They're Here!!

This post is a long time coming.. But it is hard to find time to do much of anything around here if it doesn't consist of feeding, changing or burping a baby!!


Our sweet babies decided to suprise us a bit earlier than planned! On July 25th Lance and I were at home enjoying the evening and trying to decide what we wanted to do the rest of the night... I got up from the couch to go get a drink of water.. and WATER is what happened!! I was in the kitchen when all of the sudden something just did not feel right, and we heard a big splash on the floor! My water had broke! I yelled to Lance in a worried tone and he immediately sprung into action!! So many thoughts started rushing through my head!! My biggest concern was that it was too soon. I was 34 weeks and 5 days along with the babies and I knew there was definately a chance they would need a lot of help after they were born.


Lance was hillarious. I have never seen him move so fast!! Within 2 minutes our bags were packed, toothbrushes loaded, baby outfits packed, and we were on our way to the hospital! Man was it an odd experience walking around after your water has just broke! I was soon hooked up to all sorts of monitors and they started running different tests on me. We figured out it was the baby girls sack that had broke. They then took a sample of amniotic fluid to see if the baby girls lungs were developed. Thankfully the test showed that they were.. That was a huge relief!! The only problem was we didn't know if the baby boys would be developed yet. But odds were pretty good that they would be.


Anyways.. fast forward a bit.. they had me labor through the night and in the morning we met with our doctor. Soon we were schedule for a C-section at 11:00 am! It all happened so fast!


Lance and I were so excited to finally meet our little ones.. They had me walk down to the OR and soon I was numb from my chest down and they were cutting into my belly! Lance took pictures of the whole thing.. I must admit.. He just might have passed me up with his photography skills! He took some awesome pictures! First came our sweet girl Evvie Jane! She screamed and screamed right from the start. She was so ready to get out of that cramped space! Next was William Lance. He on the other hand did not scream. I was so nervous, and it made it so much worse because I couldn't see anything that was going on. I kept asking why I couldn't hear 2 babies crying.. after about 1 minute of working him over he let out a very relieving scream!! Afterwards the nurses told me they were seconds away from intubating him. He had bruises all over his back afterwards because they were rubbing him so hard trying to get him to breath.

Hope you don't mind pictures like this.. I thought they were pretty amazing!

Evvie Jane Higbee 6lbs 19 inches 11:13 am


William Lance 5 lbs 13 oz, 18 3/4 inches long 11:14 am

Finally Will is breathing!!! He is the one closest to the camera.
Evvie Jane all hooked up to cords and wires.. We HATED all those things!!

Will right after birth.. Upset his sister broke out early.. He wasn't quite ready to come!!



First time holding both babies. In the NICU. Lance is already such a good dad. It is so fun seeing him with our babies.

Both of our babies were taken to the NICU to get checked out and looked over. We were SO BLESSED to not have any serious problems. All the nurses couldn't believe how big our babies were for being that early. We were very blessed that way as well.. Hopefully that means they both have the tall gene!! Will and Evvie checked out completly healthy. No breathing problems or anything! The only problem was Will hadn't quite mastered the "suck, swallow, breath" reflex yet, so he had to stay in the NICU for 2 long weeks until we could bring him home. Evvie was a great eater right from the start so she got to come home 5 days later. The first 2 weeks were exhausting as we tried to juggle having one baby at home, and one baby at the hospital. I hated having them apart for such a long time. It was so fun to bring home Will and just lay them by each other again!

They had to put a feeding tube through Will's nose to help him get the nutrition he needed. Whatever he didn't eat they would put through his tube. As he got better at eating they started tubing less and less until one WONDERFUL day they took the tube out and he drank the whole bottle by himself!! He has already been through so much and is such a tough little guy. We HATED seeing him in there with so many tubes and IV's. But we're so thankful he didn't have serious problems.

Sweet baby girl..



Brain washing Will already to play ball.

Will's first day home from the NICU!! YAHOO! As you can tell he is pumped!!

Life is so good. We are completly in love with these two little people. My mom has been a LIFESAVER these past few weeks. So far taking care of twins is a piece of cake!! Lance, my Mom and I have a great routine down. I know I will be thinking a lot differently when Lance goes back to school and my Mom leaves in a few days!! I will then be flying solo and out numbered 2 to 1!! It will be a CRAZY next few months, but I am excited for it and just happy to have these babies here!

Thanks for your prayers and support throughout all of this! We are so blessed to have such great family and friends in our lives!

Where has the time gone?

Well, were back in AZ! We have been gone almost the whole summer visiting family and going on vacations. It has been a lot of fun and we are trying to enjoy every second of Lance's last summer!! We had a baby shower, went out to dinner in Vegas with Lances family, Roasted several good marshmallows on some good campfires, had fun in alamo, Lance and my brothers caught a 30 pound, 37 inch long fish, went to our cabin,went to Sun Valley and ended up with a week stay in Sedona with just Lance and I and a few friends!


