, Molly was already outside as she had been insisting, since we moved into the new house, to be let out the minute Darrell or my feet hit the floor. She ran by the window and I saw what looked like she had ripped her back leg open. I was in disbelieve, I ran to the door to get a closer look and it was as unbelievable as I thought but now that I was seeing it up close I knew it was real. I called Darrell because I had no idea what to do.

You see Molly had been sick for about 6 months now, in and out of the vet, tested, medicated, but never fixed. About a month ago Darrell and I had come to the conclusion and we were going to let her live her life out. In this moment that decision was tested. Every bone in my body wanted to rush her to the vet but deep down I knew that it would be in vein. I bandaged her up and went into work. On my way in I called Darrell who set up a final appointment at the vet. At noon on July 14th we took her in.

The vet talked to us about our concerns we thought that she might have been loosing sight in one eye because it was starting to look as if a cataract was forming over her right eye. The vet noted that even dogs that go blind in both eyes are very self preserving and usually don’t have accidents like this. She believed it was something more. Between all the vets that we had seen some thought it was auto immune anemia, others thought it was Addison’s disease, and another thought it might be cancer. I think it might have been a brain tumor, but we will never know for sure.

Only God knows what was wrong and why it was her time to go. We miss her terribly but are relived that she is not sick or suffering any more. She was one of my favorite things. She was my constant companion when I moved to Dallas after college and got my first big girl apartment and job. She was there for Darrell as his “cuddle buddy” when his job in Boise fell through and he spent a month living with us in California before he found this job in Portland. She was a friend to my friends and family to my family. The house and yard still feel a little empty without her.

For those of you who knew Molly I think that I sorta felt that I owed it to Molly to tell you what happened, rather leave it to you to figure out when she’s not in this year’s Christmas card. For those of you who never got the chance to meet Molly you should know that she would have, much to her mother’s chagrin, greeted you with her front two paws on your chest, licked your feet when you were sitting on our couch (I’m still not sure who convinced her that humans like that), done tricks for you while you threw her treats, and rubbed her face with her front two paws when you blew in it. She was so soft that you wouldn’t want to stop petting her and when you did she would let you know her disapproval by pawing you (not a little paw paw but she would raise her paw as high as she could and then plop it down on you, it was really quite adorable).

So this is my tribute to Molly; click below for some of my favorite pictures:

Molly Smith-Prochaska

Country bumpkins head to the big city!

Two weekends ago we headed north for Seattle. Darrell was scheduled to climb Mt. Washington on Sunday morning so we game planned to head for Seattle on Saturday morning. Tour the city on Saturday and camp out Saturday night where he was scheduled to meet the climbing group Sunday morning. All the while in our trusty slide-in camper!

We arrived in Seattle around noon after about a 3 hour drive. After securing the truck with camper in the parking lot, we set the dogs up for their afternoon of captivity. We had a late brunch on the way at Starbucks and weren’t quite ready for lunch so we headed out for the piers. After walking along the water front we headed across the street to Pike Place Market. What a trip! The most amazing fresh flowers, fruits, vegetables and seafood you will ever see in your life. We took a ton of pictures, seriously all the beautiful fresh colors would make even the worst pictures come out lovely.

After wandering around we had lunch at Pike Place Café and saw the naked biker parade! This was the highlight of our trip I think. Everyone was hanging out of the windows in the restaurant to get an unbelievable glimpse. The group of nudes were advocating bike riding to save the planet. Interesting….

After lunch we took the ferry over to Bremerton and then drove about an hour to the camp site. Turns out that the sites were full so we broke the law and set up camp in the “day use” area. That area turned out to conveniently located near the grills where we grilled our hotdogs and smores for dinner! Delicious :) Shorty after dinner we turned in for the night as Darrell had to be up at 5:30am to meet his climbing buddies.

Darrell left that morning at 6:00am and I went back to bed! The forest ranger knocked on our door at 8:30am that morning letting me know that this was an illegal camping spot. I had to fib a little and tell his we had just arrived that morning and were leaving when my husband returned from climbing that evening. He bought it. I went back to bed. Later that morning I woke up and took the dogs for a walk, couldn’t motivate myself to hike the 4 mile loop around the lake but I did take them down to the creek for a little while. Darrell returned around 3:30pm took a short nap and then we head back to Portland.

It was a wonderful break from reality.

Click here for more pictures:

Seattle

My humps, my humps, my lovely baby bump

Ok so just a few "housekeeping" items before we begin:

1. Please admire that I was able to create two authors on Blogger so I no longer feel the need to announce myself when blogging under Darrell's name.

2. Darrell got a 100% on his quiz last week and is currently studying for his mid-term. Aren't you so proud? I am.

Now on to pictures of the bump and my new "mom" hair do... (Taken on 7/6/08)
For dramatic effect: Flowers in the backyard:
Trying to nap after the photo shoot; Darrell unaware it was over:

Christmas in July

So I finally got motivated to upload our pictures from the first half of this year... Enjoy and sorry for the delay! More to come soon and when I say soon that probably means another 6 months!

Our first Christmas 2007

Dinner with the Browners

More fun with the Browners

Darrell's 30th birthday par-tay and pictures of the house

The living room decorated in Mountaineering theme. Notice the boot on the table!

Embarrassing pictures of Darrell through the years displayed on the mantel. Climbing gear and pictures from Darrell's climbs hung from the curtain rod.

Partiers gathered in the kitchen. The spread.

Enjoying my pregnant lady cocktail, Blood Orange Italian soda, yummy. Or at least that's what I tell myself as to not be too jealous of everyone drinking beer around me. We still have Oregon micro-brew left overs filling our fridge and mocking me. Come drink them, won't you?

The girls enjoying all the company in their backyard!

Darrell really excited about his mountain cake. Julia and I were pretty impressed with ourselves. Whipping this up in a matter of minutes! Complete with mountain gummy bears and snicker boulders!
Darrell's adult pinatas filled with mini liquor bottles (majority Disaronno, after all it was Darrell's birthday), lottery tickets, and candy! Behind is our "man-house" Darrell and his friends are convinced they are going to turn this into a bachelor pad, I'm convinced he's going to have to fight his mom for it because I think she already drawn up the plans to make it a Mother-in-law guest house.

The gang ready for someone to bust open the pinata with the ice axe! Violette wondering "Where's the candy at?"

Darrell getting blindfolded.

And feeling vulnerable. Ekkk.

Thinking about his shot.

Swinging.

Heather going after the second pinata.

Darrell blowing out his candles.

June owning the pinata.

Upset that there was no candy left! Cutest kid in America, even when she's upset, wouldn't you agree?

Darrell opening his presents after everyone had gone. He was super stoked about all his climbing and mountaineer gift cards.