The Slocumb Family

One Year Later

2012-02-14T19:38:00.002-06:00

Jackson and Griffin in the NICU a year ago. Valentines day will always be special to me because these little guys are the best valentines present I have ever received. And the best little guys in my life.

And the trouble now a year later continues. What an absolute blessing!!! Can't wait for them to meet their brother in June.

The Big One!!!

2012-02-13T20:08:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow is the big day. Jackson and Griffin turn One. I can not believe that a year ago I was about to be delivering these little guys. I never would have guessed they would have been born on Valentines Day and here it is almost a year later. They have been the best babies ever. They sleep great and barely fuss or cry. They are happy guys and make my day every day. I love walking into their room in the mornings or after naps to see the two of them standing up in their cribs smiling and giggling. I love the way they all play together(all three of the kids). They love Bryggen and she adores them. The boys are sick right now but are getting better. I sure hope they enjoy their day tomorrow.

The boys are busy these days. Still eating every 4 hours during the day taking 6oz of formula and regular people food. They have cut down on the formula and aren't interested in it as much as before. I will begin easing them off formula and onto whole milk. They have been crawling since they were 7-8 mos old. They have been pulling up and walking around furniture for a few months. But I think I have some time on the full walking thing. They are not steady yet and that is okay with me. Even though they are getting heavy carrying up the stairs, I am not ready for walking babies. Griffin has 7 teeth and Jackson has 6 teeth. They both weigh 20 pounds but I am not sure about their height just yet. We have their 1 year wellness check up next week to get all of their stats and I can not wait.

Hope you all have a Happy Valentines Day. We will be celebrating with more blue from now on!

ITS A BOY!!!!!

2012-02-05T18:17:00.002-06:00

WE FOUND OUT WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER BABY BOY!!! WE HAD AN ULTRASOUND TODAY AND THIS LITTLE GUY WAS READY TO SHOW HIMSELF OFF. I GUESS HE WAS TIRED OF HIS BIG SISTER CALLING HIM A GIRL. WE BROKE THE NEWS TO HER AND SHE WAS NOT HAPPY AT FIRST. SHE ASKED ME WHY. I TOLD HER THAT GOD WANTED TO GIVE US ANOTHER BOY. SHE TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS MEAN. HAHAHA! AFTER A LITTLE LAUGH, I THEN EXPLAINED HOW EXCITING IT WAS TO BE WELCOMING ANOTHER LITTLE BROTHER FOR HER AND SHE THEN BECAME HAPPY. GUESS WE WILL SEE HOW THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS GO.

I AM 14 WEEKS AND DOING BETTER. THE FIRST TRIMESTER WAS EMOTIONALLY HARD DEALING WITH MOOD SWINGS AND 3 CHILDREN. BUT I AM BETTER AND EXCITED ABOUT THIS LITTLE GUY. TOO BAD MIKE AND I HAVE NO NAMES ON A LIST TO WORK ON. GUESS WE BETTER GET STARTED.

JACKSON HOLE, WY TRIP

2012-02-05T18:14:00.001-06:00

WE TOOK A SKI TRIP LATE JAN. BRYGGEN WAS SO GOOD THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE THERE. WE SENT HER TO SKI SCHOOL THE FIRST AFTERNOON WE WERE THERE BUT THINGS DID NOT GO WELL. SHE REFUSED TO PUT HER SKIIS ON. HOWEVER, TWO DAYS LATER WE TRIED AGAIN AND IT WAS A SUCCESS.

A LOT HAS HAPPENED!!!!

2012-01-15T16:20:00.003-06:00

Jackson playing with Daddy on Christmas morning

Bryggen and Griffin playing on Christmas morning

Bryggen's 3rd Birthday Party

The three of us at her party. She looks happy taking a picture with us but we had to have one.

So much has happened in the past two months that its hard to believe. We had an amazing Thanksgiving and Christmas followed by Bryggen's 3rd birthday and then Mike's birthday yesterday. It would probably take me forever to relive all the wonderful events that have happened during this time and I don't have time as I am sure you don't have time either. All I have to say is that it was a wonderful first for the boys. They really are the best babies ever and we are amazed, in awe, blessed and in love so much with all three kids.

Now for the SHOCK! Mike and I found out we were pregnant again shortly before Christmas. This was a huge surprise to both of us as we "were done". Apparently, God had other plans for us. It is so funny how things have turned around for us. It has been a rollercoaster ride for us these past 4 years. We miscarried before Bryggen then became pregnant with her. My pregnancy with her was easy and fun and amazing. We miscarried again without trying for a baby when Bryggen was a year old. Then six months later became pregnant with the twins and the shock that there was an additional baby was amazing and overwhelming. But that pregnancy was easy and fun and amazing too. We were complete and content with our lives. We were in a great schedule, getting some descent sleep and on a great path as a family of 5. I can't say that we were thrilled or happy when we first found out we were pregnant. We never got really excited about our pregnancies at first anyways with my history of miscarriages. But even after we found out everything was okay, we still had to allow things to sink in before getting excited. It was the last thing on my mind yet after some time I am in love with this new baby. I have heard the heartbeat twice now and know that its growing great. My due date is August 2nd and I am almost 12 weeks along. Yes, we sure waited a while to announce our news but time flies when you have 3 kids three years old and under and the holidays and birthdays make that time fly even faster. I have gone over it in my head a thousand times, but we will have a 3 1/2 year old, two 18month olds and a newborn. Life is already crazy but will be even crazier when this angel arrives yet it will be wonderful. Bryggen is excited and totally understands this time around. She wants to hold "her". She thinks we are having a girl. I hope she's not disappointed if we have another boy. But she insists its a girl. That will probably be our next announcement. We will find out the minute we can. Fortunately, I have almost everything I need if its either one. They fall in a little different season but I can get good use out of most things. So, I couldn't be happier to announce our news. And will enjoy in sharing this time with everyone.

Suggestions Needed

2011-11-14T13:36:00.002-06:00

I have to say that I was spoiled when it came to feeding Bryggen. Maybe not when and how often or how I had to feed her but what I fed her. She loved food as a baby. Anything would make her happy. But every baby is different and of course my boys are different than their big sister. They look like her and each act like her in different ways. Griffin is a little content but mommy obsessed and though Jackson is giggly and loves me just the same, he is busy and active like Bryggen where Griffin hates the car like Bryggen did. So moving from stage to stage with these guys has been a change from the beginning. And this stage is not worse or better but its unfamiliar. From day one we have had these guys on a schedule. For a long time we have been on the 4 hour feeding schedule. Up to about a month ago they would eat every 4 hours til bed taking a 6-8 oz bottle and a full stage 2 baby food each. Now they sometimes want things and other times act like they hate them. One day they will eat baby food, the next they don't want any of it. I am even having a hard time with the bottle. I have had to hold each baby individually to get them to take 6oz of formula. I used to could lay them on a pillow and double feed. Now when I do that they roll over and want to crawl away. If I let them do that the feeding takes an hour and messes up the whole time. Ugh! What a mess!!! I have been trying real foods but they seem to be picky on that and I am not sure how much they actually need since they've cut back. And cutting back is like a foreign language to me. I thought babies only increased as they grew. Neither kid likes mashed potatoes, they will sometimes eat green beans, they do like chicken but not nuggets- only strips, they love pancakes but we can only have that once a day, like mac n cheese, love granola bars, but where's the veggies and fruits? How can I get these boys to eat better foods, different foods and more formula? How can I do all of this and stay on a schedule? At the end of the day if this is my concern right now then I am not doing too bad. However, the schedule has been amazing for my life and I don't want to loose that. I have enough to think about and keep up with and without the schedule I will be wondering who ate what at what time and how much. I don't have the ability to do that. So, I need some suggestions. Thanks.

PICS

2011-11-01T13:15:00.004-05:00

GRIFFIN

JACKSON

BRYGGEN

MY THREE PIRATES- ARRR

FORCED PIC WITH MY PIRATE

Psalm 107:1

2011-10-20T15:25:00.002-05:00

Psalm 107:1 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures for ever."

I came across this verse in a devotional I was doing today and it made me think of something completely different than the devotion but of the great things our God does. It has not been an easy time lately. The whole family has been in DC with work for Mike and the kids haven't adjusted as well as normal. Griffin was sick for the first week with a cold, Jackson has been teething, I have a sinus infection, Bryggen was waking the twins up a lot, they weren't sleeping well and therefore I wasn't sleeping well. When that happens, I am not the best I can be. So, I prayed two nights ago that God would help me to be a better mom. Plain and simple, I needed to be a calmer and happier mom. The sleep didn't happen that night, but I did get to go back to sleep when the boys were napping. Normally, they go down for a nap when Bryggen is up and demanding. But this morning they first woke at 5am and went down at 7am for a nap. I crawled in bed with Bryggen and slept til 8am. Yay! So last night I asked the Lord for sleep. I didnt get much but I got more than usual. So, I am grateful for the extra sleep I was granted because my kids needed me to have it more than I did.

Dear Lord, thank you for the small things. They are big to me and not too small for you. Amen

8 Months Old Tomorrow

2011-10-13T16:23:00.002-05:00

My sweet boys will be 8 months old tomorrow and Griffin is sick for the first time. Minus allergies and a small cold here and there, this is the first real sickness. Its a bad cold with the on-set of an ear infection. No meds here just extra care. Poor guy was feeling it bad. I hope he's getting better. When I took him to the doctor (here in DC- more on that later) I found out he weighs 19lbs. Wow! What a big boy! I'm sure Jackson weighs a bit more but neither one are little. They still eat every 4 hrs taking 6oz of formula and a stage 2 food. They still sleep 11ish hours at night. Jackson is crawling but neither one sits up fully on their own. They love their big sister who makes them laugh at the silliest things. She's doing really well too. She's a funny and smart little priss.

We are in DC for a while dealing with work drama for Mike. Fortunately, the whole family is together. Its been the worst week I have had but I am confident its getting better. Having a sick baby, another 8 month old and a toddler has been challenging but things are looking up. Mike has been super swamped but still a big help and God is leading the way. Poor Lille is left behind. Heather is caring for her but we really need to find her a home. Help us find someone to love on her please. She deserves it!!!!! I will post pics when I can.