It was so much fun, but I must admit a bit exhausting.. especially when your hauling around 2 babies in your belly and feeling very pregnant! But we had a blast!


Lance in front of the Tuzigoot Pueblos! I have never really been into Indian buildings and stuff.. but seriously, this was amazing!! It was by Sedona.. It was quite the long, HOT walk, and I had too many people to count walk by and look at me like I was crazy. I felt a little crazy myself and a little nervous I was going to put myself into labor! I got the questions.. Any day now? Past due? How much longer? and Do you feel like your ready to pop? .. Too many times to count.. I don't mind though.. I would ask the same thing!! maybe not actually. But I would definately think it!



Our friends Jon and Heather also live in AZ. Ever since we have moved here we always try to find an easy place to go to just get out of the city and dutch oven! But, we have found it is VERY difficult to do that around here! Our first try gettin out ended up at a city park, with us dutch ovening on a BBQ grill, right next to a soccer field and play ground for kids with a lot of people.. Big failure.. Our second attempt was much more successful, although it took about 2 hours to finally find place to do it. Sedona is a very pretty National park.. but it is SOOOOOO regulated and SOOOOO busy with everyone else trying to get out of the city.. So, we decided to take matters into our own hands.. We drove out into the middle of no where on top of the Sedona Canyon, and built a fire (Even though there were tons of signs forbiding it.) We were just fed up! Plus, Lance is an Ex-Fireman. Needless to say, we had an illegal fire, were scared the whole time we were going to get thrown into jail, but ended up with a DELICIOUS dutch oven meal in the middle of nowhere with no people around us.. just trees! It was a long awaited time that took us about a year to accomplish! The bad thing is, this spot is 3 hours from our home.. The search will have to continue for a closer destination! All you people living in Cedar, don't take for granted being 5 minutes away from a beautiful mountain that's not crawling with people!!!

In Sun Valley.. All the boys

And last, but not least.. The long awaited belly picture! I have been having people ask me all the time to post a picture! I understand.. It's pretty interesting looking at a belly that has 2 human beings in it! I am constantly amazed that there is enough room for them in here. Everyday my belly gets bigger! I feel as if there is absolutely no more room or skin to allow any more growth.. but, I continue to be amazed.
One thing I have found to be very true about being pregnant is that it truly is uncomfortable! I never thought much about it before.. But honestly, having a rock hard beach ball attatched to the front of you that is growing at an extremely fast rate does a toll on your muscles! Little things like bending over to pick something off the ground, shaving my legs, putting my flippin pants on!! Everything is hard! Don't even get me started on bending over to pick something off of the floor of the car!!! Not going to happen.. ever! Thank goodness for Lance.. I have never been one to order someone around, but Lance has had to step up big time and be the designated floor picker upper, and the one who pulls me or pushes me off of the couch or bed.

I already regret posting this picture of me..

Pregnancy is going great! Just uncomfortable. But so far I think it's totally worth having 2 at a time to only go through being pregnant once! My doctor will induce me at 37 weeks which would end up being around August 10th. Only 4 more weeks! We are so excited and I can't wait to see these two babies! Despite everyone telling me to "enjoy it while you can" We are excited to get them here and start settling into a routine!

Love For Clara.

The past few weeks I have been following a truly inspiring blog. My sister's niece on her husbands side was just recently diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. Clara is 2 years old. It's very serious, she is now considered a high-risk stage 4 patient with such a long road ahead of her.

Clara's parent's write on their blog daily about updates and their insights on everything that has been happening. I have only met these people once when my sister got married, but they have amazed me with how spiritual they are and the things they are learning throughout this whole experience. This is a very hard time for them but it seems to me they are trying to learn everything they possibly can from it. It has strengthened my testimony so much just by reading their story.

Their family has set up several ways for people to help.

http://apps.facebook.com/fundrazr/activity/f3c0571927e94ce08e7de7b40eec994b

To read more about Clara's story go here.

http://furniturefix.blogspot.com/2011/05/love-for-clara.html

To follow the parent's blog go here.

http://mommastimeout.blogspot.com/

But most of all, PRAY for this little girl and her family.

Proud.

A lot of people always brag about their husbands on their blogs, so I figured now was a good time to get my adequate amount of bragging in.. Lance is amazing.. Let me tell you one of the reasons why. This past week he was sworn into the Air Force. That's right! We are in the Air Force! If you would have told me 1 year ago we would be in the Air Force I never would have believed you and I would have been straight panicing at the idea of even being in that situation! But it happened, and we are SOOOO happy about it. Now that we are in the Air Force they will completely cover all of Lances Optometry school.. Phew!!! No more lingering debt of 300,000 + hanging over our heads.. In return we will owe them 3 years of service at a base here in the US after he graduates. That is the basics of it all.. Along with many other benefits along the way. So, let me get to the bragging part. Lance was 1 of only 15 people elected to receive this Optometry Scholarship for the Air Force NATION WIDE!!!! 1 out of 15!! I didn't even realize how competitive the scholarship was until the recruitor told us all when they swore him in. Bottom line, I knew Lance was something special. Seriously though, he is just on top of things and doing some pretty amazing things with his/our lives. Needless to say, I am very proud & blessed. Ok, Ill stop bragging now, it's probably getting quite annoying.

