Texas Smith Family

Here I am on Halloween with the pooch showing a little.

We went to have our sonogram today. Everything is looking good. All of my tests have come back negative, so all I have left is the sugar drink test. We will have another sonogram the next visit because they didn't get a good look at the aortic arch, but the doctor wasn't worried. Baby was just in a weird position.

Here's feet:

Here's the hand up by the face. During the sonogram, he/she waved at us. "Hi Mom and Dad!"

Here's another foot shot. At least I know what's been beating me up.

Heart rate is 161 bpms...sounds like a girl to me.

Head shot number one. Theresa said it has a big head like daddy.

Head shot number 2-again, hands up by the face.

Baby Smith, to be named later, kept it's secret. We don't know what it is, AND it wasn't showing us either!

I was relieved that there weren't any horns-Dr. Meadows says those show up later. Usually around puberty...great, sigh.

I was extremely relieved that everything is doing looking good. I've been extremely paranoid, since I'm AMA (Advanced Maternal Age) and because I worry...as Jason says, it's what I do. So, I guess I'm free to tell the world. Actually, Jason is free to spread the word-he's been really wonderful to keep things to himself.

Now, need to finish cleaning out Laurie's room, paint, and all that stuff...luckily, I have a few more months.

My beautiful, sweet soccer players turned into vampires when it was dark!

And I, apparently, have swallowed a watermelon.

So, I was getting dressed Saturday before the girls soccer games. Aubrey comes and tells me, "Mommy, you need to stop wearing tight pants because you might squish the baby." I told her the pants stretched, and the baby was fine. Hmmm, I just thought I didn't need maternity clothes yet.

Here's some new pictures to make up for it!









So, now I really have something to write about!

Who can resist this face?! She was so cute. This was from our first night on the cruise. We had pictures of the entire family dressed up, but this was the only one we liked. Laurie was in the smile with no teeth for her picture by herself.

These were casual night pictures on St. Patrick's Day. The girls liked the turtles. They were supposed to hide the green arm bands for the kids.

Here's the feedback we sent to our travel agent once we came back on Tuesday, March 24th. I added some pictures from the cruise for those who like to read the blog:

-Laurie and Aubrey will tackle you if you are sitting on the edge of the bed. They tell you that they love you after you are down.
-Aubrey will argue with me on who loves whom the most.
-Laurie loves to read, and tells me about the stories with great enthusiasm. She told me today that she disappears into a 'bubble' where she pictures the stories in her head.
-Both girls love to sing and dance, and it makes me laugh to hear the songs that come out of their mouths. I can tell what their dad has been playing on his iPod in the car!
-Aubrey hugs with 'authority'.
-Laurie tries to comfort anyone who is sad. She has started giving back rubs to help people feel better.
-Both girls love to cuddle. If there is a lap, one of them will find it.
-They question everything, and sometimes...when I don't know the answer and ask their opinion-I am surprised by the thoughtfulness of their answers.

I am amazed often by them, and truly grateful for such loving, sweet, and bright girls. I am blessed to have them, and I hope they will always know how much their mommy loves them.

I know that I haven't updated in a long time, but life just gets busy. Aubrey had a Valentine show off/party on the 13th. Jason went and took pictures of the show.

She drew pictures of us, and told why she loved us. On Jason's picture it said, "I love my dad because he always carries me if I'm hurt." I love the short spikey hair Jason has in his picture!


On my picture it said, "I love my mom because she gave birth to me." I didn't realize she thought my lips were so big! But, they are puckered up for kisses!

Laurie had a party in the afternoon, and my wonderful friend Amy took pictures for me, but I couldn't download them from her e-mail. I think she had fun, though!

Jason sent me flowers this year for Valentine's Day. They were so pretty, that I had to share them with you all!

Laurie is at the dentist today. She has to have her second crown. It is the same tooth on the opposite side of the one she already has. Apparently, she has cavities on the side of her tooth and it can't be fixed with a regular filling. They think it might have been caused by her use of antibiotics as a child when her teeth were developing. Poor baby! We are now using a fluoride treatment in the evenings with both girls. The dentist is hoping that will help prevent anymore. The good thing is that the dentist doesn't think it will affect the adult teeth. She goes back in February for some sealants. Just say a little prayer for her and her poor teeth!

I blame kindergarten! Truthfully, I really do. Our full size bed was enough-granted when the kids would crawl in the bed with us they would get on either side. Laurie with Jason and Aubrey with me-depending on who got up the earliest. Now, today...this very morning, Aubrey decided she had to be in the middle. Why you might ask? Not because she wanted to cuddle with both Daddy and Mommy....NOOOOOO-her excuse: "It has to be an ABA pattern. You know Big, little, big. And if Laurie was here, then it would be ABAB-little, big, little, big. Cause Laurie couldn't be in the middle, because she might squish me." Unfortunately, as a math person, I see her logic, and let her get her way. Now, we are both up. Jason is never phased by the events and keeps on sleeping. Sigh...I'm thinking it would still be the same if we had a bigger bed. BUT, I'm going to blame the school system for giving them the pattern excuse!

OK-I know...I haven't updated about Christmas yet, but I just wanted to tell a little story about Laurie. I promise to update you all on the holidays as soon as I get a chance! =-)

Aubrey was REALLY grumpy last night. She kept crying and saying she was having a bad day. Jason and I kept holding her and loving on her. I think she was really tired from everything. On the other hand, Laurie read yesterday for 100 minutes. She was reading the book "Frindle" and she LOVED it! Needless to say, we put the girls to bed EARLY. I think they were both tucked in a little after 7:00. We wanted to make sure we could get them up for school the next day.

Laurie comes in our room and asks if we set the alarm-at 3:45 AM!!! I think she was worried she would be late for school. When I woke her up a little after 6, she told me that last night flew by like a blink. I guess she was ready to go to school!

Both girls were ready WAY before the normal time-I wish I had that sense of enthusiasm to go to work. They were ready to go back to school, and I was ready for them to go back, too. I hope everyone has a great first day back to school!