The new Puckett family

This is very late but.... the girls are here!!! They are a week-old now and doing great! Most everyone know the details but...

Annabel June Puckett
born June 19, 2009
6 lbs. 6 oz.s
20 inches

Harper Naomi Puckett
born June 19, 2009
6 lbs. 5 ozs.
19.5 inches

Everyone is doing great! I have spent nine months with alot of worrying but now that they are here and healthy all I can feel is blessed for my beautiful family and for the support of friends and family. Thank you to everyone for nine months of love.

The longest four days ever....

To update all my close friends and family, at my doctor's appointment today we discovered while last Thursday both of the girls were head down and in position to be born, TODAY Harper decided she wasn't comfortable so she flipped breech ( or oblique, or something...)

Anyway, I am now scheduled for a C-section on Friday afternoon and am trying to find a way to fill the days until then.. I bore very easily so, although I am trying to just relax and enjoy the peace, it's proven difficult. There are only so many Jon and Kate Plus Eight reruns you can watch.

Next post will hopefully contain pics of my beautiful girls!!

Down to business post.

It's time for a medical update so, here is a boring run down... no pictures:)

I am now going to the doctor like every three or four days so I won't update every time unless there is something new. Last week at the ultrasound we did, which was likely to be the last weight check, the girls weighed 5lbs 6 oz a piece. In two days I will be officially 36 weeks and so I am set to go into labor at any time.

This morning I was over 1 cm dialated so we are just waiting now.... The doctor did reassure me that she will not make me go more than 38 weeks so that's just over two weeks at the longest. I can't wait to see my girls and give them kisses!!!

Thanks to all my family, especially Aunt Christy this weekend, the house is clean, the girls room is ready, the van is bought and the car seats ready, bags are packed and by the door, there is food in my pantry and freezer it is go time at any moment.

I feel anxious and nervous and really really weepy so f you talk to me in the next weeks and I burst into tears.. just ignore me and the hormones. Any relaxation tips? I feel like I am so nervous I can't enjoy the next weeks.... Any helpful advice?

A changing point in my life....

I now own a minivan.

The biggest news from the weekend was our "shopping" trip to the dealership that turned into a rather large purchase. We knew we were going to buy one in the next year so I had been researching my options and narrowed it down to two types of vans. We planned to buy maybe this fall or even next February.... That of course changed when my plan to fit all three car seats in the back of my Matrix backfired. They all fit but it looked ridiculous and like a safety hazard.

On Saturday when Josh and Burt installed them, I took one look and tears came to my eyes.... no way could I let my children ride around in that... so off we went to test drive and.... voila.. came home in alot more debt:)

But, I love the van. It was just what I wanted and I feel so much better about the years to come with our family.

Here are the pics:

The 2006 Toyota Sienna: the color is called magnesium but it's more like metallic navy






























Here is Josh installing my car seats into the van. My "nesting" instinct is insisting everything be done immediately:)
















My sister-in-law was gracious enough to buy us the second carseat. She really wanted them to match but we didn't want to have to buy two new carseats and Graco doesn't make Eli's anymore so she joined with my mom who, believe it or not, handmade two matching car seat covers for the girls... Don't they look great:)

Weekend fun

Just a short post with pics about the weekend. Burt and Christy came into town and bought Eli a slip n slide. He is still a little timid about it but we plan to work on it. Here are the pics:

The room awaits...

This weekend with my mom's help we put the finishing touches on the girls room.





































Our older house has been blessed with one thing: Big bedrooms and lots of closets so the in the babies room we do have room for a futon ....























.... and we have two closets (although all their clothes are in one right now... I am allowing for "room to grow":)























The girls do have their first dolls already... Josh bought them both Cabbage Patch Preemies and picked them out straight from Babyland General in Cleveland. I love them!!












My friend Christine painted this for the girls' room... She painted a picture of a giraffe for Eli's room so I asked for one for the girls' too.























