Fat-Chick-Ona-Tractor...

It should be interesting to see what sort of key word searches end here based on that blog title!

I climbed my baby-baker on the ole' John Deere this weekend to do some work on the driveway...I must admit I was hoping the bouncing about would help encourage these punks to high tail it into this world.....no such luck. So I set forth to tackle all the potholes and crevasses left behind by our record snowfall and resulting watershed this year...here is a shot of the driveway to the main road while sitting with my back at the house....the driveway continues behind be on down to the barn...half a mile of dirt and gravel that needs some 'manicuring' at least every couple months to cut down on wear and tear to our vehicles....

Here's a shot of a few of those aforementioned potholes now...they don't look nearly as annoying as they really are...there are so many and they are so deep that we play a daily game of hit and miss trying to avoid them! Well, JR does anyways...I say the faster you go, the more you can fly over.....I'm not a big on the bob and weave...

After a few passes, we start to see those buggers fade away...

..and after a few more passes with the JD and my best friend (the box blade), those car crippling obstacles are all gone!

All in all it took about an hour to level half a mile of gravel driveway...not bad for my pokey pregnant self....I still can't believe these punks were completely unaffected though...to the contrary, I think it actually settled them...I got the best nights rest in MONTHS!

Happy Trails,

Leah

Twice Upon A Time...34 WEEKS!

"This is the month that a multiple pregnancy will be so much different than that of a single pregnancy. The babies are not able to grow as much now as there is simply not enough room. However, they are relying on their mother's nutrition to help them put on the final layer of fat."

At our appointment earlier this week, they each weighed in just an oz under 5 lbs! That is almost 10 lbs of baby in my belly...amazing! There may not be enough room for them to grow much more, but I assure you there is plenty of room for them to do the boogy dance....non-stop...without consideration for mommy's pain threshold...

"The positions that your babies are in are likely to stay that way as they are so confined, they can't move around much. Which positions are your babies in? With a multiple pregnancy, you can have a myriad of configurations: less than 50% of twins are both born headfirst. One twin is vertex (head down) and one is breech (lower part of the body comes first) about 40% of the time. One (or more) can also be transverse (baby lies across Mom's pelvis). The McCaughey septuplets were in a pyramid configuration. As the babies get bigger, it's harder for them to move much to get into the proper birthing position. Your care provider will probably want to do an ultrasound(s) to determine presentation so that delivery plans can be made."

It was interesting to me to read this. Both Sophie and Codie (CJ) were head down (vertex/vertex)at our appointment earlier this week...it seems we have defied the odds and if they do hold their positions, I think we are well on our way to a c-section free delivery! Yahoo!

"Labor will begin in the majority of twin pregnancies before 37 weeks with 50% of deliveries between 34 and 37 weeks. Are you ready?"

I think SpongeBob says it best when he exclaims, "IM'READY!, IM'READY!, IM'READY!, IM'READY!"

"Ideas for Dad: Mom is feeling huge and clumsy now. She may be weepy and vulnerable or extremely moody. Tell her how beautiful she is and what a wonderful mom she'll be. Serve her breakfast in bed and help her feel like the special woman she is."

I think this is a great idea for Dad ALL THE TIME :) Hint-Hint!

Well, here I am...in all my massive glory...be gentle, be kind. I am weepy and vulnerable, after all.

8.5 Months

Just in case you aren't getting the full magnitude of the hugeness of this baby belly, here are a few close-ups to drive it home....be forewarned, these are not for the faint of heart!

From the rear, you can see what used to be a feminine waist has since become storage for my extra tire...love-handles, anyone? 2-for-1 special! I'll make you a deal :)

....defying gravity is my new past-time! I am spending less and less time standing these days, for reasons you can see with your own eyes...and when I sit, this beast rests on my legs....I tell you what, that is NOT a feeling I care to extend post-delivery! I may actually start using that gym membership we purchased with such good intentions....maybe.

But here is the real news...the reason I have sacrificed my femininity and pride...the punks! CJ was facing away from us this week and not cooperative enough for pics, we I settled for a head shot of both of them side by side...CJ is on the left, Sophie is on the right.