6 months Now And Then

2011-08-16T14:05:00.004-05:00

I wanted to compare Bryggen to Griffin and Jackson at six months old. The twins had their check up yesterday and it went really well. Griffin is 15.12lbs and 24 1/2 inches long. He is in the 50% for weight and 25% for height. He may end up short like his mommy or catch up later on. Jackson is 16.4lbs and 26 inches long. He's in the 75% for weight and the 50% for height. They sleep around twelve hours at night and have three naps during the day. One morning nap that is usually long, a nap after lunch and another nap before dinner thats normally shorter. The boys are eating every 4 hours (7am, 11am, 3pm and 7pm). They have a 7oz bottle and a stage one veggie and fruit. They split one of each. Now this is what I wrote for Bryggen's stats when she was 6 months old: She's 26 1/4 inches placing her in the 75% for height. She had a growth spurt. She's still in the 90% for weight at 18 pounds. She eats stage 2 foods as of Friday and loves them all so far.

Here are some pictures of the three of them at six months old.

Griffin

Jackson

And Bryggen

I am amazed at how much these guys look like their big sister. I think they are all precious and if they continue to grow like her then they will continue to look as cute as ever. I am also amazed at how close they are in height to her. When she was born she was 7.5lbs and 19 1/2 inches long. They are staying on target in growth with her even though she had a pound and a half head start and an inch and a half head start. Dr. Carter always tells me I am feeding them right and doing right by them. That's so exciting to hear.

Hope everyone is having a great day. I sure am.

All By Myself....

2011-08-11T19:27:00.002-05:00

Let me just toot my own horn. Toot- toot! I have been super mom and I am proud to say it. I have been home all week with my three kids by myself. Daddy is out of town and so is our nanny. It has been tough and long and busy but Mike will finally be home tomorrow and I can not wait. I had a little help on Tuesday and I took the kids to CDO three days, but I stayed one day and got back early the others. My wonderful mother-in-law took Bryggen to the movies and to dinner last night with her cousins. We have a playdate planned for tomorrow morning and then will probably rest at the house until its time to get Mike. After that Mike and I are headed to the Love Worth Fighting For conference that Kirk Cameron is putting on. Yes he will be there and I am pumped.

On another note, Jackson and Griffin will be 6 months old on Sunday. Wow! How amazing is that. I am sad its going by so fast but I do like this phase. They are sleeping 12 hours at night even though they wake 2-3 times for their paci, taking great naps throughout the day, eating like pigs and laughing and giggling. They can roll over from their belly to their back and almost to the belly from their back. Griffin put his paci in his mouth by himself the other day but that was the only time its been done. They are such wonderful little boys and I am so blessed.

Now big sister Bryggen is full of life. She is the biggest chatter box, she has so much energy and is actually really silly. She still demands alot of my attention but I love it- most of the time. She has been potty trained for 2 months now all except #2. I need suggestions for that please. She refuses to go, holds it in til she bursts and bursts in her pants. She holds it for 5-7 days. How in the world can someone do that? I give her benefiber in her juice, I give her miralax after 5 days but that child does not want to go. at all. Now she starts preschool on Sept. 1st and I am excited for her. We haven't really like her class at CDO now that Mrs. Monica is leaving and the preschool thing was planned long time ago and I am pumped about it.

I will update again after the boys six month appointment on Monday.

TRIPS

2011-08-05T16:13:00.004-05:00

check out all of our pics on facebook.

Traveling

2011-07-26T13:07:00.002-05:00

Hey guys! So sorry for the late post and without pics. We have been super busy traveling. We made it to DC and New York and leave tonight for Hawaii. The five of us made it for July 4th to DC by ourselves and spent two weeks total gone to both DC and New York. It was great. Now Mike, Bryggen and I are headed to Hawaii leaving Griffin and Jackson behind with Bonnie. I am devastated to be away from them but know they're in good hands. I hope to post pics real soon. But we are off. Pray for safe and calm travels, pray for me and the family.

4 Months Old And Huge

2011-06-18T15:21:00.004-05:00

Our little men are 4 months old. Yes, I said 4 months old. I can not believe it but it has happened. They are no longer newborns. Great thing about that is the sleep at night and the cute chunky legs. One of my fears for having twins was that having preemies usually means little babies. Well, not my guys. They have chunked out just like I want it. I love fat babies with rolls on their legs. And I now have two more just like their sister was. We had their check up with Dr. Carter on Friday.

Jacksons stats are:

weight 13.12 90th percentile

heights 24 1/4 75th percentile

head 16 50th percentile

Griffins stats are:

weight 13.7 90th percentile

height 23 1/2 50th percentile

head 16 50th percentile

They look great. They started some cereal and are allowed Stage 1 baby foods when I want. Yay! I am going to do that when they eat the cereal a little better. That will be soon I am sure. They love to eat.

Giving Credit

2011-06-12T11:45:00.003-05:00

Mommy with Griffin and Daddy with Jackson in Costa Rica

Sweet Bryggen waiting to ride the swings

Sweet smile again

Jackson almost 4 mos old

Griffin almost 4 mos old

Let me just say that I do not give my guys enough credit. Of course, I praise our Lord for the blessings in our lives which include the good and the bad of everyday life. But these little guys are awesome. I know I complained last and with reason but now things are getting better. We just returned from our trip with The Slocumbs. We had a great time and never want to leave. To make this trip even better was the new routine these guys started. We have had them on an eating schedule every 4 hours for a while. They are now eating almost 6oz every 4 hours. And when we headed to the beach I gave them a tiny bit of cereal. It didn't work out well in the bottle and they are just learning to eat it so they really only eat about a 1/2 tablespoon if I am lucky. Anyways, I put them to bed the second night we were there and low and behold they slept 11 hours only waking for their passy 3 times. That continued the entire week. And two nights they slept 12 hours and only asked for their passy once or when they were waking. Now last night, back at home, they woke 6 times for their passy but still went 11 hours wo eating. Praise the Lord!!! The nights are getting better.

Now here's their daily schedule:

Wake/Eat 5-6oz w a lil cereal 6:30-7am

Nap around 8:30am

Eat 5-6oz 11am

Nap around 12:30pm

Eat 5-6oz 3pm

Nap around 5pm

Bath/Eat 5-6oz w a lil cereal 7pm

Bed around 8pm

Of course this varies some days depending and its only gone on like this for a week with the sleep because before they would wake anytime between 3:30-4am and then again 5am-6:30am. They are smiling a lot and Griffin even gets the giggles a lot. He is more vocal. He coos and giggles a lot but Jackson smiles a lot too. Griffin plays while he eats but Jackson is focused on eating. Jackson stares at me A LOT. Its so cute and so sweet but sometimes I feel bad when he is staring at me and I can't talk to him because I have Bryggen or Griffin to tend to. He is patient about it though. Both babies do well in the bath but neither baby does well in the car. Here I go again with car issues. Bryggen was the worst but these guys aren't far behind. On our ride home from the beach yesterday, I spent 95% of my time seated between them on the floor of my car. It wasn't comfortable and it makes me want a new car with a middle bench seat specifically for me. Crazy I know. But it will be a good investment if they do this as long as Bryggen did. She was awful til she was 1yr old. Plus we are loaded down in my car with stuff. Think about how much stuff 3 babies 2 and under require. This week long trip required a lot:

Double stroller

Pack N Play

Play mat

Two bags for the twins (one for clothes, etc., one for bottles and formula-3 containers)

One bag for Bryggen

One bag for me

One bag for Mike

Two beach bags (one toys, one towels)

One small cooler

One diaper bag

One small bookbag for Bryggen

One computer bag

One box of diapers (72 count and used over 50 of them)

Most of you know I drive a Cadillac Escalade but the standard model only has about 2feet of room behind the third row. We fold down half the third row to lay the stroller on it then the rest is filled to the top with luggage; the cooler and diaper bag and computer bag and stuff fill in between seats and then theres just barely enough room for my bottom to fit in between the boys captain seats. It would be nice to have a bench seat so I can sit between the boys and then it would be nice to have more room behind the third row. We are looking into things but I will not complain because this is a great problem to have.

This week is going to be interesting. I am going to start potty training Bryggen while her school is out for VBS. Tomorrow morning we are going to go pick out big girl panties and potty treats. We have a potty that sings and I am going to put that in the living room (gross I know) and have it handy to use often. I hope it works well. She seems so interested even going in the bathroom with her cousin Emery to see her go. Guess its time. Let's Go Bryggen!!!!

Need Suggestions Desperately

2011-05-31T17:50:00.003-05:00

I am very grateful for the life that I have. I don't want to seem like I am complaining at all but there are things to complain about. I think we all always have something we can complain about so here I go. The boys are fabulous but they are obsessed with their pacifiers and I can't get a hand on them. I have night help and I don't know what I would do without it because when I do have them on my own I am up 6-7 times a night dealing with the passy. The daytime is just as bad but I am awake and have help there too so its not as bad. I have changed and tried every passy. The best ones for these guys are the Binky pacifiers. They love them and can hold them in better. I am placing them on their bellies at night now and have been doing so during the day for a while. I would love to start sleep training them to sleep through the night because they only eat once but I can't begin to do that if they cry for their passy all night. I tried to "take it away" a month ago but I think that was too soon because they screamed for an hour and wouldn't let up so I caved. We go back to Dr. Carter on June 17th so I am going to ask him for suggestions but he was the one who suggested we take it away. Guess I could try that again but I am not sure I can let them cry for an hour or more again. Please help me if anyone has a suggestion email me(heidislocumb@hotmail.com). Thanks!!!

3 Months and Counting

2011-05-22T13:31:00.004-05:00

Bryggen holding Griffin

Jackson sitting by Bryggen

Bryggen on Easter morning in her new shades

Bryggen in her dress up clothes playing

Bryggen at Target with Mommy with her "prize" for being so well behaved

Bryggen and her brothers or as she calls them "my babies"

Jackson and Griffin 3 months old plus a few days

Griffin smiling at Mommy

Jackson smiling at Mommy

My favorite people all together

Wow! Has it really been 3 months since I had my sweet boys? I can't believe how fast time has flown. It went by fast with Bryggen but now its flying by with all three. I am such a happy mommy. I have so much support from Mike and he is just an awesome Dad. Jackson and Griffin are such precious and somewhat easy babies. Poor Bryggen had such a hard time when she was this age with colic and gas and not being able to sleep well. But these two do a lot better. No colic for us! Yay! We have small tummy issues here and there but overall our biggest problem is the passy still. I have put them on their bellies at night as well and that seems to help a lot. We still have to give them their passies a few times through the night but they eat once and usually around 4am and then we are back on schedule for the day. That seems to be the norm though it does vary some days. I still have help during the day and at night. The night help will end around the first of July but we will keep Bonnie on for good. She is amazing. Griffin and Jackson went to Bryggen's school last week for the first time and did great. I am taking them once a week just so they can get used to being away from mommy when they are old enough to realize it. They are getting chunky like their sister was. It is so cute to see them fill out. They are wearing 0-3mos and 3mos clothing right now so they are exactly where they need to be. I am not sure their exact weight but I am guessing 11-12 pounds. We don't go to the doctor til June 17th for their 4 month check up. Jackson is still bigger than Griffin and probably by a pound now. We shall see. Both eat around 5oz during the day and 4oz at 4am. Some times Jackson will take more than 5oz so I think we have a growth spurt coming along. They normally eat around 8pm and are asleep a little after 9pm, they ask for their passy around 1am-3am a few times, eat around 4am, bath at 6am and fed again around 8am and every 4 hours after. They still nap/sleep a lot so I am trying to get a schedule of that down to see the consistency. Any suggestions on how to help them sleep through the night? Or any suggestions on how to manage the passy issues? We've tried every passy and the best ones we have found are the binky passy. They do much better with those but we still have those times. Should I make them cry at this age? I tried it at 2 months old but they cried for an hour and that was long enough for me. Bryggen is still doing great though she started sucking her thumb a couple of weeks ago. Its for attention for sure but not sure why she just started. She picked it up one day and hasn't stopped. In fact, she does it a lot. I will ask the pediatrician about it when we take the boys next. I am not worried about it unless he thinks I should be. We are under way with the construction of the beach house. We are headed to the beach this weekend to work on certain things. Its been fun so far but I am anxious to have it finished (probably Oct-Nov). That was a long enough update.

I'VE BEEN RESTORED

2011-05-16T23:22:00.001-05:00

I have regained access to my facebook and my hotmail accounts. Yay! I even figured out who hacked into my accounts. I am so thrilled and hope this doesn't happen again or to anyone else.

Update on the family to come soon.

I'VE BEEN HACKED

2011-05-15T18:40:00.002-05:00

Hey Guys,

I hate to post this but my Facebook and Hotmail accounts were hacked. I am completely locked out of both and are starting over. If you need to find me I have a new email at slocumbheidi@yahoo.com and am starting a new FB page.

Thanks,

Heidi

2 Months And Overjoyed

2011-04-27T20:26:00.002-05:00

Jackson, Bryggen, Mommy and Griffin

Griffin, Bryggen and Jackson

My guys turned 2 months old on Apr 14th. They are doing great. I will admit there are some days now that both guys are demanding but I knew it was coming. We still have some tummy issues that we are working out but the passy seems to be the biggest curse. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with them. Right now the guys are able to hold up their heads up and focus on things. Hopefully we will get a smile soon. We had a check up at the doctors this week that went well. Jackson (the bottom pic) weighs 10.6 and is 21 1/4 inches long. Griffin weighs 9.13 and is 21 inches long. Bryggen is still doing well with the boys. She even helps out. Overall we are getting busier and busier with them but its exciting.

Family of Five Survives

2011-04-03T09:50:00.004-05:00

Jackson on left and Griffin on right

Griffin

Jackson

Proud Big Sister

The boys are now 7 weeks old (tomorrow) and the sleep 24/7 phase has ended. They still sleep 90% of the time but are showing signs of wakefulness. They might have an hour or two of straight wakefulness a day with small amounts at other times. We had their 1 month well ness checkup on the 25th. Griffin weighed 7.8 and Jackson 7.13. They are now eating every 4 hours and taking around 3oz. They are around the 25-50% for the adjusted age which is fabulous. Griffin is still my laid back content child. He rarely fusses. If he has a dirty diaper he might fuss and sometimes he wants his passy so he will fuss. He fusses if he has the hi-cups. But otherwise he is great. Jackson on the other hand is a little more high maintenance resembling his big sister. For example he couldn't keep his passy in his mouth from 3am on this morning. He ate at 4am and still never really settled back down. He is happier being held and doesn't require his passy then. He fusses when he wants anything and poor Griffin sleeps through most of it. Overall, they are both still pretty wonderful. They have some tummy issues/reflux issues. I hope we are getting it under control but it is sad when they aren't feeling well. We are taking the whole family to the beach next Thursday so we will see how that goes. Fortunately, my mom is going with us so she's our saving grace.

The First Month

2011-03-15T16:32:00.004-05:00

Griffin, Jackson and Bryggen

1 month pictures: Griffin on left and Jackson on right

I can't believe they are already a month old. I am truly blessed to have these little guys in my life. We have survived well. Thanks to my sweet husband, my mom for driving us around the first week, my mother-in-law for coming to help out for the first two weeks we were home, Bonnie for working with us during the day, Phyllis for the night help and all of the people who fed us (Mary Wynn, Bonnie, Beth, Candice, Leigh, Peggy, Jana, Andrea, Katherine, Tracy, Mrs. Merrilyn, Mrs. Bonnie and Tammie).

These guys are pretty easy though. We wake them every 3 hours to change and feed them. They sleep 90% of the time only fussing for their passy or minor gas pains. Mostly the passy. Its amazing what you can do when you need to do it. Like feeding one baby while holding another and having a 2 year old sleeping on you. But that wasn't stressful at all. In fact, it was nice. I'm trying to prepare for the craziness to hit but am soaking it all up while I can.

2011-03-15T16:24:00.003-05:00

My kids: Bryggen, Jackson, Griffin and Lille. I'm so blessed and I thank God every day.

G-Dub after his first bath.

Griffin, G-Dub, getting his first bath.

J-Man after his first bath.

J-Man, Jackson, during his first bath.

We've Been Busy

2011-03-04T18:27:00.002-06:00

Bryggen has been a great big sister. She LOVES her brothers so much. She wants to hold, hug and kiss them. She doesn't want us to lay them down but would rather us hold them. She is very helpful- a little too helpful. She does like to climb on me when I am holding or feeding them but otherwise she is a great big sister.
Jackson is on the left in green and Griffin in blue on the right. They like to lay next to each other which makes sense considering they were crammed in my belly together for so long. I just love looking at them snuggled together.
Griffin is in blue and Jackson is in orange. They are 6 pounds now and doing so well eating. They are eating almost 2oz every 3 hours. Thats exciting because they've come so far from birth. Now I know they look identical to outsiders but they are fraternal and look completely different to me. Griffin looks just like Bryggen's baby pictures and she looks like Mike. Jackson looks like me with my face shape and details. However, they have a lot of the same features. They have the same hands, fingers and toes- all mine. They have the same nose, mouth and chin- all Mikes. Their eyes are the same now but that might change. But Jackson has a larger forehead and oval face where Griffin's is round and small. They are the cutest little guys ever and we are soooo in love.
Mike holding both babies. It wasn't the first time and it won't be the last. He is such a wonderful husband and dad. He can get both boys to eat better than I can. He must have a different touch because they do so well for him. He's really helpful feeding them when he can and he does a lot to entertain Bryggen.
I wanted a picture of my entire family together. Bryggen wanted to climb up there with them and was the sweetest big sister doing so. She was giving them hugs and kisses and cheesing it up for me.

THEY ARE HERE!!!!!!!

2011-02-18T21:26:00.002-06:00

Jackson and Griffin cuddled up together in their new crib in the NICU.
Griffin in his new crib out of the incubator in the NICU.
Jackson in his new crib out of the incubator in the NICU.

What a Valentine's Day Celebration!!! At 4:30 am, without notice, my water broke. I had no contractions or pains leading up to that time. I got Mike up and we started to get things moving. I called the hospital, Mike called his parents to come over to take care of Bryggen, we loaded the car and headed to Montgomery. On the way there my contractions started. First they were ten minutes apart and jumped to four minutes apart. By the time we got there I was in severe pain. It only took Mike 25 minutes to get us there. And let me add that he was super calm and in great control the entire time. He handled things so much better than I did and I thought I was calm. As I am getting admitted to the hospital the pains increase dramatically. They finally wheel me into a room and I am past being calm. I change and they start prepping me in my room. Up to this point, no one was rushing or felt any reason to be alarmed. Then they checked me to see how far I had progressed. At this point it is 6:00am. The panic sets in with the nurses when they realize that I am 7cm dilated and that Griffin was about to come. The rush into the operating room began. I was being wheeled into the OR because the plan originally was to have a c-section because Jackson (baby b) was breech. But Griffin (baby a) did not give us time for that. He didn't give the epidural time to kick in before he was born. The worst pain I have every felt and yet he was not stopping. So at 6:54am Griffin was born weighing 5 pounds 7 ounces at 18 1/4 inches long. He was crying and kicking and super happy. But the panic then moved to turning Jackson so he could be delivered without a c-section. And the doctors were able to do so and Jackson was born at 7:11am weighing 5 pounds 10 ounces at 18 inches long. He was crying and kicking and super happy as well. Fortunately, the epidural kicked in before Jackson came so I had some relief. It was amazing. I am so blessed to have these boys here. Now they came at 34 weeks gestation. By hospital protocol all babies have to stay in the NICU til they reach 35 weeks gestation. They have so many milestones to reach before leaving. They have hit every milestone thus far and I have no reason to see why they won't be home by Monday or Tuesday. I can not wait. And at this point, Bryggen still has not met them. She's not allowed back in the NICU and they will stay there til they come home. During this time, Bryggen has been a great trooper. She's been all over the place and hasn't had a bad day yet. She deserves so much credit for being a perfect 2 year old. And I have had so much support from family and friends. My in laws for taking care of getting Bryggen to Montgomery and the hospital. They also took care of my house by cleaning and doing my laundry while we were gone. They've been back and forth for us and just awesome parents. My dad and stepmom for helping out in the hospital, for playing and taking care of Bryggen and for being super supportive. My mom for keeping Bryggen the first night in the hospital and for every other day driving us around, keeping Bryggen while I went to the hospital several times a day to feed and care for the boys, for doing every and anything to take care of us. For my friends and family for their prayers and support during this time. And especially my husband for being a great husband and dad during the entire time we've been busy running around caring for our three precious children. The Lord has blessed us so greatly and I am so excited (and nervous) for the next phase of bring them home and introducing them to Bryggen and everyone else.

Baby Everett

2011-02-04T12:41:00.002-06:00

The newest arrival: Benjamin "Everett" Lochte was born Feb. 1st @ 2:08pm weighing 7.09 and 20 3/4 in long. Vesla did great pushing her usual 3 times and he was out. Everett joins big brothers Logan and Wyatt. Can't wait for Griffin and Jackson to join him. They will be so close growing up.

Growing and growing and growing.

2011-01-22T11:38:00.002-06:00

Just when I thought I couldn't get any larger, I keep growing and growing and growing. But at 31 weeks pregnant, I know I don't have much longer and I remind myself that I do want these big guys to stay put until they are ready to come. It takes a lot to feel 100% about that when I am exhausted, aching and miserable but I look at my precious Bryggen and I realize how amazing every day is.

I am just about ready for their arrival. I need a few things that I expect to get soon. I have the

stroller, car seats, bedroom almost finished, clothes packed, diaper bag almost ready, nannies lined up and much more. I am mentally and emotionally ready but I probably have another month before they arrive. They are right around 4 pounds now and I couldn't be happier.

I want to lift up our Father for all of the blessings in my life. From the beginning of this pregnancy I have kept full faith in the Lord for taking care of these babies and He has. He has surpassed my hopes and dreams for Griffin and Jackson and I look forward to seeing what else He has in store for us.

Bryggen's 2yr Wellness Checkup

2011-01-09T11:07:00.002-06:00

Bryggen had her 2 year old wellness checkup the other day. It was a great success. She is 30 pounds, which she has been for over 4 months now but she grew 2 more inches and is 34 inches tall. She is in the 75th percentile for weight and 50th for height. She is growing upwards now and it is sad to see the chunkiness go away. But she is such a delight now as a toddler- most of the time. We are in our terrible twos but some days are great and others are painful. We moved into a big girl bed on her actual birthday (pics to come later). She had been doing great until the past two nights. She keeps waking up in the middle of the night. I am not sure why she is waking up but Mike is out of town so maybe that is it. He will be gone a full week so it will be a long week if she keeps it up. Guess God is preparing me for Griffin and Jackson's arrival. I hope he is preparing her as well.

BRYGGEN'S 2ND BIRTHDAY

2011-01-06T21:00:00.004-06:00

This is how Bryggen fell asleep after her party. She slept for 3 hours.
Playing with her friends and opening presents. They all seemed to have a good time.
Her cupcakes that Haley made. All three sizes with the special large one for Bryggen.
Playing at Toys R Us on her birthday. Look at her run.
Riding her new 4 wheeler we gave her on her birthday.
All excited for presents on the morning of her birthday.

4D Pics

2010-12-31T21:06:00.003-06:00

Sweet Baby Jackson. Jackson doesn't like to cooperate during ultrasounds. I think he is going to be my "handful" even though I thought Bryggen already was. When I was 15 weeks Griffin revealed himself but Jackson played cool. It took us 4 more weeks to confirm that Jackson was in fact a boy. When I was 25 weeks Jackson laid head down. He would wave and move around but never let us get a profile shot. He even showed himself to us often even though we were not looking this time. At 27 weeks I had my 4D ultrasound and this picture was the best shot he gave us. He gave us the money shot again but not much on his face. We go back next week to try again.
Sweet Baby Griffin. So far, this is my calm little angel. He moves often but not as much or as rough as his brother. He may not have the room to do so which may mean its not by choice but at the end of the day he seems to be my easier going little guy. He's done well in ultrasounds and during my 4D this week, we were able to get a lot of shots. We got tons of his precious face and his foot and his money shot too. He has this sweet pouty face that reminds me a lot of Bryggen's 4D pictures. I even think Jackson's shot looks a lot like both Griffin and Bryggen even though its harder to tell with his.
My Perfect Angel Bryggen. My busy little princess. She is going to be a great big sister. She is bossy and demanding but she is so sweet and nurturing. She loves to hug and give kisses and loves to cuddle. She is my baby and I am excited about her meeting her brothers. She was always calm when I was pregnant but she didn't really come out that way. She's been super busy ever since so I guess the boys' roles could change too. Her 4D picture reminded me so much of Mike and when she was born I was amazed at how much she did look like her 4D and how much she looked like Mike. Well, she still looks like him and she has his personality all over. I think she has a little in me but she is her daddy made over. I think the boys will at least favor her if they continue to grow like their 4D pictures.

As of today, I am 28 weeks pregnant and getting miserable. I am in my 3rd trimester now and almost as big as I was when I had Bryggen. Everyone asks me if I am ready to pop. The question doesn't bother me because I know my boys are big boys. They are in the 65th percentile for a single baby where most twins are below 50%. I hope this growth continues. I want them to be huge even if it causes me more discomfort and pain. I am mostly really tired a lot now, like normal for the 3rd trimester. My back aches and my belly is heavy and pulls. I do carry really low so that has a lot to do with it. I know I am cranky more now and I just pray that it doesn't effect me being a mother to Bryggen. I am taking it easier now that the holidays are over and I hope that helps with my energy and patience. With that said, its New Years and I want to hit the sack. Bryggen's birthday party is Sunday so I will post pics from that.

What a Merry White Christmas

2010-12-26T16:27:00.006-06:00

At the end of a great Christmas. Bryggen in her jammies with her juice and purse. All smiles.
Being silly in her jammies with her towel still on her head. She looked like a little bunny to me. She has the best personality.
We actually got snow on Christmas Day. How amazing!!!
Bryggen crashed in Daddy's lap after a long full day Christmas.
Mommy and Bryggen in a Christmas Day picture. Doesn't happen often but we actually got one that turned out with two smiles.
Playing with her purse her cousins and Aunt Jen and Uncle Robert gave her.
Opening her gift.
The morning of Christmas Bryggen woke up wet. She allowed me to change her but didn't want to get redressed. Therefore, we were a little redneck opening presents in just her diaper. But who cares, it was Christmas and she was a sweet angel. She's wearing her new backpack. We have had two but they've been too bulky and big for her to carry easy so we gave her a new one.
Riding her new tricycle that Mimi and Pops gave her. She can't reach the pedals just yet but she will grow into it and she already loves it. It was actually the easiest toy to put together. How nice.
Her new kids digital camera that her Mimi and Pops gave her. She is obsessed with my camera but I won't let her play with it anymore since she broke it and I had to have it fixed. Now she has her own. It really works. I just need to figure out how to use it properly.
She was really good at opening wrapped presents. I was pretty amazed she could do it even if it took some time. Oh and notice she has shoes on now. She opened her gift from Lille of some brown Pediped shoes and she had to put them on.
Playing with her new doll house that Santa brought her. She also received a kitchen, buggy and accessories to go with them from Santa. He did well.
Wearing her new slippers Mimi and Gaga gave her. She looked so cute wearing them with her jammies.
Hugging on Papa Christmas Eve night before we left.
Sitting on a box that was a gift we were giving Papa and Graam. We went to Papa Joe's house for Christmas Eve to celebrate with him, my dad and Graam. Bryggen had a great time but we did as well.
Leaving Mimi and Gaga's house with her new doll. We were headed to my moms house to celebrate Christmas (Eve) but those pictures will have to come from her. I forgot to take some. Fortunately, my mom is great about taking pictures for me. I can't wait to see what she has.
Playing with her new straw that whistles. She wouldn't stop and it was super cute. In her Christmas Eve Day dress. The same dress from our Christmas cards.
Trying to get all of the kids in one picture together wasn't easy. Bryggen was funny. She laid down on her belly with her arms propping her head up. I just missed catching her in the shot doing just that.
Kissing Daddy like the sweet angel she is. She is in her sixth Christmas outfit.
Her fifth Christmas outfit for the season. I am sad to put all of these away. It was a great season celebrating Christ and I pray that we all can celebrate him daily.

Have a Merry, Merry Christmas!!!!

2010-12-23T17:37:00.002-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS! THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT YOU! I PRAY THAT EVERYONE, MOSTLY ME, REMEMBERS YOU NOT JUST ON THIS SPECIAL DAY BUT EVERYDAY!!

Tis The Season

2010-12-19T13:27:00.006-06:00

Bryggen's 4th Christmas outfit of the season.
Gingerbread Stadium made by Arricia.
Bryggen's 3rd Christmas outfit.
Bryggen and Isabella playing at school.
Bryggen dancing with Isabelle at school. She's wearing her 2nd Christmas outfit of the season.
Bryggen and Emery at the Martha's Trouble Cornerstone Christmas Special. This is Bryggen's first Christmas outfit of the season.
Cam Newton at the Heisman dinner Mike and I attended in NYC.
Coach Chizik giving a speech at the dinner. Bo Jackson spoke as well. We were surrounded by all of them and it was just an amazing night.
Cam's older brother Junior.
We went to see the Rockette's. It was so much fun. Bryggen lasted an hour and really liked it but I guess in the end it was more for me. Totally worth it. I won't be able to go to NYC during Christmas without seeing them.

Napping in her Juicy bundle. That thing was lined in faux fur and super soft.
Bryggen loved Santa from a distance. She even talked to him and wanted to hug him until she was given the opportunity. Then she clung onto me and wouldn't let go. So, her picture with Santa has me in it with her crying.
Playing around in the store whiled Daddy shopped.
At the hotel lobby. We have the entire family in one picture.
At FAO playing with a baby doll she thought she had to have.
She was mesmerized by the door guard at FAO.
Daddy let her out to walk across the street to the store and she thought she was the biggest little girl ever. She was so proud of herself and did really well.
Our Christmas tree at home. It took over a week to get one to stand up and then to get it decorated but I finally got it done.
Auburn won the 2010 SEC Championship Game.
We went with our friends Eric and Katie Scott. We had suite tickets, thanks to Mike, and had an awesome time.
Thanksgiving Day at Mimi and Gaga's house with the whole family.

Needless to say it has been a very busy time. We have not slowed down but its a week til Christmas and life will settle down just long enough to get comfortable before the boys arrive. Which I have to say I am ready for. They need to wait at least 2 months but I know I will be ready. The discomfort has started and I am huge. I am the exact same size I was when I was 32 weeks pregnant with Bryggen and I am 26 weeks with them. They are now 2 pounds each and full of energy. Griffin, Baby A, is head down which is great but Jackson is head up for the first time. He moves a lot so as long as Griffin stays in position then we are good to go. We shall see. We have our 4D ultrasound scheduled on Bryggen's birthday and I can't wait to compare their picture with hers. We are blessed beyond belief and I thank God every day for it.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2010-11-25T08:32:00.005-06:00

Here are a few pics from Chicago. They are all out of order. We went up last weekend and had a great time. We stayed on Michigan Ave- Magnificent Mile where all of the shops are. We took Bryggen to the Disney Store and the American Girl Place where she ran around looking at all of the toys. She had so much fun. Then there was a parade with all of the Disney characters along with others. One favorite of Bryggens (and a big joke between Mike and me) was the Choo Choo Soul from Disney. If you don't know what I am talking about then you should check it out. It is so funny and so gheto but Bryggen loves it. It was a fun trip even though Bryggen got sick while we were there. She apparently brought a tummy virus causing her to throw up for 5 hours. Fortunately, it ended there!!! Neither Mike nor I got sick and she was better the next day.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. We sure have so much to be thankful for this year and every year. God has blessed us with so much happiness. He is truly the reason we are here and have so much in our lives. Mike is a wonderful husband and father. He does so much for us each and every day. I am so glad he is who he is. Bryggen is such a delight to our lives. She has so much personality. She is happy and silly and stubborn and bright and cute and on and on and on. She does so much that brings happiness to our already happy life. We are also so excited about these two boys we will meet in a few months. They are growing great and everything looks healthy for them. They are over a pound each now which is bigger than normal at this point. That is so exciting to me. I look forward to every visit so I can see them moving around in the ultrasound. We have names picked out for the two boys. Baby A will be Griffin Wilson Slocumb and Baby B will be Jackson Art Slocumb. Each of their names have a special meaning. Griffin is from Mike's granddaddy, Wilson is Mike's middle name which is his moms maiden name and Wilson is also my grandmothers maiden name and my greatgrandmothers married name, Jackson is Mike's dads mothers maiden name and Art is after my dad Arthur. I couldn't be happier about their names and how we are using them. Bryggen's name had so much meaning to it and we both wanted the boys to have the same. We are also so thankful for our family and friends. They do so much for us and mean so much to us. We love each and every one of you.

HALLOWEEN

2010-11-01T19:59:00.002-05:00

Here's the kitty cat all dressed up for Halloween.
Bryggen dancing around at the Downtown Trick or Treat.
She probably danced for 30 minutes to the band. It was so cute.
When she wasn't dancing with Ethan she wanted to dance with Daddy.

PART 2

2010-11-01T19:53:00.003-05:00

Playing with Ethan at the trick or treat party.
Bryggen, Emery and Wilson at Mimi and Gaga's house before the downtown trick or treat party.
Bryggen wanted Emery and Wilson's pumpkin bags but they didn't care because they didn't have any candy in them at the time. Plus Emery was able to get some of Bryggen's candy out of hers which was hilarious. Bryggen had no clue and didn't care. Plus I ate most of her candy so it saved me from my treat.
Bryggen playing at school after her Halloween party they had. She was swinging in the swing which is one of her favorite things to do. She yells "wee wee" the whole time. Sort of like the Geico commercial but 100 times cuter.

Getting ready for school that morning in our Halloween dress. It had witches smocked across the neckline with brooms and fuzz as the broom bristles. It was so cute. She had black sparkly shoes on and we added a black bow too. I loved this outfit. Fortunately, we celebrated Halloween at school on Thursday and she was able to wear the dress again on Sunday.

Fall has been a lot of fun with this chicka. She is such a ball of energy. We took the passy away and even though it was a slow process she has done great. She still asks for it but she was never screaming mad over it. We are starting to get back to our routine without it and that is a blessing.

ITS CONFIRMED......

2010-10-28T13:47:00.001-05:00

We are for sure having two boys!!!! We are so excited and we are finalizing their names and will tell you as soon as we do. Sooooo excited!!!

Playdate With Mommy

2010-10-19T16:16:00.003-05:00

Bryggen and I had a playdate on Monday. That sounds silly considering we hang out all of the time but it was a lot of fun. I took her to the park. We ended up going way too early because it was extremely cold at first but she didn't care. It did warm up but not before we were dirty. We were the only ones there at first so we had the whole park to ourselves. We swung on the swings and went down the slides and ran all over the place. We didn't play but for an hour but it was a great hour. I truly love this age that Bryggen is at right now because she is so entertaining and fun. Let's hope it lasts especially when her brothers arrive.

WAR TIDE!

2010-10-19T16:10:00.003-05:00

Yes, you read the title right. As most of you know, I am a die hard Alabama fan. But since dating Mike, I have become a die hard #2 Auburn fan. To the point where I wear more orange and blue and so does Bryggen. No Auburn fan can complain of this even though Mike tries to. So, Bryggen has this super cute mix outfit that she's been wearing and here's a picture of it finally. But of course, the next two pictures show what she wears most of and that's her Auburn colors. The mix outfit she wore last Saturday which I believe helped both teams win. The other two pictures were from Friday nights block party downtown. She loves to go because she can dance to the band and see all of the kids. We always have so much fun there. I love the picture of her dancing with her daddy. Its the sweetest thing.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-10T17:02:00.004-05:00

We took Bryggen to her first pumpkin patch today in Lafayette. They took you on a wagon ride to the pumpkin field where you could pick out your pumpkin. We walked through the field and picked out two. You could see the animals, jump on inflatables, ride the train and get snacks. We just did the wagon ride to get our pumpkins but that was plenty for the three of us in this heat. She loved every minute of it and was a perfect angel during the ride and walking the fields. It was a great day!!!

Blue and more blue

2010-10-03T19:48:00.001-05:00

Looks like we are having two precious boys.

During an unexpected ultrasound, Baby A decided to reveal himself to the tech causing her to ask me "are you waiting on Dad to find out?" Fortunately, we were not. Which revealed to us that Baby A is a boy. For the next 15 minutes she searched for Baby B's gender. Baby A was continuing to show himself throughout the whole process. Eventually, we saw what looks to be another boy in Baby B but the cord stayed in the way and Baby B was not moving. All in all, it appears to be another boy but with about an 80% possibility. In about a month we should confirm. If Baby B turns out to be a girl we will be just as thrilled as if B is another boy. But we are excited that these babies are on their way. I need this time to let these angels cook but I look forward to the day we will meet them.

Fall has arrived

2010-10-03T19:01:00.005-05:00

Bryggen is doing well. Her favorite word is "no" these days though she says it so cute. She is pretty bossy when it comes to her parents. She likes to tell us when to play certain things and where to sit playing them. She grabs our hands and leads us to where she wants us to go. She's not eating well these days either so I am having a hard time figuring out what she will eat that's not just junk. We did have an eventful weekend. We took a trip to Atlanta Friday. We went shopping and then to dinner with some friends. Saturday we went to Cartersville for Braden's 1st birthday party. Bryggen played her heart out. We headed home afterwards and rested until dinner time. Then we met Rebecca at Brick Oven to watch the Bama game. Today we went to Church and then had lunch with Tammie, Ethan and Harrison. It was so much fun!!! Now we are off to a busy week and loving every minute.

No Slowing Down Now

2010-09-20T15:23:00.006-05:00

Not a great picture of me but its just one picture for now. Thats 3 weeks ago at 10 weeks. I think I have doubled so I will add another one soon. The rest are of Bryggen- that's how it should be. But I wanted to show how fast I am growing.
She's so silly these days. She has sooooo much personality. She has to wear shoes 100% of the time even to bed which is why they are on over her jammies.
Her first real bow. Now we start every day off with a bow, thanks to Haley, and she's getting used to them.
Saying cheese while sitting in her toy stroller.
Miss Cool with her sunglasses on. She was taking them off because I wasn't fast enough with my camera phone. Which btw, my camera has been at the shop broken for 2 months now and I am missing taking hundreds of pictures. I have not been happy.
B had to put her swim tube on and ride her horse while snacking. She's better at multi-tasker than her father and me.
Playing at the Splash Park at Emery's 3rd birthday party.
Sweet Bryggen. She is a loving and happy baby. Couldn't ask for more.
Ready for some football.
At the first game of the year. She loved it and was so good. She's a pro.
Dancing with Owen. He and B are so much alike; bald, chunky and happy. They click so well. Her other bestfriends are Isabella and McKinsie. She runs up to them every day at school so excited to see them.
She would not let me put her clothes on her but wouldn't let me take off her shoes. She was too busy with her bags to stop for a second. She is hilarious.
I had to hide these boots. They are too big- way too big but B insists on wearing them all of the time. Even to bed a couple of nights.
She likes to go into the pantry. And sit for whatever reason. I thought it was cute.

And here's a little or long update:
We are some super busy people. I guess we think we should do a lot now while we can because things will stop us soon enough anyways, right? Well, we have been busy the past 3 weeks. I am now in my 2nd trimester at 13 weeks. I have had some symptoms; headaches/migraines, mood swings, bloating, dizziness, nausea, exhaustion, etc. It comes and goes so its not every day but its pretty intense when I do have it. When I was pregnant with Bryggen, I was nauseas the entire first trimester and all day. At least I have a lot of good days. I do think a lot of my symptoms are due to the progesterone supplements I have been taking. Fortunately, my last dose was Saturday. Yay! Dr. Dupre placed me on them to keep my levels up since I was carrying twins and have had 2 miscarriages. He is majorly concerned about preterm labor. Most of that has to do with my small frame. My first appointment I weighed in at 108. I have gained about 4 pounds which is great for the first trimester. However, I have not had much of an appetite because the bloating had been so bad so when the appetite kicks in I feel it will get bad. The exercise needs to start...... At my last appointment Dr. Dupre said I needed to start training Bryggen that I can not hold her as much so that when I can't at all she won't be too surprised. That hurt my heart because I love holding my heavy 28 pound child. She loves me holding her. I did well the first week and now I am back to loving on her like before. I will get better. I am really anxious to find out what these babies will be and I hope to be able to find out in 3 weeks. I am ready to pick out their names and plan their room. I don't want to rush this pregnancy because I know it will be here before I know it and our world will be rocked. Now with all of that going on, we decided to put our house on the market. That could take 2 years to sell so I am not too concerned right now. But we also started the planning phase of building a house on the beach before we found out we were pregnant. And Mike is going to expand the firm again and go into the Chicago market after the first of the year. What else can we add to our plates???? Its going to be crazy and even crazier around here but everything will be great and if you know us at all then you know this is how our lives roll. So what else have we been up to the past 3 weeks. Just the usual, football games on the weekends and hanging out during the week. Mike has had to travel a lot but I hope that we get a break from that for a bit. Bryggen went through an evil phase but her gums were soar from her 2 year molars moving in. They haven't cut the skin and that could take some time so I am preparing for the evilness to return several times before they do so. I am hoping to get the passy gone soon. My friend suggested cutting the passy so that B will loose interest in it. I am going to do that this week or next. Since I am a planner yall know that I have an order and reason for doing things. My reason for doing this now is so that I can move B into a big girl bed in December so that she is nice a settled before the twins arrive. I don't want to have any other plans for her until the summer time, which will be potty training, because I want the adjustment to the twins to be as easy as I can make it- ha! Like anything about having twins is going to be easy. At least it is exciting!!!!!! Oh how precious are these three babies our Lord has blessed us with. I am so amazed everyday at His gift to us.

The Twins

2010-08-31T19:27:00.004-05:00

OH NO!!!!!!! Just kidding. But Bryggen did not do well at the doctors visit today. She wasn't awful but not good. It was one of those days. LOL!
Here are the twins at 10 weeks 5 days. Baby B on top of Baby A. Baby B's heartbeat was 164 and Baby A's heartbeat was 157. All great signs of healthy little babies. And the coolest part of all is that both babies were moving around like crazy. Baby B moved first flipping around and shifting from facing forward to backwards to sideways all within the ten minutes we were looking. Baby A would kick and scoot around. It was such an amazing sight to see. How wonderful is our God that blesses us with the miracle of two lives.

The Cats Out Of The Bag

2010-08-20T21:00:00.003-05:00

We are finally, officially announcing that Bryggen is going to be a big sister to two siblings come March. We are so excited and look forward to this journey with our Lord leading the way. It came to a surprise when the ultrasound tech saw two sacs on our first doctors visit. It was a great surprise and a scary one at that. We began praying. A week later we saw both babies and their heartbeats. What an amazing sight. We are now 9 weeks along and still not out of the woods but on our way to cooking these little angels. I have a doctors appointment in little over a week where I will have another ultrasound. I am confident that things will look great again and that I will be in a safe zone. So far, we know that the babies are fraternal twins. Which I am excited about. And my due date is March 25th even though they will not make it this far. Dr. Dupre is hoping I can make it to week 36. That is my goal. We are going to continue to let God lead the way and pray these babies are blessed and born healthy.

Blake and Bonnie's Wedding

2010-08-11T15:58:00.002-05:00

Our last day at the beach, we went to Crab Trap with Pops, Mimi and Rebecca for lunch. Here Bryggen is scooping her noodles with her shovel. She's very talented.
Here we are dancing at the wedding reception. Bryggen danced all night during the rehearsal dinner and the reception. That girl doesn't stop.
She is laughing while talking to Bonnie. She started doing that now where she covers her face with her hands laughing hysterically.
She was playing with her cousins all night. They would dance and run around chasing each other. She was hugging Logan but it was actually choking him. He handled it real well.
Now she's trying to hug Wyatt but he's too busy dancing. She managed to get a hug in at some point. She's such a sweet little girl.

We had a great time at the wedding. It was held in Destin, FL. It was so pretty and we had a wonderful time.

First Bite Mark

2010-08-11T15:53:00.002-05:00

Here's Bryggens first bite mark she received at school yesterday. It was bound to happen and only a matter of time now that she's 19 months. But it was sad and she was furious. She didn't retaliate but had a rough day. Let's just hope she doesn't start biting now.

ALL ABOUT BRYGGEN

2010-07-21T15:48:00.004-05:00

At Bonnie's bridal shower we all threw for her.
Hugging her cousin, Logan, at the shower.
Stealing the chairs from her cousins Wyatt and Logan.
Hugging daddy.
Playing with her cousins Emery and Wilson one afternoon.
Running around at school the day mommy substituted and became teacher for a day.
Visiting Rebecca at her work one afternoon. They race off the fireplace after counting 1, 2, 3. Now Bryggen has to do it anytime we are there. She makes someone do it with her but prefers it if Rebecca is the one. She did teach Logan how to do it when we were there for Bonnie's shower.

Lately, Bryggen has been hitting. She gets in trouble a lot for doing so. The problem is that it is so funny when she gets mad that I have a hard time keeping a straight, stern face. But time out is working. She also is feeding herself with utensils now and doing an okay job. Only some foods get real messy. We are having so much fun this summer. Her personality is so awesome and she entertains me all of the time. She even naps great and goes to bed easily. Its amazing. Life is amazing and God is AMAZING. We are truly blessed.

Bryggen's 18mos Checkup

2010-07-06T20:22:00.002-05:00

I took B to the pediatrician today for her wellness appointment. It went well. She's 27 pounds and in the 90th percentile and 32 inches in the 75th percentile. Dr. Fuller said she is doing great. Her development is perfect and no changes were suggested. Can't believe my princess is a toddler but I'm loving every minute of motherhood. We now have a playset outside for her. She loves to swing and run up and down it. We also go swimming a lot. She does a good job in her tube. It keeps her afloat while allowing her to move around and she loves it. She's so fearless. And wonderful even when she has her moments.

Slocumb Family Beach Trip

2010-06-20T20:54:00.003-05:00

Had a blast at the Annual Slocumb Family Beach Trip. Mike's parents take us along with Robert, Jen, Wilson, Emery, Brad, Brooke, Brock and Braden to the beach each year. So far, this is the 3rd year with a new arrival each year. 8 adults and 5 children in a beach condo. It was so much fun. Bryggen loves her cousins and followed them around the entire time. In fact, she did a little too much but they were troopers. She was fearless with the water and wanted to be in it the whole time. God gave us save travels to and from the beach, great weather and a perfect family to surround ourselves with. We are truly blessed. Thank you Mimi and Gaga!

Staying busy this Summer

2010-06-12T10:46:00.002-05:00

We have so much going on right now. We've been to the beach twice in a month, we've had two great visits with Papa and Graam, we've been to Bham to see my sister and her boys with my mom, we've been to DC twice and so much more. Bryggen has been doing great and I am so proud of her. She says so much now; mama, dada, hey, bye, i do it, oh man, book, duck, dog, Lille, two, and tak (thank you in Norwegian). She shakes her head no, she points at you (like I do when I'm getting on to her), she has almost all of her teeth (all are in besides two coming in and her 2yr old molars), she helps me get her dressed by stepping in her bottoms and putting her arms through her sleeves, she doesn't like tie straps or loose straps, she can help me put on her shoes, she's able to get anything you need within reach, she knows her belly, her nose, her ears, her earrings, my nose, she's finally growing more hair and so much more. She loves the water and the beach and to dance. She actually has cute rhythm. We are going back to the beach Tues for the Slocumb Family Annual Beach Trip. We are so excited!

2010-06-12T10:38:00.002-05:00

Playing w Papa. She was a giggling the whole time- well, almost anyways.
Hanging w Graam while Papa and Dada work.
Playing w Ethan during our visit to see his new brother.
Playing w Logan during out visit to Bham.

2010-06-12T10:20:00.002-05:00

Daddy and B playing in the park.
B giving Dada hugs.
Big smiles at the beach. What a happy girl.
B thought she was so cool in my sunglasses- she was.
Playing w one of her friends in the pool.

2010-06-12T10:08:00.002-05:00

We took B to the Village. She was dancing to the band playing. She loved it. She danced for about 30min and was mad to leave. She had so much fun doing that. We brought her back the next night to do it again.
We were back at the beach again for Memorial Weekend. B had to copy the little kids in the kid pool. It was so cute. She made lots of friends and had a great time.
Graam and Papa came to visit us. B had a great time playing with them. I am pretty sure she wore them out. She can wear anyone out.
Mimi and B taking a stroll through the village during dinner. B doesn't sit still long so its hard to eat in peace. Fortunately, my mom was there. We did let her eat by the way.
We were at the beach for our anniversary. B loved running in and out of the water nonstop. She wanted to do it by herself but eventually she gave up and let us help her.

The Beach, DC and Mothers Day

2010-05-10T17:49:00.003-05:00

Brittany and Bryggen hanging out on Mothers Day!
Bryggen sitting in the toddler chair that has been around since my mom was little.
Blake feeding Bryggen ice cream. And she begging for more.
Bryggen hanging out with dad.

2010-05-10T17:43:00.002-05:00

Bryggen sitting in Bradens lap. Braden is Bryggens 7 mos old cousin. He was a trooper but she was a little too big to be sitting in his lap. It was cute while it lasted.
The Slocumbs at the Nationals v Braves game. We won and it was so much fun.
Bryggen snoozing after a full day of sightseeing.
Mimi, Gaga, Bryggen and me in Chinatown DC.

The first beach trip of the year. Look at those legs. I love the rolls and hope they last.

15 Month Check Up

2010-04-14T15:26:00.002-05:00

Bryggen had her 15 month wellness check up today. She is doing fabulous. She weighs 24 pounds, she's 30 inches tall and her head is 18 inches. She is in the 50% for all but her weight is close to 75%. This is the track B has been on since the beginning. She's such a great little toddler. She knows so many words; mama, dada, byebye, ball, dog, hey, stop, I do it, and Lille. Her doctor said the average is 3 words for 15 month olds so she is ahead of the gang. She has always been a blabbing little girl so it surprises no one that she is so vocal. Guess she gets it from me. She's also a very cuddly baby. She gives me hugs all of the time. Its the highlights of motherhood. I am really enjoying every stage of her life but this one is so much fun. She has been battling allergies really bad lately. She gets really fussy, her nose constantly runs, her poor eyes look achey, she gets a bad cough at night and just overall is having a hard time. The doctor recommended Zyrtec for children so tonight will be the first for that. I pray it goes well. She had such a hard time with teething that I want her well and feeling great. She still doesn't have hair but she's slowly getting some. The rate the Slocumbs get it is 2 years so about 9 more months and we should have some. We may go to the beach tomorrow. I sure hope we do. It will be the first time she's been to the beach since June even though we were in St. Thomas in September. I am excited to see her play in the sand and swim in the pool. Its going to be so much fun.

Easter 2010

2010-04-07T14:49:00.002-05:00

After hunting eggs Bryggen played with her cousins and with her basket that the Easter Bunny brought her.

After Church, we all went over to Mimi and Gaga's house for lunch and egg hunting. She was playing with her cousins Emery and Wilson. They were so sweet to hold her so we could get a picture of the three of them. That never happens.

This is Bryggen getting ready for Church. She was running around yelling. Guess she was excited!

On the Thursday before Easter, Bryggen went to school and then she and I played outside. It was such a pretty day so we ran around playing.

Ear Rings!

2010-04-02T16:40:00.003-05:00

B is such a big girl. She got her ears pierced and didn't cry. It took her a minute to fuss but that only lasted a second. I'm so proud and she looks so cute.

Silly Bryggen

2010-03-27T21:44:00.003-05:00

Bryggen has so much fun all of the time. She really is an extremely happy baby. She likes to run through the house before and after her bath. Its super cute and I know that most babies probably do it but I love it when she does.

Bryggen will rush into the bathroom when I ask her if she wants to take a bath. She loves to play in the tub. She does so well getting in, sitting down and then getting out.

After an afternoon of playing, Bryggen got dirty so we took a mini-bath in the kitchen sink. Any water play for her and she is happy.

Bryggen had a lot of fun at the baseball game. She walked around with us and played with some kids there. She even went up to a handicapped kid in a wheelchair and said hey to him. She did that three times. It was super cute. She would turn her head in and say hey to his face. He seemed really happy by it. He tapped her on the head and smiled every time she did that. She even said "Tay Tay" to him which was his nickname but she didn't know that. They never said his name to her so it was pretty amazing she did that on her own. Of course, who knows what she really meant. It touched my heart and his parents heart.

This is Bryggens friend in DC. Her name is Lilly. She is two months older than Bryggen. This is the first time they've really played together and they had so much fun. They would chace each other and show each other certain things and hug each other. It was a lot of fun. Bryggen is such a friendly baby. She smiles and waves and says hey to everyone. This may be a problem one day but its amazing right now.

Bryggen has become a little fiesty child. She pitches fits now; screams, throws her body, throws things. She's gotten out of control on planes now. Its pretty bad for me because I am paranoid the whole time but I am able to keep my cool. I understand she doesn't want to be tied down and stuck in one place but I can't seem to make her happy so flights have been miserable. I think her ears have been bothering her really bad on them now. She has moments where she's in pain. It is so sad. We don't go to the doctor til April 14th so I will wait and ask him at that time if he has a suggestion for helping her with that. Otherwise, I am not sure when I will take her on a plane again. Maybe when she is old enough to sit and watch a movie. LOL! We can't wait that long.

Ready For Easter

2010-03-21T20:29:00.002-05:00

Seems like Bryggen is ready for Easter. While playing at our neighbors house, Bryggen decided to clear out the toys from this basket and put herself in it. It was the funniest thing! She fit perfectly too. Just wanted to share.

IN DC

2010-03-18T13:34:00.003-05:00

Bryggen sitting with Dada. She's been doing stuff like that alot lately and its so cute.

So we arrived in DC on Thursday March 12th. We will be here til the 26th. B has not been sleeping like normal but we realized thats been due to her cold medicine. We will not give it to her tonight so we will see. She hasnt been going to bed before 10pm and lastnight it was 11:30. She's also started pitching fits esp when we are out to eat. Anyone have any suggestions?

I'm looking forward to getting back but the weather is finally great here and apparently better than there. When we return we will have two cars again. We had Mikes car here in DC and mine in AU but before we left I had to turn in my car. Mikes will now be mine, which is why we got it, and Mike got a new car. We are having both sent down. It will be nice not having to drive Mike everywhere and he will enjoy having more freedom. Well, we look forward to Easter and seeing everyone!

The Olympics 2010

2010-02-26T16:32:00.002-06:00

Waving her Norwegian flag. Funny thing is that we couldnt find an American flag. So sad.

This drum band played all through the village. It was awesome.

Daddy and B hanging out. She had so much fun with her dada that week. It had been 2 weeks since she saw him last and she really missed him. As did I.

All bundled up for the cold. Too bad it only snowed once while we were there. Alabama received more snow than Canada that week. But it allowed B to get out more than we thought. She enjoyed her strolls throughout the village. There was a lot of people and a lot to look at.

New Pics

2010-02-11T09:29:00.003-06:00

Bryggen was sick, then mommy. It was so sad. She was such a good patient. I think I was worse.

Watching her fav movie Mama Mia.

Just a look B likes to give.

Playing tug of war with Lille.

Sugar baby, what more can I say.

Happy girl!

No Ear Rings Yet

2010-02-01T14:58:00.004-06:00

Bryggen has had an ear infection for 6 weeks now. She is on her 4th antibiotic and her last. If this one doesn't work then she will have to have tubes. I'm so sad for her. We want her to be well but we also want to get her ears pierced. Mike and I were planning to take her after she received her pearl earrings for Christmas. But that is when her ear infection started and it hasn't stopped. Maybe this will take care of it and we can get them done soon. My priority is to get her better. She is such a trooper but I feel so bad for her.

On a happy note; Bryggen started walking about three weeks ago. She had been taking steps for a month prior but never walked fully until then. She's all over the place now and its so cute.

Its 2010

2010-01-14T14:49:00.003-06:00

BRYGGEN'S FIRST BIRTHDAY!! She loved her cake and did so well getting into it.

BRYGGEN'S PRESENTS. All the kids helped Bryggen open her presents. It was cute but such a mess.

CHRISTMAS 2009! Bryggen loved playing in the mess. The wrapping paper and tissue paper became her favorite.

Gearing Up For Christmas

2009-12-16T18:59:00.003-06:00

Doesn't this time of year make you feel truly blessed. We all have so much to be thankful and grateful for. The Lord is an amazing God who delivers us our needs. Even through some hard times we all have Him, family and friends. One good thing about the bad economy is that it makes people appreciate what they do have and not what they want. It reminds people that this is Jesus' birthday and not ours. I am so excited for Bryggen to have her first Christmas and yes I am sure I have gone overboard. But what a great tradition we get to start with our children raising them to celebrate the birth of Christ. I can't wait to talk more about what we do during this season.
Our day to day activities have changed. Bryggen and I moved back sooner than planned and the whole family is now here throughout the holidays. Bryggen goes to school now. Its for 3 hours a couple of times a week. She loves it and plays so much. I love it even more. She is on a great sleep schedule. Except as I type she is taking a late nap that will through her bedtime off completely. She sleeps through the night with an occasional wake up. She naps some what regularly. She's been fussy because she is sick for the first time. She has an ear infection with a torn ear drum, a cold and a respiratory viral infection. She is on medicine which she loves and is doing better. I am 98% through shopping and ready for The Day to get here- 9 days left.

Leading Up To Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-30T16:32:00.005-06:00

We made a visit to see Mike at work this week. Bryggen decided she was better at Mike's job than he was. It was so cute. She even cut off his computer being up there like that. And yes that is a highlighter in her mouth. Too funny.

Here are the Slocumb Grandkids- all five. Braden, Emery, Brock, Bryggen and Wilson eating and playing at Brick Oven. This weekend was the fist time all five have been together. They have a lot of fun.

Bryggen climbed the stairs in our house. It was scary to say the least but she made it and was proud of herself.

Bryggen and I are still in Auburn but Mike returned to DC for a week. We had a lot of fun during Thanksgiving and the Iron Bowl but I will post more pics later.

Mommy's Busy Bee

2009-11-15T21:40:00.004-06:00

Above she is all tangled up in her toys. She couldn't get enough in her lap at once.
And below is Bryggen doing her morning routine while I do my morning routine. As I get ready for the day, so does she. She loves the cabinets and all of mommies stuff so I let her play with it all. I do watch her though, she will climb all of the way in the cabinet and won't be able to get out. It is so cute.

Bryggen is such a busy baby. As you will recall, Bryggen got her first 2 teeth at 8 months. It seemed like she would not get any more as that was it for 2 months. Well, she is making up for it. This month she has gotten in 5 more teeth. It has been a busy month and somewhat of a cranky month. She has been such a tough little cookie. And now she has a mouth full. You will also remember that she's been pulling herself up for some time and walking across the couch. Now she is starting to let go. She has done so about 6 or so times. She's still real wabbly but she is getting the hang of it. She's doing great eatting real food. In fact, she refuses baby food now. She still takes her bottle but only wants our food to eat. That has caused a challenge in figuring out how much and how many bottles she should have. After talking to Jennifer, I realized I need to start cutting out bottles and instead feed her real food since she wants it anyways. So, that is my plan. I'm starting that this week. She will only have 2-3 bottles if necessary and the rest food. I hope it goes well. I am hopeful because she does great with her sippy cup so she should do well without that many bottles. Her sleep habits are still crazy. I believe she still has an extreme attachment to me which is something we are working on. She will start "mommies day out" in Jan. which will help but we are going to work on more time apart when we are home for the holidays. We are excited about coming home for the holidays. We will be in town this weekend through Thanksgiving and then back the week of Christmas. Oh how I love the holidays!! We have so much to be thankful for. Our Lord has provided so much for us this year and I can't imagine it getting any better. I know He has a lot in store for us this coming year and I hope I can be the child He wants me to be. I can't wait to see you all next week.

NYC weekend

2009-11-09T19:01:00.002-06:00

Our trip to NYC was so much fun. Obviously Bryggen had a great time too. It was perfect weather there all weekend. More pics up on Facebook.

At our hotel, The Plaza. It was so great. We loved it and it is right across the street from Central Park.

Out shopping.

2009-11-09T18:57:00.002-06:00

At Uncle Jacks Steakhouse with Mommy and Daddy. Having a blast!

Here with Mommy at dinner. Hamming it up.

Getting ready- excuse the mess.

First day in NYC. It was chilly but Bryggen was so happy.

Mommy and Bryggen at Rockerfeller.

Fall 2009

2009-11-09T18:49:00.003-06:00

Auburn v. Ole Miss game. She actually had a better time than her face gives off.

My cute tulip on Halloween. She's so happy here hanging with her Mimi. We visited all of her grandparents that day. She didn't like her costume but you couldn't tell here. We went to the Auburn downtown trick or treat and visited with our friends. Bryggen had a blast.

Here's her little Halloween dress and leggings her Mimi (my mom) gave her. How cute!

Back in DC

2009-10-12T13:53:00.001-05:00

Watching Fox News a little too close

Looking at herself through the mirrored nightstand.

Helping dada change out the showerhead.

Lets Catch Up

2009-10-04T17:50:00.003-05:00

Gosh have we been busy. We just arrived back in DC after a month home. Sad to leave but we had a wonderful time as you can see from all of Bryggen's pics. We went to a couple of football games, went to St. Thomas and hung out in Auburn. Bryggen has been growing so much during this time too. She has two teeth, is pulling herself up wanting to walk, plays all of the time and has started on big people food. She is such a sweet little girl. She gives hugs and kisses. She is still really attached to me, but it is sweet. She was the best travel buddy we could have asked for. We took our friend Megan to St. Thomas with us to help us out with Bryggen. Bryggen loves Mae Mae and had a blast hanging out with her. After our trip we returned home for a bit. She had to go to the doctor for a bacterial infection that was so painful for this poor baby. While we were there we had her 9 month check up. Can you believe she turned 9 months on the 29th? I can't. Anyways, she weighs 20 1/2 pounds. She is average weight for her age. They didn't do her height but I did it and its around 27-28 inches. Then we drove back to DC. Bryggen was awesome in the car. She only became cranky during the last hour, it was an eleven hour drive and we made it in one day. She's been a great little princess!!

2009-10-04T17:46:00.000-05:00

2009-10-04T17:43:00.000-05:00

2009-10-04T17:37:00.000-05:00

Long Time No See

2009-09-25T18:16:00.002-05:00

Its been a long time since we've posted. We've been super busy so I will load pics up later. We returned home, Auburn, the first weekend in September. We went to the football game and visited family and friends. We had birthday parties and lots of fun getting together with everyone. We went on a trip to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands even though we were supposed to go to Costa Rica. We returned Sunday; actually early Monday morning and have been hanging out since. We will be here in Auburn til Thursday then are headed back to DC. I will load pics at that time since I left the cord in DC.
We've been having so much fun here at home and have been so grateful for the long visit.

Strawberry Hat

2009-08-31T16:49:00.001-05:00

Fall weather calls for fall clothes. DC is experiencing a cold front this week keeping the temperatures down. So we opted for a cute strawberry hat to wear.

Bryggen Playing

2009-08-31T16:44:00.002-05:00

Bryggen is such a happy baby. She plays with everyone. Of course, we'll work on that when she's old enough. But she doesn't meet a stranger and she always has a smile on her face.

She's cutting a tooth for sure now. We see and feel it. Its the bottom right tooth. She's done well with that one so I hope and pray the others are the same.

Big Girl Bryggen!

2009-08-25T14:08:00.002-05:00

Bryggen is just growing so much. She's hitting so many milestones this month and she's about to be 8 months old. We were in Auburn for Brittany's wedding, the post below, and were able to visit our family and friends. We had a visit from Graam when we returned and now we're back to the old schedule. Bryggen is crawling as she did for Graam while she was here. And today she pulled herself up in her crib. Just wish I could get her to sleep in there. Of course, we are going to move the crib down before trying again tonight. But she's such a big girl. She's teething more and more but none have cut the skin yet. She had a hard night Sunday night from the pain. But she looks better today. I hope so. It breaks my heart to have her hurting. As we speak, my princess is busy crawling around the floor and playing in so many things. We have a link to her 7 month pics on facebook if anyone wants to check them out. Hope to see you guys soon.

Britt and Cody's Wedding

2009-08-20T19:38:00.002-05:00

Here we are at the wedding reception. It was the perfect wedding. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was fun. The couple were so cute and funny at times.

Bryggen Can Crawl Now

2009-08-20T16:46:00.003-05:00

After trying and trying and after a few moves here and there; Bryggen finally did it today!!! Yay!

On a different note; we will update everyone on our home visit, my cousins wedding, our trip back to DC with Graam here visiting. Too busy now. Lots going on.

Its all about Bryggen- Part 2

2009-08-02T17:46:00.001-05:00

Bryggen has been so busy from sitting up now to attempting to crawl to blabbing words like baba, dada, nani(she says when she's mad) and finally mama. She's also found herself in the mirror and will laugh and kiss herself. She gives mama kisses too. She's very attached to me right now but I expected this phase. She has hair coming in too. She has a tooth trying to cut in but its in the early stages. She hates diaper changes now but I think she's just too busy to stop. She likes magazines but mostly so she can tear the pages. We're still having sleep issues but I'm not stressing anymore. We're headed home Friday and cant wait!! We'll be away from Mike for a week but we're excited to get home!

Its all about Bryggen

2009-08-02T17:26:00.004-05:00

Sitting Up Now

2009-07-22T17:32:00.002-05:00

Bryggen is sitting up now and we are so thrilled. She just hit it right last Saturday night. Now she's doing it all of the time. She also can get on her hands and knees and rock back and forth. Its cute when she does it. She's babbling all of the time but she's been doing that for three months now. The difference is she is saying "baba" as well. She said "dada" the other day but I know she didn't realize what she was doing. She still rambles on and on all of the time and I love it. She is getting better at entertaining herself which helps me out a lot. She plays in her jumperoo and she sits up to play with toys. She scoots around still and is just extremely active. Mike and I are doing good. We will be back home for my cousin's wedding in August. I am so anxious. I can't wait to see everyone.

Bryggen's Duck Bath

2009-07-13T18:47:00.005-05:00

Bryggen's duck bath. Isn't it cute? She's not yet sitting up by herself. She's trying but she would rather lean over to eat her toes. lol! But she's working on crawling and working on a tooth. She's so busy.

Bryggen's first highchair

2009-07-13T18:32:00.002-05:00

Bryggen has a travel highchair back home along with her bumbo, which is how I've been feeding her until we moved to DC. Now we have an official highchair to feed her in and we all love it. She likes it as you can see and its much easier on us when we feed her.

Pictures of Bryggen

2009-07-13T18:29:00.002-05:00

Here are a few pictures of my princess. I know we can't see everyone right now so I wanted to make sure you saw a lot of her while we're gone.

My 6 month old

2009-07-07T15:53:00.002-05:00

Look at our 6 month old. She's so much fun.

We had her wellness visit while we were back home. She's doing so great. She's 26 1/4 inches placing her in the 75% for height. She had a growth spurt. She's still in the 90% for weight at 18 pounds. She eats stage 2 foods as of Friday and loves them all so far. She's still having a hard time sleeping. Even when we were back home she wouldn't sleep in her crib, but she slept well all but one night. We're back in DC and she's not sleeping well at all. I don't know what to do. We had a great routine before the beach trip and the move. We're going to work on it........

Here in DC

2009-06-26T16:27:00.003-05:00

We arrived in DC over a week ago, last Tuesday to be exact. We've been busy getting the condo ready and making adjustments. Bryggen's sleep schedule is way off. We can't get her sleeping in her crib and she doesn't sleep well with us anymore. We're still working on it. Please pray for us. We're happy to be here with Daddy but are glad we're coming back for a visit next week. We miss everyone!

Slocumb Family Beach Trip

2009-06-14T19:07:00.005-05:00

Bryggen loved napping on the beach. Guess she felt at home.

Aunt Brooke and Aunt Jen by the pool. I know Brooke will hate me for posting this but she's a cute preggers and all had to be included.

Robert and Emery playing in the ocean with Gaga hanging out nearby.

Uncle Brad far out in the water.

Mimi loving on Bryggen. Bryggen loving on Mimi.

Gaga and Emery headed in the water.

Bryggen and me headed to the pool.

Bryggen and Daddy at the beach.

Brock and Wilson digging in the sand.

I buried Wilson's legs in the sand.

Wilson and his red shovel.

Wilson throwing water on Uncle Mike.

Brock, Brooke, Mike, Mimi, Wilson, Brad, Emery and Jen playing in the pool.

Gaga feeding Bryggen at the pool.

Mike and me at the pool.

We want to thank Mimi and Gaga for the great trip to the beach. We had been looking forward to it for a while. I can't believe its over and we're home. We arrived Tuesday; Mike met us there, Bryggen and I rode with Mimi and Gaga. It was a great road trip. You can see how much fun we all had. Now we're getting ready to move to DC with Daddy. We leave Tuesday. But before we leave we will drive to Mtg to see my mom because she had surgery and we want to see her.

Happy Day

2009-06-05T22:23:00.002-05:00

We have been having a great week, minus the lack of sleep at night. Fortunately, she slept better last night and I am hopeful she will again tonight. We've had a few play dates this week. We went swimming with Mimi, Aunt Jen, Wilson and Emery on Wednesday. Bryggen loved watching her cousins play in the pool. We walked around for almost an hour in the pool and she loved it. Afterwards, we came home and took a long nap. Then we had a play date with Tammie and Ethan today. They rolled around on the floor together, starred at each other and grabbed at each other. We went to lunch where they took turns napping and then we came back for round two of rolling around together. I wish I would have taken a picture of them because they are so funny trying to interact with one another already. We're looking forward to our upcoming plans. We are having a visit with our other Mimi on Sunday, then we're headed to the beach on Tuesday with Mimi and Gaga where we will see Daddy for the first time in over a week- almost two. We can't wait to see him but once the beach trip is over with we will be headed up to DC for a while. We'll have to post often up there to keep everyone up to date on the latest things going on in Bryggen's life.

Busy 2 Weeks

2009-06-01T17:42:00.002-05:00

Rebecca graduated high school Thursday so Bryggen and I went to Montgomery to celebrate with her. Mike had to leave for DC so we were on our own. We turned it into a slumber party at my grandmothers house. My Aunt Becky was in town so we spent our time with her. We had so much fun and Bryggen loved meeting her Aunt. We also visited my grandparents in town for the graduation also. It was all of their's first time meeting my princess. Of course they loved her dearly. We can't wait to see them again. Becky returns this summer for Brittanys wedding and that will be a lot of fun.

2009-06-01T17:14:00.002-05:00

Our LA and Vegas trip. Bryggen was so good and we had so much fun.

This Week In Bryggen's World

2009-05-16T18:21:00.003-05:00

We had visitors Thursday. Papa and Graam came to see us. Bryggen always has so much fun. Papa carried Bryggen around all day. She's his little princess.

Bryggen started eating stage one baby food. We started with sweet potatoes, the carrots and now we're on to squash. She really LOVES the food. In fact, she hates cereal now. I can't even trick her by mixing it in her other food. This is a new challenge but at least she loves to eat.

Pool Time

2009-05-16T18:02:00.002-05:00

Mike and I took Bryggen to the pool on Mothers Day. She had a blast. We weren't there long before it started to rain so I took her back Monday and Tuesday then we all went again today. She really likes the water even though its too cold for me.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

2009-05-10T09:34:00.002-05:00

What a great Mothers Day already and its only 9:40am. Bryggen and I woke up this morning, she had breakfast and then we started to play. About two weeks ago she rolled over for Gaga and me but hasn't done it since until now. She's rolled over 5 times this morning already and its amazing how fast she's gotten at it. It is so exciting to see her move around. What a big girl!!!! I hope every mom has a wonderful day. We love you all!!

Rebecca's Graduation Tea

2009-05-10T09:30:00.003-05:00

We went to Rebecca's Graduation Tea Saturday, May 9th. We played with all of the guests and had fun honoring BecBec graduating high school. She received lots of great gifts and enjoyed the dresses we gave her.
This picture was taken when I placed her on her tummy to see if she would roll around. No such luck.

Gaga's Birthday

2009-05-10T09:22:00.003-05:00

We celebrated Gaga's birthday Thursday, May 7th. But Mimi was sick and had to miss out. It was a great night. We went to dinner at Good Ol Boys, then had cake at our house and opened presents. It was a fun and exciting night!!