Josh and I only purchased the futon for this room so everything else was a gift.. How blessed are we??? Thanks to everyone who helped make Annabel and Harper's room perfect!

34 weeks and counting.....

Baby update: Not much going on with the Pucketts that doesn't include preparation for the girls' arrival! Here is our latest news:

Tomorrow I will be 34 weeks... last week at the doctor I had a great visit! the girls were really active and healthy.. they both were doing their practice breathing (which is a good sign apparently) and weighed in at 4lbs 9 oz. (Annabel) and 4 lbs. 6 oz. ( Harper), which for the moms out there is in the 69% and 62% percentiles:) They are both currently breech and the odds of them turning are not great so that may mean a C-section for me but I will keep everyone updated.

Here are the ultrasounds:

























The doctor and the technicians were very impressed that I am not on bedrest and still working, which I am very thankful for. I am starting to feel worse and worse so I don't know how much longer I can impress them but... Here I am at 34 weeks.. My next appoinment won't be until next week so stay tuned:)

Mom of the year

As you can imagine, at 32 weeks it's a little difficult for me to get around and to get anything done at my house. Josh is a great help but because of his work schedule sometimes he isn't home in the morning or in the evening. This week was one of those weeks so my mom offered to come stay with me and help me out with Eli.

I'll begin by saying my mom does not sit still... She constantly has to be doing something (a trait I didn't inherit) so she continually is helping me including rearranging cabinets, making drapes, etc. So, I could never thank her for everything she has done for me but I wanted to post yesterday's events to give an example of her generous nature.

When I got home from work yesterday, my mom had washed my couch and its cushions (They are all slipcovered), shampooed my living room rug and cleaned my refrigerator (not emptied it but literally scrubbed it clean). All of this on top of keeping a whiney 3-year-old all day long. Plus, she made dinner for us all like she has for the last three days...

So, I know all moms are the best but mine seriously may have yours beat this week:) Thanks Mom. I love you!

Work update

Well, I am officially on photography maternity leave! I am still working at the paper everyday but I am not shooting anything else until August. This last month has been really busy fitting in engagement portraits for fall weddings but I feel like working every weekend only makes me a better photographer.

Check out my blog for three new engagement slideshows but here is a sneak preview of a couple of my favorites...

29 weeks!

This is what I look like now at 29 weeks... I figure I must be alot bigger than I was with Eli because this shirt is the one I wore to the hospital when Eli was born and it wasn't near this tight!!
























I did have a doctor's appointment this week with an ultrasound. No pictures this time though.. The girls are so big, it's really even hard to tell what's even on the screen.. I couldn't tell at least. they are right at 3 lbs each and doing really great.

I also had my glucose screening test which came back elevated so now I have to take the 3-hour test so be thinking of me next week and pray this one goes well:)

If you are reading this, thanks Molly!

This post is only like a year overdue but, every now and then, I like to say something about my life that has nothing to do with the twins or Eli. It's like a nice reminder to me that I have my own life too... Crazy, huh??

Warning: kinda a long story but relevant:)

Couple of years ago my friend Molly got married in Louisville and Josh and I along with my best friends spent the weekend there. Being big music fans themselves, Molly & Stephen hired a bluegrass band for their post-reception reception and I was introduced to "Wagon Wheel." It's a simple song but, for some reason (those who love music know what I'm talking about) I fell in love with it.... It has since become maybe my favorite song of all time. I don't know why, it just reminds me of that weekend, and of my childhood, etc...

Anyway, to progress on a long story. My first thought was "If I love this song so much, that I have never heard in 29 years... how many more songs are there out there that I didn't even know I loved?"

I work in a close-knit office with many different personalities so I decided to start a CD Club here at work in hopes of being introduced to different types of songs, bands, etc. Last June we started with like 13 people, who made a CD of their top 20 favorite songs and then exchanged CDs each week until everyone had heard everyone's CD. After that, people made a top 20 CD with its own theme (Soundtracks, songs you had never heard, top 20 songs from Canadian artists?). We are now on Round 3, which my friend Corinne has graciously taken over since I have found myself preoccupied with life:) But, after a year, I am still enjoying it..