Sophie was ready for her glamour shots though, and gave us this great profile view...I'm luvin' that top lip, but all Daddy sees is the $ he is going to have to start putting away for braces! Dang genetics! lol

..and finally, a shot I debated on whether to post or not. Quite frankly, this newfangled technology can produce some pretty bizarre images. Not the kind you really want to show off to family and friends without producing fear and concern for your child's planetary origins....this one, on the other hand, I thought was borderline sweet....for a freaky photo....Sophie is yawning...It seems she's about had enough of this whole 'pregnancy' phase as well...Hope to see you soon, kiddo!

Happy Families!

Leah

Woe is me!

Can you see the tragedy in this image?

You know you want them...

....blind geckos, that is!

FREE!

We have 2 blind (don't ask, it's not a happy tale) leopard geckos ready to make your life complete! They don't REALLY need to be able to see...they are contained in a private heated habitat (aquarium) and know their way around pretty well...they come with everything you need to keep them alive!

Email if interested: leahroehl@yahoo.com

UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS TO ROB KAACK AND HIS WIFE ON THEIR ACQUISITION OF THESE LITTLE LADIES!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Gma Kathy sent the Little Brat these adorable Valentine cards from California...They came just in time for LB's Valentine exchange at school! The card on the left is for the boys, complete with temporary tattoo....the card on the right is for the girls, complete with pop-up puppies!


Mommy doesn't spoil the children in this house, so LB spent the good part of an hour filling each one out all by herself...TO: FRIEND, FROM: RANDI



I did do one example for her just to keep her words straight though...other than a bit of dyslexia with her N's, she did fantastic!

...she wrote and wrote and wrote until she thought she'd parish from the exhaustion of it all...

...but in the end, it was all worth the effort...she came home with a box she made filled to the brim with all the great Valentines her friends had made as well!

On the grown-up front, I sent the ole' man some flowers to his work...something bright and colorful to lighten up his office and let him know I was thinking of him...problem was, cuz you know my luck by now, the bouquet was not delivered until close of business and he got it on his way out of the building on Friday....he ended up bringing it home, and I am glad he did...the arrangement was far from the selection I had chosen...the flowers were not arranged well, the vase was 1/3 the size of the upgrade I had selected. the ribbon around the vase did match the flowers, and some of the flowers were already wilting!!! Thank you FTD.....so, I called and got a refund...my goal was to bring to light the fact whoever their local dealer was seemed to be scamming them (and their clients) pretty well....I asked them for the name of the florist so I could hand deliver the arrangement back to them, but they would not disclose...sissies.

Happy Trails,

Leah

How we've survived...so far!

We have POWER!!! Yeah! Power was restored yesterday and all seems to be in working order. While I went to work and Randi went to school, JR stayed home and got the place cleaned up and prepped for Blizzard #2 this month...the furry of which we are experiencing today! Let's just hope we maintain power through this one....Lord willing!

My husband, My Hero...huge kudos to my ole' man this past week as we struggled through the trials of historic levels of snow coupled with loss of power, water, and heat! He has been a very busy man....here is a shot of his glee when the power returned and he was enjoying a hot cup of coffee...it's the little things ;)



As you can see, even Randi was snowed in...she'll have to wait for the 'big melt' before she's road ready again...



JR has been doing LOTS of this what with the steady onslaught of constant rain, sleet, and snow...

...at least the animals seem to be handling it all in stride...

We had to make considerations for our food and drinks, so we moved the essentials to a couple coolers on the back porch where they stayed plenty cold! Note the ice cream in the snow...it's all about the 'essentials' in times of need...

Here's a shot of our snake pit...a jumble of extension cords coming from our little generator to power a couple space heaters and the TV, of course...

..and we spent plenty of time playing electric-free games like this bumble bee-hive thingy...you pull the leaves out one by one releasing the bees... and she with the most bumble bees at the end is the winner! Randi actually kicked my booty at this game pretty well...

The snow is very heavy on the trees and shrubs...

...beautiful as it may be...

...and is the main reason for all the local power outages...just look at those poor droopers...as the snow gets too heavy for them to bear, they lean over and pull down the electrical lines...this is right in front of our place...

As long as the big guy kept the generator fed (every 5-6 hrs), we were able to keep the house from freezing up...dealing with burst water pipes may have been more than we were prepared to handle...

