Halloween 2009- See how they've grown!

Harper Babies in 2008:

Harper Babies in 2009:

(notice sh'e wearing his outfit from the year prior!)

Fred, Pebbles & Bam-Bam!

(with a few improvisions so call them cave people if you'd like)She found a puppy! Our handy artwork :)

All in all it was a great day. The kids wore fun halloween clothes for the day and then changed into their costumes for night. I cant believe how big they've grown in a year! We spent the evening with lots of good friends enjoying good food! Happy Halloween!!!!

The baby wish list/ to do list

Time is flying. This baby is going to be here in no time. My energy has picked up again and I have quite the list to accomplish with 4 weeks to go..... I started yesterday by packing my hospital bag (which isn't done yet) and for as sure as I am that I'm having a boy, I still packed an outfit for each gender "just in case".
I've got some thank-you notes to write, my ring sling to finish, Halloween costumes & treats to make and then there's the cleaning. You know, because my house isn't clean already.

We've started getting some decent snowfall and the temperature has been hovering right around freezing. The roads have been terrible but that didn't stop me from driving 35 minutes to blueberry baby yesterday (when its normally a 15 min trek). I just HAD to go get a few things. And of course while I was there I saw a few more things I want to add to my wish list.
People keep asking what I want for Christmas and it seems most things I want are for the new baby. You'd think after having the twins I'd have all the baby things that I want but I guess there are always things to be desired.

So far on my list I'm hoping to get the baby:

• a few new outfits of its very own (once I know the gender) that don't have to be hand-me-downs from its brother/sister. Even though it wont care if its clothes are new or not, I will know.
• A pair of those super cute Padraig slippers. The twins never had them but I love them. http://padraigcottage.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=2
• a few Bum Genius 3.0 cloth diapers
• His/her own baby book. Everett & Macey have the ones that are "The first 5 years". I need to find one more for this baby.
• a swankie blankie security blanket - http://www.swankieblankie.com/index-5.html
  

I think that's it. If I make it to my due date Ive got 8 more days of work left before I start my 12 weeks of maternity leave. I still haven't decided if I'm going back to work or not. I guess I'll see how things go.
I just put the kids down & Curts at the gym so I guess I should go complete something on that to-do list of mine although it sure is nice to sit down!

We've been busy, sick and everything in between!

Its been in the 40s and we havent had any snow yet so we've been playing at the park as much as we can. Here are a few shots we took at Chena Lakes:

and heres one of the kids getting their first whole corn on the cob! If I would have known how busy & quiet it kept them at dinner I would have done this a long time ago. They loved it!

Saturday the 17th we went to Anchorage. It was a beautiful 6.5 hour drive and the kids were as good as you can expect them to be for being 1 year old. We spent the remainder of the first day letting the babies run around and explore the house. Saturday night Curt, my brother Joey & one of his friends went to a hockey game. I stayed back and relaxed with Carolyn.

Sunday Carolyn & I took them to church & Al ( a very nice member) spotted Macey and asked if she had any doll furniture. He handcrafts beautiful wooden doll furniture. She is now the proud owner of a baby doll cradle & chair. Everett also scored an old fashioned desk. It was very generous of Al!

After church Curt & I went and shopped at the mall. We didn't buy much but we bought a few things we wanted for ourselves. Then we went to Babies R Us/ Toys R Us and shopped for the kids Christmas. It was fun. I cant wait to see the looks on their faces! Sunday night we went to the moose's tooth for dinner. I really wish they would build one here in Fairbanks.

Monday we took the kids to chuck e cheese. Its still a little advanced for them but they were able to find a solid hours worth of activities to do. later that evening we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary by going to dinner at Simon & Seafords. It was a nice evening.

The Harper Family on our 4th Wedding Anniversary

Tuesday, Curt & I went and toured the Anchorage Tower & Tracon and also the center. It was Curts first tour and I got to visit with a friend. later that evening we all (our family plus nin & Carolyn) went out for dinner at a new restaurant called Firetap Alehouse. I really liked it but no one else was as impressed. Needless to say Macey ended up vomiting mac'n cheese all night long. I don't know if it was the food or if she caught something but we were all very very tired. The worst part was I'm soooo pregnant I couldn't get up/sit up quick enough to take her to the bathroom so Curt had to take her each & every time.

Wednesday we drove back to Fairbanks. The drive was LOOONG!!!! we were all tired & grumpy but we made it. We unpacked and lounged around the house.

The trip was great and Carolyn was super helpful. It was really nice not to have to change all those diapers, cook meals, and just be able to sleep & rest when I needed too. The only thing that would have made the trip better is if Dustin & my dad were there to join us :)

Thursday I had a doctors appointment at 8:15am. I'm 35 weeks pregnant. Only 5 more weeks to go. So far everything still looks good. Doc Ellie said I dont have to have an IV- she said Im young & healthy, very low risk pregnancy and have great veins so if they need one they can tke care of it then:) Ive started dilating and effacing so we are heading in the right direction. Baby's heartbeat was in the low 130s. Unfortunately Ive started getting more stretchmarks. I would have thought after carrying the twins for 37 weeks I would have gotten all the ones I was going to get but I guess not!

Here I am at almost 34 weeks:

I mentioned early that Macey was puking all Tuesday night. Well Everett had his turn Friday night and Curt on Saturday. Im beginning to think they all got the flu. I havent been sick yet, but I also already got my flu shot this year....I think being pregnant should make me exempt from any other discomforts LOL. Here is a picture of Everett & Curtis lounging around recovering as they watch Sunday football:

More to come as the weeks progress!