This morning I was listening to my CD for this week and found a new song that I love. I have learned alot... like, for example, I love Bob Dylan!! I didn't even know it until I experienced several different songs of his in this club.. I also learned that I can't turn off a Michael Jackson song if it comes on.. Man in the Mirror is a great song!! Thanks to Corinne's 2nd round CD, I remembered that 1994 was an awesome year in music!

So, in the end, it's been a great year and I am lucky to have co-workers that get excited about silly clubs that a grown woman can think up! I suggest it to any music fans.. or you could do it with movies.. Either way, it's a fun diversion every week.

So, for those interested, here is a link to the you tube video for "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show... who just happens to be playing at the Fox tonight! Just so you know- video is not child-appropriate!!

Wagon Wheel

I can't believe I am doing this to myself...

I look at this picture and think, why on earth would anyone post this on a website for people to see??

Anyway, in order to preserve an accurate history, here I am at 25 weeks.























I have a social experiment for any pregnant women. Tell a stranger you are having twins and I would be willing to bet the next comment is something about your size.... It's a strange thing.

Everyone knows, when you are pregnant, there are the standard 3 or 4 questions you get from strangers (checkout people, colleagues that have never talked to you in the 10 years you have worked at the paper, etc. etc.) ... When are you due?, Do you know what you are having?, Have you picked out names?, etc etc etc..... I have found it very amusing that, when carrying twins, you get the second question, what are you having and when people find out you are having twins, they automatically give a judgment on how big/small you are... like, "You are so small for twins.. or "wow, I thought you looked big" and so forth. I find it funny because I NEVER got any comments on my size with Eli and I was huge but now perfect strangers feel it's okay.. I don't care, I just feel like a whale on the inside. I'm glad if I don't look like it:)

Warning!! SPOILER ALERT! Baby names enclosed...

Today I had a 24-week checkup and everything seems to be perfect!

(being pretty open here..) Every month I walk into that place and am so nervous and scared but as things progress I feel so blessed that God has chosen me to have these babies and is keeping them healthy. I'm sure most moms out there can agree that it is pretty unnerving since it's all so out of our control and feeling like we are relying on luck and prayers... but anyway, this post is to say my babies are great! I wanted to share several things. First are our recent pictures: The girls are so big now!!


















The picture above is the baby on the left (as they call her at the doctor). Both babies have switched around their heads and feet but mostly had stayed where we can identify them separately.
Though most of the family knows already, her name is Annabel.



















This is my "wild" child since everytime we are at the ultrasound she is jumping all over the place and she makes my belly move like jello most nights.
Her name is Harper.

The next thing I want to share is a video Josh took at the ultrasound today.. it's kinda boring and long because the girls weren't moving very much but mostly I wanted to share our experience. There are two ultrasound technicians at my doctors and I love them both! When I walk in ready to throw up from anxiety both of these women put my heart at ease immediately. Today we had Mary, who is so good at her job I can't imagine there is a better one out there! I love her energy and she make my eyes tear up everytime with her positive attitude and reassuring comments.



Lastly, I didn't leave out middle names on purpose:) We aren't keeping them secret or anything, it's just... Josh and I don't know them yet:) We have decided to let our siblings and their spouses pick out the middle names for the girls... so we may not know until they arrive! Suspenseful, huh???

New wedding stuff

I usually just put this on my wedding blog but I wanted to share this wedding with everyone. This is my last wedding until after the babies are born and it couldn't have been a better send off! Jennifer and Jeremy were the sweetest, most easy-going and wonderful couple to work with. Their wedding party and families were equally awesome! I had such a great time that it reminded me why I do this and how excited I am to get back to it in August! I still have lots of engagements and families coming up though so stay tuned to the blog!

Being pregnant I also hired a helper with this wedding so I give credit to some of the pics to photojournalist Jonathan Phillips .