On Sunday, the sun came out and we made a trip to town to see if we could locate any additional space heaters...our two were keeping us above freezing, but a couple more would have made a BIG difference in our comfort level! Unfortunately, there was only ONE left....anywhere....the stores were pretty well depleted...here is a shot of Randi on a 'snow plow mountain' in the parking lot of Walmart...there were mountains like this about every 100 yards...I bet it will take until may for these monsters to melt!

So, we are hanging in there...the conditions today are the worst yet as far as the storm goes...a steady snowfall combined with high winds has brought us to full blizzard mode...we are doing great though...got power, got water, got connectivity to the outside world...let's just hope it stays that way...

Stay warm out there!

From Wanna-be Wisconsin,

The Roehl Family

Alien Belly...

Yep, that's a pretty accurate representation of the freakish shapes and unearthly formations my baby-belly is producing these days...you should see it after I've been on my side for any great length of time...insane!

Happy Times,

Leah

Update from the depths of the Historic 2010 East Coast Blizzard!

Yes, we were hit pretty hard.
Yes, we lost power...Saturday morning, to be exact.
Yes, we are still holding down the fort on battery and generator power.
Yes, WE really means JR, cuz the Little Brat and I are sick and completely unhelpful.
Yes, it's cold...very, very cold.
Yes, our living conditions have grown 'interesting' without running water.
Yes, it is similar to camping....in Alaska maybe.
Yes, I ran like a sissy to work today and am posting from there...
Yes, I'll post pics as soon as we get back online!

PS...Yes, we have even more snow forecasted before the end of this week. Please send warm thoughts...and heaters....

Happy Never-Ending-Winter,
The Roehl Family

One of my favorite things...

From time to time we stumble upon special little things that make our life more wonderful and complete.....before these special little things come into our lives, we are just plowing thru life, oblivious to their wonders and beauty.....and once we have found a special little thing, our lives are never the same again....


Case in point: The Tummy Sleeve!

I purchased one of these belly bands a few weeks ago and after a couple days went back and bought a few more! I wear them day and night and don't know what I ever did before them...

This band is a one-piece Lycra sleeve that wraps around and gives extra support to the belly...in my case, my belly has grown to monstrous proportions and the pull on my body has become somewhat uncomfortable. After I pull on my belly band, on the other hand, I feel like I am receiving a firm and supportive 'hug' all day long!

I wear it under my maternity pants and shirts, so you can't even tell it's there...I had originally purchased an ACE brand back and abdominal support band, but now it bulky and too rigid...this belly band is a dream come true! There is no doubt I'll get my money out of it either...after the punks are born, I plan on continuing to use it as additional tummy support until I firm back up again...I WILL firm back up again! Right? Sigh, anyways....

This product has my big-fat-baby-momma stamp of approval!

Happy Pregnancies,

Leah

Twice Upon a TIme...7 months!

It seems that time is just flying by these days! I've reached the 7 month mark in this twin pregnancy and it seems like we only started this venture just yesterday! I have been experiencing a few tell-tale signs that I am getting further along now though...My belly has reached it's max 'stretching point'...I measure about the same as I did when Randi was born. The result, is that my belly feels like it is covered with a really bad sunburn. It burns and itches and any friction against it is just about as un-nerving as you can imagine! The doctor tells me it's the result of the skin stretching...and stretching, and stretching, and stretching...sigh...I suppose that means the burn is not going away anytime soon! I have been fortunate not to endure illness or swelling or a multitude of other pregnancy related ailments, however, I have been reaching the limit of my endurance more and more frequently as of late...my body is feeling the strain of carrying these punks around, and it's letting me know! My nights have become restless as I toss from side to side...pressure points I never knew I had are emerging and my sciatic nerve taunts me in the wee hours of the day...I'm starting to think about moving to LB's bedroom so JR can get some rest...he can't help but be startled awake as my whale of a belly heaves left and right throughout the night! Poor guy....

7 months and counting...

Here are the punks glamour shots at 7 months as well...they are happy, healthy, and more active than ever! I could sit and just watch my belly roll around for hours...these two are CONSTANTLY moving! Not the subtle moves and precious little kicks I recall from my first pregnancy either...I am talking full out olympic level gymnastics in there...it's a sight to behold!...and freakish too.

7 Months

~Sophie Rose~

2.5 lbs

~Codie James~

2.9 lbs

Happy Families,

Leah