adorable

Terri - I'm so sorry for your loss....I'm glad that you were able to be with her before she passed...you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers....

Guess what happened today Violets???? See for yourself: :biggrin::tt2::mad::tt1::tt2::lol::lol::tt2::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Congrats on your pregnancy Laura! Kat congrats on reaching your goal.... I'll need some time to catch up on all of the posts, but between moving, enjoying my grandsons, and dealing with some serious issues with my oldest daughter, I haven't been around much online....You are all in my thoughts and I wish I could be here to post, but I have to take care of myself and my family right now....I'll try to post once a week so that you all don't forget about me. :biggrin: Here are two recent pictures of my grandsons...these babies are the joy of my life...being a Grandmother is the most amazing thing I've ever felt in my life...I didn't realize I could love 2 little boys so darn much.... Dimitri - 9 weeks old Blake 13 weeks old :smile: This one cracks me up! I don't know what it is with these boys sticking their tongues out at me....maybe because I stick mine out at them? LOL

House is coming along...we picked up keys and a $4800 check on Friday, so we started shopping for window coverings and a few other things...haven't had time to move though. My daughter Shannyne had her baby 2 months ago, then gallbladder surgery to remove it 12 days ago. Just got her staples taken out on Friday and Saturday has the worst "gallbladder attack" that she's ever had!!! So we take her to the ER where they admitted her...she's been in the hospital since Saturday and they're not sure what the problem is. They've ran a ton of tests and apparently even though hers have all been negative, she may still have stones in her bile ducts that are too small to pick up on the diagnostic tests but big enough to be causing the pain...apparently attacks after gallbladder surgery is fairly common...very discouraging because they're very debilitating and she screams for 15-20 minutes in excruciating pain....She's even had 2 more attacks at the hospital and the Morhphine doesn't even begin to touch the pain. They may let her come home today since she hasn't had another attack since Saturday afternoon, but if she continues having them, she may have to go back into surgery. So we're all taking turns watching the baby, who has been VERY cranky....I think he misses his mom. He's trying to nurse off of everyone and has been very fussy. :eek: She's been pumping her breast but because she wasn't able to eat anything and was only taking in IV fluids, she's not producing as much....now we're having to supplement with forumla, which upsets my daughter. Then yesterday one of her tests was one in which they injected her with radioactive dye, so she has to "pump and dump" for 48 hours before she can give the baby her milk... So ya, the house is kind of on hold. We're going to rent a U-Haul this weekend and try to knock it out in one day....wish me luck!!! I'm SO tired!

You're SO beautiful!!! You look fabulous...and that color is so stunning on you!!!

No, we've procrastinated, but we started yesterday...I haven't even given notice where I'm living now, I was waiting until I have the keys in hand before I tell them I'm moving...then we'll have a month to pack and move. With the babies, Shannyne's surgery this week and everything else going on I didn't want to rush and stress myself more lol

Terri, Purple Power to you and your mom.... No we don't have a pool yet as I couldn't afford another $30,000 this year, but we DID buy a corner lot and will start putting the pool in next year. I think it IS a requirement seeing as it gets 115 degrees here! lol

Ok ladies - Here's a picture of the outside of my house since they finished it...I can't take a picture of the finished inside because they won't let anyone in since they finished the inspections last week until we do our walk through and take possession of the house. We sign our loan docs on Monday (hopefully if they're ready) and do our first and hopefully only walk through on Monday....if we do, we should get the keys no later than Wednesday or Thursday at the latest...depending on when escrow closes. Here's a picture so far:

Thank you!! I didn't tell you all that my youngest daughter, her baby (Blake) and my mom got into a car accident on July 3rd. The were rear ended by a explorer going 35...then pushed them into another car in front of them at the stop light. Sandwiched my daughters car between them...everyone was freaked out since Blake was in the car and he was just a 7 week old baby.... Everyone was ok...my mom sustained a bit of whiplash, but Shannyne and the baby are fine. Shannyne is home resting up from her surgery...she's in a little pain, but she's resting and taking her pain meds. Thanks for everyone's prayers! On a happy note, we do our first walk through on our house Monday...I'm so nervous AND excited at the same time!!! I'll post the pics when we move in. :wub:

Please all my sister violets keep my younger daughter in your prayers....she has surgery tomorrow to take out her gallbladder...it caused her so many problems through her pregnancy and we were hoping she'd be better after having the baby, but it's only gotten worse...they did an ultrasound and she has polyps and stones, so they're removing it tomorrow at 1pm our time here in California.... Pray for a speedy recovery because she has a 2 month old baby to take care of!!! Thank you!

Thank you for the postcard!!! It sure made me wish I was on vacation with you! LOL

Dimitri came home last Tuesday, July 8th. He was 5 lbs even. He's doing great...adorable little guy. I'll take some pics when she brings him over tomorrow. I babysat for a while today but I took him to see my Aunt and Cousin and forgot my camera. Blake is getting big too...here's a recent picture of him. :frown: http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p14/adoragurl/Dimitri/Blake/?action=view&current=3df26ed1.pbr And here's some of Dimitri...I need to take more recent ones... Remix for adoragurl - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Congratulations Judy!!! I know that I'm loving being a Grandma!!!! It's the most amazing feeling ever! I didn't even enjoy my kids this much LOL!!!