Jennifer Miller & Jeremy Woods
March 7, 2009
Lilburn, Georgia

The fun begins...

Now, five months into this life-changing event, we've gotten to the fun part:)
Shopping!

In the last two weeks, it has been baby buying crazy at my house and I have had so much fun! As soon as I found out I was having twins I was determined to make it all very economical, which has turned out to be really difficult but, with all my family help, I think we have done a great job.

Number one rule: CONSIGNMENT, CONSIGNMENT!!
I went to two consignment sales.. one with my mother-in-law and one with my sister-in-law and Mom. Since they are spring/summer sales the only clothes we could buy were 0-3months or 12 months but I think we managed to find a few things:) Actually, not overbuying was easier than you think, since every time you find something you like, you have to make sure you can find something to go with it!
























I also got two big items, like the double snap and go frame for two infant car seats:
























And the infamous double stroller.. all of these were used so basically half price.

















Of course, the girls already have lots of new things too thanks their Mammie. And I really thank my mom, Christy and Becky for all the things they bought for us and the time we have spent shopping and planning. It has been so much fun and helped my stress level tremendously! I love you!

Last but not least, we had another ultrasound yesterday and the girls are still growing great and looking good. We didn't really get very good pictures since they are getting so big but I thought I would post another pic of myself at 5 months.























I feel like I could give birth anytime.. some people keep telling me I look so small and I can not believe it!! I already feel like I am in my ninth month!! Anyway, feel free to comment honestly. I still have over four months to go and about 50 lbs to gain so this should be interesting!

A Valentine's performance for you!

Eli sings all the time.. 90 percent of the time he is in that "silly, making up words to songs" phase but, as him mom, I still think he is adorable. Here are some of his latest tunes..

The boys have been outnumbered!

Today was our 16 week ultrasound and I can't promise I won't post ones every single time, so get used to it!!

Most importantly the babies are healthy, both growing at the same rate and looking good!
Secondly, they are both little girls:)

I never had a sister growing up (although I have two awesome ones now) so I am really excited to see real sisterhood in action!


















Baby A was pretty mellow.. she looked like she was trying to sleep the whole time but finally at the end she started pushing her sister with her feet so she could stretch out!


















Baby B, on the other hand, the technician kept calling a wild child because she was all stretched out, taking up all the room and moving around all over the place. Josh said that sounded more like the Finley and Puckett women to him!

Try this and let me know....

So.. I love trying out old wives' tales. I think it's fun and I had heard about this one when I was pregnant with Eli but figured it was just silly..

Today, on morning radio I was reminded of the needle on a string baby gender test and normally ignore those things but since I am having an ultrasound on Monday, I thought why not???

Apparently this can work on any woman... even if you are not pregnant so anybody who wants to try.. let me know the outcome. Allegedly, any woman can have somebody else hold a needle(or ring) on a string just above your wrist pulse point and it will document ALL your pregnancies. For example, if you have a boy and a girl in that order, the needle will swing back and forth.... stop...... then swing in a circle. No kids and the needle won't swing at all..

I know it's kinda silly but when I got to work today I found a needle and string and tried it.. It's kinda cool because first it swung back and forth, then stopped still (seriously), started again in a circle, stopped, and swung back and forth.... Which would indicate Eli, a girl and a boy....:) maybe we will find out next week:)

I tried it on a couple other women here at work and it worked with all of them accurately... It's a fun experiment anyway:)

Baby Scarlett needs a few prayers

I wanted to post a note to ask everyone who reads my blog to include baby Scarlett Mann in their prayers....

Scarlett's mom Shelley worked with me at the paper before moving to Columbus last year. Scarlett was born right before Christmas and is currently in the ICU of the hospital unable to breathe well. After her third hospital stay, they now think she has pnuemonia but for a month old baby, I know she needs some extra strength and so do her mom and dad. So be thinking of them.

If you want to see Scarlett, her mom's blog is on the right under "The Manns."

Thanks!!