Three little angels

Not sure where to even start with this post but after a wonderful week in Colorado this week has seemed to be all a blur. We came home and on Monday I had an appointment with the specialist for the baby. My babysitter fell through, so I had both kids with me. I knew almost immediately that something was wrong. Long story short, the baby stopped growing at 8 weeks and there was no heartbeat. I was just devastated----but thankfully, I looked to my right to see 2 of the most beautiful miracles with me, and in some ways I was glad they were there.

Chris rushed to the hospital and we had some sweet cries together as a family. Mary Cate even said-----no more baby mommy.....maybe next time. Well, I am not so sure about that, but it was sweet none the less.

Chris and I have so many questions, that will probably go unanswered, but we are grappling together and hoping that we can come out of this stronger. This is our third miscarriage and I think I have come to the conclusion that I am just not one of those people that was made for pregnancy. None the less my two sweet girls have brought me more joy in the past 2 days than I ever thought they could. I look forward to the day when I can hold the three sweet angels we have lost throughout the year

The fallout only continued to get somewhat worse. I had the option of taking medication that would hopefully he;p the miscarriage along or set up an appointment for a DNC. We opted for the DNC but could not get on the schedule until next Monday. Neither of us wanted to wait, so I took the medication last night and that may have been a mistake. Long story short, I ended up passing out three times before Chris decided we needed to get to the hospital immediately---he actually admitted had he not been so scared, he probably should have called 911 the first time it happened. I got an emergency DNC this morning and was resting comfortably at home by 9am.

I have never been more amazed by my supportive husband who was up all night loving me through this awful process. I am thankful for the great treatment I received and I honestly feel great tonight. I will continue to take it easy through tomorrow, but was told that the recovery should be somewhat easy, which I am finding. Of course we still grieve our loss, but rejoice in MC and Maggie who have eased this blow.

Not a whole lot else is new around here, thankfully. We are all ready for a calm and relaxing sring. Enjoy these pics, as Chris's computer is finally back AGAIN!!!

Big Maggie's visit----she came bearing presents, which is MC's FAVORITE

Look at my new apron----now lets make some cupcakes---thanks Aunt Madalyn

Ready to cook

Big Maggie did not get a whole lot of time with her goddaughter Maggie---MC was in LOVE

preparing the pans

These were some chocolates we got at a local chocolate store-----SOOOO PRETTY AND SO YUMMY

A little one on one for little Mags

St. Patricks Day----I have visions of them being the best of friends

Kisses

Going out on our 5 year anniversary

Look---I can hold my puffer all by myself

So pappa Denny taught MC how to shake out the garbage bag and she taught Maggie---now they do it together when they finish breakfast

This is so much FUN

Still trying to unpack from Colorado---Maggie loves to play in the suitcase

I could just eat her up

Wrap up of our trip

I am back from our getaway, and it only continued to get better from my last post. I really can't begin to put in words how refreshing and energizing it was. I hope that we can continue to make it a priority for our marriage and our family. We did not bring our camera, so the only picture I have is below....Chris took it with his phone so it is not that great.

Chris stayed a few extra days and had the chance to go skiing at Breckenridge and then golf today. He has continued to have a fabulous time, and I am so glad he got some good time with some of our good friends out that way.

It was so WONDERFUL to see the girls when I got home. I got home late on Thursday night and MC got up in the middle of the night---she was shocked to see me, but I could not have asked for a better greeting. And nothing ever beats Maggie's smile first thing in the morning.

The original plan was that MC was going to stay with our friends the Johnson's and Maggie as going to stay with Auntie Trista...who, bless her soul was on Spring break from law school. Trista had planned on going to her best friend Lona's house with Maggie---Lona has kids the same age as my kids. Well as luck would have it----last Sunday MC came down with a fever and we left her puking at Mema and Grandad's house. Long story short Mema took the entire week off of school and stayed home with MC so that the Johnson kids would not get sick. In an effort to help out, Auntie Trista stayed at Mema and Grandad's house as well. We owe them all our life. It was so kind and generous of everyone to pitch in so that we could relax and reconnect. To add to the drama on Monday morning, we called when we landed in Denver only to be informed that Maggie had already been to the Emergency Room. She had a sudden allergic reaction to something and had to get a shot and some medication. Everything was fine but poor Auntie Trista had to deal with the stress of it all. After the week, I am pretty sure I heard her say that Bagdhad was a walk in the park compared to watching the two kids :)!!!! She is an Angel to have given up her vacation for us and we are so thankful!! Enjoy the pics.

Chris at the top of a double black diamond---what a freakin stud

This is me right outside on the porch of where our room was

Break away

I have been wanting to post for the past two days and time has not allowed. Chris and I left Monday morning for our very first trip away from our children. Young Life has a benefit for all full time staff that allows you and your spouse to go to a marriage conference once a year, all expenses paid. You are free to go to anyone you want, but they do offer 2 a year at one of their properties in Colorado. We have been trying to find one that would work into our schedule for the past year and nothing worked out. We were on a waiting list for this one and like I said, got the call about month ago that a spot opened up. We were so excited. I quickly arranged for childcare, was so organized and we were ready to head off to the mountains.

The trip has been unbelievable. I am not sure where to even start. The plane ride was heavenly---are you kidding me....not one child??? Going through security was a BREEZE, and I even bought a trashy magazine to read. Can't remember the last time I did this. When we got into Denver we met some great old friends from our small group when we were first married. It was

so refreshing and fun to eat a meal at the same time and not worry about feeding kids or juggling high chairs.....hold for one minute, breakfast in bed just arrived.

....DELISH!! So then we headed 3 hours southwest of Denver to Buena Vista Colorado which is right in the middle of the collegiate mountain ranges. We showed up at a Young Life camp and have been treated like royalty ever since. All the little things that have fallen into place have made our time perfect and SOOOOO refreshing. WHen we got our rental car, we had paid for a full size car. The man who was helping us said that they would have to upgrade us since they were out of full size cars, and Chris got his dream car, a hard top jeep wrangler. At camp we ended up in special housing where we got a king size bed, which was such a treat.

The weather has been perfect, it even snowed a little yesterday, which made me so happy. We have had the opportunity to hear from experts on parenting, marriage and continuing to keep our relationship and family focused on God. It has been nothing but wonderful. We feel so blessed and privledged to be a part of this amazing community that not only cares for us, but for the health of our family. We are relaxed and getting filled up, ready to get back and see those 2 sweet girls we miss so much.

I will write another blog in the future about how the girls are doing while we are here, it hasn't been roses but we are trying not to let that ruin our time and knowing and trusting that they are always safe in God's hands!!

Wish I had the time to share so much more. Sitting in bed looking out our front porch sliding glass door right now and 2 deer are just walking around. The backdrop of the mountains is amazing. Tonight we get to dress up and have a fancy dinner----will share more later, just wanted to check in!! I wish everyone I knew had the opportunity to do something like this, I believe we will do everything we can to make it a habit!!

Ode to Coach Guttery

Many of you may remember the kind words I had for Coach Guttery last year at the end of the basketball season, if not you can refer back to the post last March. I don't have as many words for him this year and the title of this entry would be more accurate if it was dedicated to Fort Myers athletic department, but I like tradition and so I thought I owed it to Scott.

I wasn't sure what this season would bring. With Chris heading up the JV team we mostly went to those games, which were a lot less crowded and for the most part the girls did pretty well......but then there was the end of the season. I was thankful that the playoff games began at 7pm, instead of 7:30pm. This made it more convenient for my girls to make it through the entire game. I am sure they were thinking of me when they scheduled them.

The end of the season was perfect timing in the life of my children.....MaryCate was just potty trained, which is really convenient in a high school gym. I would run her and Maggie to the bathroom, and lifting her onto a toilet with Maggie in my arms was a piece of cake, especially since Maggie is so light these days. I guess I could have set Maggie down----NASTY!! Chris would always mention that I could use Coach Guttery's office-----sure in the middle of the second quarter, I'll just lean over the bench and kindly ask him for his keys. I am sure he would oblige.

Bleachers are awesome places to hang out with 2 1/2 year olds who loves to climb and hate being close to their mother. I wasn't so worried about her, but I am pretty sure that the people around me thought I was so irresponsible. I had no choice but to let her go. Don't get me wrong, I know what she is capable of, and she has a lot more balance than it looks like, but I could have caused a few gray hairs in some folks around me.

Then there is Coach Guttery's kids. They are wonderful and MaryCate is enthralled by them. She seems to think that they are her best friends and I am pretty sure she just annoys them as they are almost 3-4 years older than her. Now I get that they have done their time and probably gone through all these things that i am going through years ago, but when I see them with a simple notebook and a pen, entertained throughout an entire game, I cannot help but get a little jealous. If I gave Maggie a notebook she would eat every page of it. Mary Cate would love to color....for about 5 seconds. She would put one mark on each page and be so over it.

Parking is my last grievance. I get that this team is good---they have a BIG following, great. I do my best to get out the door in plenty of time so I can make it to the game. But it never fails. I am leaving and MC has to go potty. Then I am loading up Maggie and she has a poopy diaper. Then MaryCate needs a snack and a sippy cup, and she just ate dinner....ok you get it, I never leave when I want to. So I get there and I literally park what feels like a mile away. Maybe that is an exaggeration but when you are carrying a 23 pound beautiful girl and dragging the sweetest little 2 1/2 year old who refuses to hold your hand in the parking lot it feels like MILES!

I can only hope that with time it will get easier. I am sure next season I will have it down and it will be a breeze. Let's see, when are try-out's........end of October, oh no, that is when we are due with baby #3, I have been assured that try-out's aren't until the first week of November. PERFECT

GO GREEN WAVE

All good things must come to an end.....

....including my blogging Hiatus. I had no intention of taking one, but our computer had to be sent away for a week and in the midst of basketball season and trying to get back into the swing of things after the holidays, time got away.

This certainly does not mean that there has been a lack of excitement here at the Mustaine home. We have been busy and both girls are doing great. In terms of milestones Maggie has adopted the new nickname, "full speed ahaed" as she is crawling everywhere, close to being a walker. She is pulling up on everything, including her sister. (and when she does this, they are almost the same height, pretty funny. Also she has begun the wonderful stage of teething. I was so not ready for this as MC did not cut a tooth until 18 months and they told me it was genetic, not b/c she was a preemie. Well the best part is that the very first tooth she cut, is the ONLY tooth that MaryCate has yet to get, kind of ironic.

In MaryCate news, she decided about 4 weeks ago she was done with diapers. I had no say in this decision and to be totally honest it has been the easiest thing I have ever done. In almost a month she has only had one accident right at the beginning while she was at a 1 1/2 hour therapy session. You better believe after all we went through trying to train her in three days---I will take a totally different approach with Maggie. Whenever she wants......this is rediculous, I mean she even knows how to hold it, if we are out for a run or far from a bathroom. It's been great, praying it remains that way. She is LOVING being a BIG girl and talks about it all the time....I am doing my best to remind her that a lot of that talk is "private."

Unfortunately Chris's basketball season came to an end tonight. They made a great run this year again, but couldn't finish as well as they did last year. They lost in the Regional Finals to go to state, but played their hearts out. The semi-final game was amazing----they were down by 17 at half and 20 at one point, but came back to win by 1!!! Go Green Wave. Chris was the head coach for the boys JV team this year and they finished their season a few weeks back, undefeated. It was so fun for me to watch him coach such a fine group of talented guys. He has seen his fair share of loss's in his coaching career and it was fun to have such a successful season.

As for me, I am still on a high, enjoying the packer WIN in this years super bowl. For the first time in my life I told Chris I wanted absolutely NO responsibility for the children for that 3-4 hours (that didn't go so well)!!! I enjoyed every second of that win and was so proud to be from Wisconsin!!

Some of the pics below are from last weekend----we took a mini vacation to Bradenton to relax since Chris did not have a basketball game and had President's Day off. It was relaxing and the girls had a blast at the beach!!

I know there is probably a ton more to write but I will try to catch up later and leave less time between my next post!!

Best Packer Fan EVER

This was taken b4 the super bowl......just call her a prophet and yes that is a PACKER teether

Already standing on things to reach other things----I have no idea where she gets that

Pulling up on her table

This was a VERY special night, eating in front of the TV

It was the night of the NFC championship game, and Chris had a committee meeting at 5:30---seriously??

So I let the girls eat in front of the TV

Maggie's very first TV dinner---GO PACK GO, I felt like a horrible mother, but I am sure they won't remember-----right??

This is how I found her sleeping one day for her nap

She wears this tutu on a regular basis----thanks BIG Maggie, gotta love that smile

Decorating the windows for Valentines Day

Loving all the hearts we got from Mema

So much fun, that was until Maggie ate one of them, no worries...I found it about 18 hours later

Maggie with Daddy and the flowers he got her on Valentines Day

MC with Daddy and the Flowers he got her on Valentines Day

I swear she DOES NOT get this from me, pretty sure she is talking to her cousin who she loves calling Clareeee Bearyyyyyy

MC at the playground in Bradenton

Happy girl swinging away

Maggie's first trip to the beach

Loving the water

FUN IN THE SUN----AREN'T YOU JEALOUS MIDWESTERNERS

A picture says a thousand words...

At least I hope because I will not be writing much for the mere fact that I have to download all these pictures. This is my post-holiday update, enjoy the story!!

At Mema and Granddad's church the weekend we celebrated there...This is Granddad singing at church

She fits right into the scene, doesn't she

The whole clan

MC getting PAT THE BUNNY---she LOVES it and her original one ripped

MC on her PONY she got from Auntie Trista---she lovingly calls him "Tiny Tim"

Mema got us t-shirts this year instead of pants and got her and Granddad matching ones!

Playing superman with Auntie Trista, one of MC's favorite things to do these days

Welcome to the show Uncle Crashie----giddyup

This will be the trip where these 2 became the best of friends, and that makes me soooo happy, Clare LOVES her doodlebug

...and Clare loves MC too

Everyone together

All the cousins---fat chance to get them all smiling or looking, at least they are all in the picture

Our family on Christmas eve

Now you can see Maggie's cute smile

Sweet little MC

Look at what Brady made for Mommy and Daddy this year!!

MC with her LOLLIPOP----make sure you go 8 octaves higher when you say "pop" in that word

Grandma Nita with Maggie Nita

MaryCate with Molly Kate----MC with that freakin smile again

Maggie with Big Maggie----her Godmother

Uncle Michael hanging out in-cognito, in the middle of a MAD game of hide and seek one night

So we all went to build-a-bear one day and MC refused to let anyone help her carry her bear

She built a very girly reindeer----Clarice, rudolphs girlfriend----this reminds Chris of Silence of the Lambs, AWESOME. Brady made a sweet doggie, and Clare made the Abominable Snowman---all three of these define their personalities perfectly

Hanging out with TT-boom boom...one of my mom's dearest friends, we all LOVE her

Clare feeding her special friend

So MaryCate loved to help Papa Denny with anything and everything. Here she is shaking out the trash bag for him----she was sure to do this EVERY time he did it---I think he regretted showing her how

Here he is trying to block her from getting in the fridge----does he know whose daughter she is===she WILL find a way, right through his legs!!

This is a MEAN picture, but I could not resist----she climbed onto this chair and could not get down nor sit up---it was pretty hilarious

Clare LOVED to sit on the brown chair with Mags and take care of her

Maggie with her God Father----I think I picked the perfect guy----look at them, two happy go lucky people

I love Clare too!!

This is for her cousin----Brady and MC are both the 1st born and both very head strong---MC grew affectionate to Brady's lamb-ee, and Brady did not like this. When he was at school one day she played with him----I will let his parents decide if they want to show him this

Clare helping me make a fruit salad one night

Cousins, cousins

Clare washing maggie's hair one night

Pappa Denny also read MC's Cindarella book to her EVERY night----by the last night I think he was ready for us to go, but it was so SWEET

Hanging out at Grandma Nita and Pappa Bob's house---seriously the smile MC has GOT TO GO

Whose smile is worse??

2 little snow balls

Timmy racing from the camera---looking for his PANTS----GOTCHA Uncle Ditty

Stonefire pizza is like a clean chuck-e-cheese---we took the kids here our last weekend and they had a blast

Playing in the car

Clare wanted Maggie to ride so bad----it was just a bit crowded in there for her

Preparing pizza

Playing at the water table

Yea, the smock did not last that long

So Clare would lay down and put her feet up here so that Maggie could tickle them, pretty nasty but really cute

Brady started and peeled the orange all on his own---he wanted a picture

Our last day we went to the childrens museum which was AWESOME---we'll definitely go again when we go back. Here Brady is shopping at Sendiks

Uncle Michael checking him out

Brady working on the muffler of a car

MC, being a great receptionist

MC working on the car with Uncle Michael's help

Brady reporting from Milwaukee

So it did not snow the ENTIRE time we were home---until my last day and it still was not that much----but as we were walking out of the museum I had to snap a shot of Maggie getting snowed on for the very first time

Snuggling on the chair one last time before we had to go home

Such a BIG girl

Wearing her new backpack to Church

MC busy working on her "puter" she got from Santa

This is my favorite Christmas Present---my niece Clare made me a sweet little Jewlwery Box

That is about all. THe highlights for me were obviously seeing friends and family. I did get some good breaks from the kids as well. Chris and I got to go on a few dates and My sister-in-law and I got AWESOME massages----80 minutes long----as a christmas present from my mom!! SO relaxing and always fun to get a break from the kids for both of us!! NOw it is back to the grind and basketball is in FULL swing!