Babies Hiccuping in the Belly and More Good News

I finally got some semi-decent video of one of our little guys hiccuping and rolling in Miranda's belly.Check it out below. It's not great quality since it was taken with my phone but you can definitely tell what's going on. :) You'll have to pay attention and look kind-of close...

Isn't it amazing?? How awesome is it that you can see and feel that from the outside.
 Now that we've seen that, there is more good news... The doctor has now set a date for C-section: September 9th @9am.Our boys' birthday will be 9-9-10.
Also...
We just bought a new vehicle. Well, it is new to us.We got a GREAT deal on a 2005 Ford Expedition. It is a very clean, one owner vehicle with plenty of roomfor our two little bundles. We are so lucky to have stumbled across this deal when we did. We jumped on it and took it with hardly any hesitation.
Here are some pics of the vehicle:

The price on the windshield is not what we paid.They came waaay off that price... that's why I said we got a great deal.It lists for between $12k and $13k. The good Lord above had His hand in that one. :)
The boys are over 5 pounds each right now and Miranda has a belly that is the size of someone carrying a single baby and who is 2 weeks overdue. So, she's got a size 42 week belly and she's thrilled about it (did you pick up on the sarcasm?).
One more ultrasound next week and then the week after that we'll meet our little ones.It just doesn't get any more exciting than this. 
As for everything being ready... the truck will be detailed professionally next week and then we'll install the car seats. The nursery is finished except for the letters for the boys' names that a good friend of ours is making for us...  Clothes... 

 Diapers...

 Wipes...

 Everything else...

(hopefully)

Superb Parenting Skills...(non-existent as of yet, but with any luck...)


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Zuvo Winner Selected

Congratulations toBonny!!

You are the winner to the $300 Zuvo Water Filtration System.

 The winner was randomly chosen according to the posted rules at Random.org.

  I have sent an e-mail to the winner. Please respond within 48 hours (by 7:00pm 8/27/2010) or another winner will be selected.
Thanks to all who entered. :)   Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Right on the Walls Review

Right on the Walls recently sent me a vinyl wall decoration for our twins' nursery.This company makes some of the best wall decorations on the market. I've personally seen 3-4 other types of wall art like this and I've honestly got to say that these are very high quality. It made such a difference in the room. Our nursery is much warmer now that this art has made it complete. 

(Click on the picture for a larger view)
  As soon as Miranda's pregnancy is over and our boys are here, I'll be hosting a giveaway from this amazing company. Please stay tuned!!
To Right on the Walls:Thank you guys so much for allowing this review and giveaway.Your company is great and I really appreciate this opportunity.   Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Biding Our Time

Tomorrow will be two weeks since Miranda has been on bed rest. If those little men in her tummy can just be patient and hang on for at least another two weeks they can be delivered here in Cullman. If not, we'll have to go to UAB in Birmingham since babies born earlier than 34 weeks have an increased chance of requiring the services of a NICU. I keep reminding myself that they are viable now and that even if they're born tomorrow, they'd still be fine. It is a stressful time right now, but the prayers and extreme generosity of those around us have made it easier.
I knew that Miranda did a lot around here, but I had no idea how much. Since she's been on bed rest, I've been doing my 'manly' chores such as cutting the grass, taking out the trash, etc. I've also had the additional laundry, dinner, dishes, sweeping and mopping chores as well. Not to mention that I'm now getting about 30-35 hours a week at work. (I got a job delivering pizzas. Hey, it pays better than you'd think)
I'll be the first to admit, since she's been unable to work I've been on edge. We've both started arguments with each other (or fueled them (we do know how to press each others buttons)). I feel horrible after an argument, no matter who started it. Keeping my mouth shut has never been one of my strong points. I've just got to remember that it is not only stressful for me, it is stressful for Miranda and the two little munchkins, who, by the way, are delivering knockout karate chops and kicks to that poor uterus (bless its heart).
She had her second baby shower today and it went very well. Many people showed up and we got some amazing gifts for the boys. There were a few people who were invited who didn't show up, but that's because they either live out-of-state or we got an address wrong. I can think of one of our friends in particular that probably didn't even get an invitation in the mail because of an incorrectly addressed envelope (I'll e-mail you in a second so you'll know who you are).
If I were being allowed to post belly pictures I'd do so here. But alas, the boss has forbidden it. I can tell you that the belly, although it didn't grow a lot last week, has increased in size this week. And it is starting to drop. She's still taking her anti-labor pills religiously. She hasn't missed a dose. Some contractions are breaking through but they aren't numerous enough or intense enough to cause alarm. They're more of a nuisance now than anything. The shakiness that is caused by these pills is still present and it is sometimes difficult for her to catch her breath.
One bright side to the babies being so big now is that I can feel them when they start to hiccup. It is a feeling like no other. To be that close to one of my sweet little boys and feel them while their tiny diaphragm spasms over and over is priceless. If I could bottle what I feel every time they punch or kick the walls of their confinement or hiccup or roll around I could be an overnight millionaire. People would pay good money for a completely legal form of euphoria. Am I right?
I'll quit spewing like a hormone right now and let you rest your weary eyes. Tomorrow is another day (at the office) and I've got to get some rest. It is now time for me to watch the backs of my eyelids for a few hours before I have to get up and do it all over again.
I love you, Miranda.I love you Carter and Cooper.
Goodnight.   Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Speakman Showerheads Review

Thanks to the generosity (and patience) of the great people over at The Speakman Company we were able to test and review three (3) of their showerheads. 
We were sent the following showerheads: 6-Jet AnystreamDownpour Rain and one of their Hotel Showerheads
Our favorite was by far the 6-Jet Anystream. 

  Even though it has 48 spray channels (only 2 less than the hotel showerhead) it was an amazing showerhead. The pressure was just right. The size of the showerhead itself was perfect. The solid brass construction is outstanding. It is a very heavy item and you can tell that it is made with the utmost quality. The sprays are extremely uniform and the pressure you get from this showerhead is nothing short of perfect. Our Overall Grade: A++   The next showerhead we tried was the Downpour Rain.

We didn't have an overhead water spout to attach this one to but it still worked rather well from our existing spout which is a little high on our shower wall. It would have been my favorite if we had had an overhead spout. The construction of this model is solid but the silver housing on the top of the unit seemed a little thin and it wiggled even though all connections were tight. That being said, if you have an overhead spout and you prefer a gentle rain-like shower, this would be a great unit for you. Our Overall Grade: B

The final model we reviewed was the Hotel Showerhead.

This showerhead is about twice the size of the 6-Jet Anystream but about 1/3 of the weight. This is probably because it is mass produced with lighter weight materials and made so that hotels can afford to purchase many of them for all of their rooms. They are used in hotels like Crowne Plaza, Double Tree, Fairmont, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, and more... This model does have a very shiny outer finish but you can easily tell that the outer housing is made from a very lightweight material. Do NOT let this fool you though. The 50 spray channels on this unit makes for a very relaxing shower. You can turn the knob on the side and it will give you a very (very) stimulating massaging spray. I was really impressed with the pressure from both the normal spray and the massaging spray. It made for quite a few long showers. The ONLY reason this was not our favorite was simply its size. It is rather large but if you like a large showerhead that truly delivers great pressure and uniform sprays, this one is for you.Our Overall Grade: A

After reviewing all three of these models we can truly say that The Speakman Company is a company to be rekoned with. Their attention to detail and their craftsmanship are amazing. In my honest opinion, they are beating a few of the more well known name brands on the market today. And for good reason. Well made, quality products. Please take a moment to browse their extensive line of products. You can believe everything they say in their descriptions. They made believers out of us.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Speakman for allowing us to do this review for them. It was a fun and exhilarating project. We truly look forward to using more Speakman products in the future and we'll be telling all of our friends and family about them.

As Required by the FTC:

I received a product sample in exchange for an honest, unbiased product review in return.

No money changed hands - I was not compensated in any way.

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New Nursery Pics

Even though Miranda is on bed rest and I've been having to wait on her, look for a full-time job, take care of the house and the yard, I've been able to find some time to work on the nursery. Here are just a few pics of the decorations...

 As you can see, there are still a few bags of clothes to be put away and I've got to shampoo the carpet this week. I've also got to put some quarter round trim down, set some nails, put some carpet on the closet floor and touch up a few paint spots, but all that shouldn't take no more than a day or two - depending on how much housework there is to be done. :) The picture with the chair in it... well, that's not the actual chair that is going to reside there. It was just filling in the for glider rocker until it shows up. Miranda will have her own little comfy nook to rock and feed the babies. How cute is that?
Hope you enjoyed the pictures. I'll take more as I get other decorations hung and placed.It looks a little plain in there now, but after a week or two it should look really cozy.    Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Pre-Term Labor Scare

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been really busy catering to a lovely lady who has orders to stay in the laying, reclining or sitting position.
Yep, Miranda has officially been put on bed rest. 
This past Monday she came home from work suddenly and said "everything is fine - I just think I need to go get checked out." She was having menstrual-like cramps and almost dismissed them except they were just a little different. Good thing she followed her instincts because upon arrival to our local hospital's maternity wing and after being put on the monitor they informed her that she was, in fact, having pre-term mini contractions. They immediately started her on Brethine (Terbutaline) every 4 hours to stop the contractions. It worked, but the side effects are not pleasant. They caused her to shake really bad and her heart seemed as if it was about to pound out of her chest.  The doctor came in, checked her out and told us that she was 3cm dilated and 60% effaced. WOW! After a night in the hospital we were allowed to go home while continuing the Brethine every 6 hours. The heart racing has subsided but it still makes her really shaky and makes her feel pretty rough.
Her spirits are still really high and she's only had to take the medicine early once because of a small cramp or two. 
Since being home, we've had family and friends stop by, visit or stay a night just about every day.They all came bearing gifts which makes you realize just how much people really do care. It means a lot to know that Miranda and I (and Cooper and Carter) are in the hearts of our family and friends.
And get this...
A couple of amazing ladies that my mother works with at our county courthouse immediately knew they had to do something upon learning that a prescription of bed rest had been handed down. These ladies didn't hesitate to jump into action and start baking caked and cobblers. You see, these ladies are very well-known in our area for making the best desserts and everyone loves them. They made several of their signature desserts and sold raffle tickets for $1 each for a chance to win them. They used their extensive contact lists to send out e-mails to everyone they knew... and it worked.
They named the fundraiser "Cakes & Cobblers for Carter & Cooper." The raffle only went on for 2 1/2 days and in that amount of time they raised over $550!!And every dime of it was handed over to us. The outpouring of love and caring was absolutely, well, emotion inducing to say the very least.There were many people involved in the fundraiser and many, many people who bought chances.To everyone involved (on both sides) - thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!It helps more than you can imagine. We will pay it forward.
I know a few names of those involved with with the fundraiser but there are many that I don't know.I didn't name those few names because I didn't want to leave anyone out. Just know that we thank every one of you the same. Thank you, thank you! It is a feeling and an act that we will never forget.  In the past few days we've been helped by friends and family with:
MeatsVegetablesReading material for the patientDinner and a movieItems for the babies An amazing fundraiserLunch from a special Chinese restaurantThoughts and prayersConstant requests for status updates on Facebook :)Love and care...
To everyone so far that has pitched in - we're speechless.God sees all and will bless you tenfold.
There really are no more words except the final 'Thank You So Much!' I'll try to update as soon as possible. But with everything going on right now, it could be a few days.Stay tuned...

On a side note... we're still giving away a $300 Zuvo Water Filtration System here on the blog.Go here to check it out and to enter. As always, there is no catch. Just read the post and comment to win.For a giveaway this big there are still very few entries.   Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!