Hi girls! Haven't had a lot of time to check in or even check posts...I'm still holding at 200 lbs...it's frustrating but with so much going on in my life, it's really hard to sit down and make a healthy dinner. So much easier to eat out...I hope things calm down soon. Update on my life LOL - 1st Grandson, Blake, is thriving. He's approximately 13 lbs and almost 7 weeks old. Cute as a button...joy of my life right now. 2nd Grandson, Dimitri, is growing and thriving, but still in the NICU. They won't let him come home until he's at least 34 weeks which will be this Saturday. Then he has to have his hearing test, probably on Monday and then he should come home after. He's grown from 3 lbs 13 oz to 4 lbs 6 oz and he's 2 weeks old today. He's holding his own body temperature, eating very well on his own and tolerating his feedings, oxygen levels look fantastic. We're just waiting on him to be 34 weeks. He's so darn precious! I'll enclose an updated pic of each of them at the bottom of this post. Getting ready to close on our house. Our first walk through is 7/21 - 2nd walk through is 7/28 and we're supposed to take possession of the house on 7/30. I'm hoping it's a little earlier but I haven't even started packing yet LOL - I guess I better get on it.... Work has been extremely busy too....just not enough hours in the day for everything! I hope that everyone is doing well. As soon as I'm moved in to the house and things quieten down, I'll be back on more often. :thumbup: Love you girls!! <3 Have a happy and SAFE 4th!!! Blake - 6 1/2 weeks old. I call him Bathtime Blake :eek: Peek-a-boo Dimitri - 1 week 4 days old

Dimitri is completely off of his oxygen as of yesterday morning (Sunday morning) at 6:30am. They've moved him from the warming table to an isolette which is quieter for him, and because they don't need to get to him right away since he's doing so much better, they felt that they could move him into one to reduce the stimulus of his environment. They're feeding him with an oral gastric tube and he's tolerating his feedings very well. In a week or two they'll start letting him try a bottle before moving to the breast. They're giving him a little pacifier during his tube feedings to teach him to suck. He's so darn beautiful....I love him!!! I'll post pics later....I'll post some of Blake too...that little booger is getting SO fat!!! He's only 5 weeks and already 11 lbs! He's almost doubled his weight from birth in only 5 weeks.... Getting closer to closing for our house...4 more weeks! I have so much going on it's hard to get post every day, but I read your posts when I can! Holding strong at 200...can't seem to break into the 100's...I won't give up! I just need a little time for myself to focus is all....maybe after things quieten down some...

Could have easily lost both of them...it was touch and go, and I'll write more about it later.... Everything is ok so far...they extubated him and he's now breathing on his own with a little bit of oxygen. Blood gases look good - they're planning on keeping him at Fresno Community in the NICU unless things change and then he'd have to go to Valley Childrens but so far he's looking great... Was very scary at first - Kara had a 50% placental abruption and they lost the heart beat for about 10 minutes - he was limp, grey and not breathing, but they worked on him fast and so far so good.... He was 3 lbs, 13 oz and 16 inches long...actually pretty good size for a 31 weeker! I've attached a few pics...

My daughter, Kara, she went into labor today. Water broke early in the morning (1am) and she's been admitted to the hospital in premature labor (she's 31 weeks). They are watching her, giving her meds to mature the babies lungs quicker, and giving her antibiotics so that she doesn't get an infection from her water being broke for so long.... They said the baby can come tonight....or 3 weeks from now. Either way she won't leave until she has the baby now. They're transferring her to another hospital via ambulance in the morning as the other hospital has a more equipped NICU for the baby once he's born. Please keep her and her son, Dimitri, in your prayers....

LOL i was looking at this picture and my hubby was across the room...i started to scroll down reading the post and my hubby says "Go back up to that picture"...so I did, wondering what the hell is he doing looking at my screen LOL...he said "OMG THATS A SEX SWING!!! SWEEEEEEEEEEET!!!" LOL Now he wants one.... well he's wanted one for a long time. I'd have a hard time explaining to my adult children what that is LOL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERRY!!!!!!

Ok I'm SO jealous!!! I LOVE Madonna!!!!

Kat I want to see skinny tummy pics!!!!!

I AM a proud gramma...I'm so in love with that little guy. It's such a different feeling when they're your grandchildren.... I didn't want my daughter to have to pay $150 for the hospital pictures which are 1 pose, so my hubby's friend who owns a portrait studio took a few pics for us and did a little work on them...I love them and they were free!!! :sad:

Heyyyyyyyy Tippy looks JUST like my kitty. They could be long lost sisters! hehe

(he had a little rash on his cheeks)

You all are so wonderful!!! Guess what I got in the mail yesterday?? Yes, that's right - a postcard!!! I'm so sorry that I had to miss it, although now I'm glad that I did! LOL I wasn't sure when Shannyne would have her baby, and luck has it that she had him that weekend! If I would have been gone I would have missed it... However next trip I hope to be there...I just have a lot going on this year. I have a baby shower on July 13th for my other daughter (who is doing VERY well I must say), July 30th we get the keys to our new house, and then my other grandson is due to be born on August 16th. Maybe something towards the end of the year??? You all look fabulous in the pics you've posted and I almost cried when I got the postcard. You are all like family to me....hell my family doesn't even send me postcards when they go on vacation! LOL Thank you all for being here!!! :rolleyes2: