Welcome to "SIX" burgh baby!

On Sunday we had a fun night watching the Pittsburgh Steelers win their sixth Super Bowl with our friends. It was a great game and an even better finish. It was so funny to see the grown men in the room jumping around like little boys screaming and yelling as well as high fiving. What a sight it was! I had no idea how crazy and serious the people of Pittsburgh take their football but it is all business here in "Steeler Nation." Way to go Steelers on #6!

Our little helper!

McCall is such a great helper. She just loves her little brothers and is always touching and loving on them, much to my dismay sometimes! She tells everyone that she has "TWO" babies at home and often invites strangers to come over to see them. She has struggled as of late with the transition, even cutting her own hair at one point(I just loved that moment, a first in the Crippen household!) and although she is still trying to find her place in all this chaos she is completely in love with the boys and often reminds me that they are "her" babies.

What Cuties!

Here are a few pics of the boys from January. They are growing so fast and changing so much, but thankfully they are starting to sleep longer and eat more. It's funny because we think that we have them figured out and then they change it up. I guess they will be keeping us on our toes for the rest of our lives! But oh they are so cute and really starting to get fun. We do feel so lucky and blessed to have them in our family! Luke is on the left and Logan the right.

Luke & Logan's Baby Blessing

My parents came to town on New Years day to help with the babies and while they were here we decided to bless the boys. We decided to do it while at least some of our family was here and it just happened to be that they would be here on fast Sunday. So although the boys were still little we went ahead with it. Sunday, January 4, 2009 John blessed Luke and Logan with my Dad and our friends from our ward here. It was a nice day and John did a great job. How blessed I feel that John holds the priesthood and can bless our family with it. We also feel so blessed to have great friends here to have shared this special day with us.

Way to go Utes!

That's right baby, #2 in the nation, a great win in the Sugar Bowl and a fantastic season! We're proud to be alumni!

Merry Christmas - 2008

We had a great and quiet Christmas this year. It was the first time since we have had the kids that we didn't celebrate Christmas with our families. Although it was sad to be far away, it was nice to spend the day with just us. Broc received a semi automatic pellet gun, great I know, but John kept saying that every boy needs one, Yeah right! McCall did indeed receive a Darth Vader dress up with a red light saber and a knight dress up, also with a sword. She is stocked up weapon wise and ready to rumble! We really enjoyed the day watching movies, playing games and sleeping. It was a great Christmas.

Happy B-day John!

December 21, 2008 was John's 37th B-day. We really didn't celebrate this year, Sorry John, but I did remind him that for his b-day I did give him two baby boys! What more could a guy want, right?!? John is the best husband and Dad ever! He is such a cutie as well as kind, patient, fun and the most important, he puts up with me! We adore him and we are so blessed to have him in our lives. Happy Birthday hon, we love you!

Meet our Twins!

On Tuesday, December 16, 2008 our beautiful twin boys joined our family! After a long day of waiting, we were scheduled to be delivered at 3:00pm but were bumped by an emergency c-section, Luke McKinstry and Logan James Crippen arrived quickly and safely! Luke arrived first at 5:07pm, weighing in at 6lb 2 oz, 20 inches long and Logan joined the family one short minute later at 5:08pm weighing 6lb 7 oz, and also 20 inches long. We were so grateful to have them arrive without any complications and very healthy. We came home from the hospital on Friday afternoon and we have officially entered the world of sleepless nights and lots of poppy diapers!!

All I want for Christmas is.......

The Saturday before I delivered the twins we attended our ward Christmas party. It was a great dinner and fun activity and the best part at least for the kids was that Santa came for a visit. McCall couldn't get to the line fast enough! She was so excited to sit on his lap and really chat with him about what she wanted for Christmas. For the entire month of December this request had changed from week to week and sometimes daily. (Much to her mother's distress!!) At Thanksgiving she told me that she wanted a "Darth Vader Dress up with a red Light Saber" so she could be evil! My sister Allison's comment was "Well, she doesn't need a costume to be evil!" Then is changed to a Luke Skywalker dress-up with a blue Light Saber, to kill bad guys, followed by a "Pirate costume with a knife to kill bad guys" and finally this past week she settled on a "Knight Costume with a shiny sword to of course kill bad guys!" So basically it came down to that if the dress-up looked tough and came with a weapon then we were set! Bless Broc's heart his request was simple and unchanging, "Something fun!" So stayed tuned to see what dress-up came and with what weapon!

I'll trade you two babies for one puppy......

Last night when John and the kids returned home from scouts McCall announced that she had decided that she would like to trade her baby brothers for a puppy. Her proposal, one that was well thought out I might add, was that we could give the babies to Carly's Mom and Dad, the Henries from our ward, and that she could get a puppy in exchange. She was matter of fact and completely serious and had already discussed it with John in the car on the way home. John and I both asked her a few times and then told her a few more that she would be sad if we gave the babies away. Her response: "No, I'll be fine, I WANT a puppy!" So I called my friend Shellie Henrie and informed her that on Tuesday she would be getting two babies and that I would need a puppy in exchange. It seems like a fair trade, doesn't it?

Still on the countdown......and waiting!

Yesterday morning I went for a follow-up amnio to see if the boys had cooked enough and again no such luck! Their lungs aren't developed enough and they need to wait one more week. So we are on the schedule for a c-section next Tue, Dec 16th. They told me that we don't need to do another repeat amnio and that since I'm going to be almost 38 1/2 wks by then, that we will just do the delivery - Yeah! I think!?! So we have another week to chill, sleep and relax until the crazy hits our house! We'll keep you posted!

Still no babies!

On Monday, Dec 1st, I had an amnio to check and see if the babies lungs were developed enough to be delivered on Tues, Dec 2nd. Well no such luck! They found that there was a greater than 75% chance that they weren't ready. Sooooo... they decided to push me back a week and repeat the amnio again on Mon, Dec 8th. If they are ready they will deliver me on the 9th. If not another week! Stay tuned!

Party, Party, Party!!

On Friday, Nov 14, 2008 my friends Elisha Glover, Lu Demetter and Stephanie Rogers threw me a really fun diaper and wipes shower. What a nice afternoon with good food, friends and fun conversation, and considering that I haven't been here very long, the sisters in my ward were very generous! Thanks Elisha, Lu and Stephanie, you gals are the best! Stephanie made the two adorable diaper cakes, aren't they cute?!!

Bed Rest and Ultrasounds

Yesterday I went to see my OB and it has happened....the dreaded bed rest! With roughly 20 days to go she put me on bed rest. YUCK!! I complained to my Mom and she just said "Enjoy it now honey because in a month you will wish you could sleep and just hang out!" Isn't that the truth! I also had an ultrasound yesterday and the boys are doing great and growing like crazy. Baby A is roughly 4lbs and 6 oz and Baby B is 5lbs even. It's hard to believe that in a few short weeks they will be here and we will be tired! We are excited and ready....I think!

Not cool enough?!?

Well it's happened.....I'm not cool anymore in the eyes of my eight year old. Not that I was cool anyway but this past week confirmed it. Last Thursday I took Broc and McCall to the dentist and because of this Broc was late for school. When I took him to school I had to walk him in too check him in. When we got out of the Trailblazer I reached for his hand and he looked at me with a look of terror on his face and said "Don't hold my hand!" I said ok and laughed to myself. Following the actual check in at the office I bent down to kiss him and give him a hug goodbye and before I even got close he pulled away and hurriedly said "Ok, see you Mom" I just smiled and as he walked away I thought well that's it, the days of Mom's showing affection are officially over. I had hoped that I would at least get a few more years but I guess the buck stops at 2nd grade. Just wait until he's a teenager he won't even want to be seen with me! I can't wait!