After They swore him in Lance had to salute the person swearing him in, then he turned and the guy in the uniform had to salute Lance! It was crazy because uniform guy has been in the airforce 30 or so years,and already Lance is a higher rank than him. They treat their medical proffesionals pretty good.

On another note.. I am also proud of this picture.. seriously.. We found this awesome place to take pictures down here, and there are birds everywhere.. I was saying to the Mom, "I wish we could get a peacock to spread its feathers for the background of a picture. " Literally seconds later we turn the corner and see this beauty. This NEVER happens right? It was huge, and we were scared it might be in attack mode so we only took like 2 pictures in front of it. Thank goodness one turned out!

Also, I never made it clear in my last post.. Baby A is definately a girl! Those dang ultrasound techs were giving me grief! We are glad to have things figured out finally! My latest project includes these cute onesies and a headband.. Poor boy always gets the short end of the deal.. They just don't have many accesories for boys.

Babies.

We had the big Fetus anatomy scan two days ago, and thank goodness everything looks completely normal and healthy! The babies are both measuring big and moving like crazy! I love that I can finally feel them moving! As for now it seems as if Baby boy is a bit more hyper than Baby girl.. we will see if that holds true.. He is constantly kicking my belly button. We are truly blessed and loving every moment of this. I am now 18 weeks, and I am not kidding you, my belly grows overnight.. We take weekly pictures of the belly and today Lance was just laughing looking at the pictures and saying, " You are going to get so HUGE! And it is going to be so awesome and funny!" I didn't know whether I should laugh or panic... So instead I just lathered on another coat of anti stretch mark cream... I figure I should maybe post a picture of the belly, just so when people see me in real life they aren't startled. We have however made a big milestone, we are halfway there!!! My doc tells me they will start me at 37 weeks with these babies. Fun times.

Baby Girls Foot.. All 5 toes!

Baby Girl touching her forehead with her toes! I love this picture and her sweet little profile! I am really bothered however because no matter how I rotate the picture before I upload it, it always turns out like this.. so just tilt your head..

This one is a bit confusing.. It is parts of both babies. They are getting so big that they don't both fit into the monitor at the same time.. But, On the right is Baby Girl laying on her back with her head on the right and her legs curled up on the left, then you can see a line inbetween her and the other baby.. That is the membrane that divides them. Then all the way to the left is the baby boys legs and feet.. they were kicking each other the whole time!

Baby boy's profile! I love this one.. You can see everything so good, his little nose and lips! Adorable already! The circle above him is his sister floating around in her sac. That is part of her feet that you can see.

Wait for it...

WAIT FOR IT.....

Don't judge me people who are pregnant and due 2 months ahead of me and we are the same size..

BOOM BOOM POW!

By the way, I just noticed I'm wearing the exact same shirt and necklace as I was in my last picture 3 weeks ago.. Oh great, now I am totally going to be judged.. It's becoming rough to find shirts that fit me these days! hahaha

Have a great day.

BABY A IS MODEST

Well, we went again... Good news is, baby B is still a boy.. Bad news.. we still aren't 100% sure what baby A is!!! It was funny because when the Ultrasound tech first started looking at baby A she immediatly said, "Looks like your having 2 boys!!" We were excited, and I started imagining best friends, playing basketball together, going on missions together.. But after she thought she saw "the manhood" it instantly disappeared. So, she kept trying to look and look, for 15 minutes, but Baby A had its legs crossed and curled up. I asked what she was doing looking for so long... She said she couldn't confirm it was a boy because she couldn't see anything anymore.. So maybe it was like the umbilical cord or something.. Then, miraculously baby A opened up a bit and we got a good view for a minute.. Then,the tech said.. "I think it's a girl!" Wait, what?!?! So then all my dreams of two boys went away and I started thinking about all the great girl things.. You know, bows, cute outfits, doing girly things... having one of each.. But then she said, "I can't get a great view.. But i THINK it's a girl." Well, I THINK that all the ultrasound techs at my office are all fakers!!! I mean come on!!! We have been told it was a boy, then a girl, then a boy.. then finally a girl.. and instead of confirming it, she says.. I THINK its a girl.. hahaha So, I don't know what to think.. But, going off of my ultrasound tech skills I think BABY A IS A GIRL!!!.. I never did see the manhood like baby B flaunts so easily.. And instead we saw "the 3 lines" which indicate girl.. so, I'm posting the picture to see what you think.. Please if you have had girls or know anything tell me what you think.. Im curious.. Thse pictures are hard to get a good look at though.. The top one is the girl..




Do you see the lines??




The babies look so big in the ultrasound.. And as a result, I'm getting Large myself! It's so funny because there are SOO many people in the ward due a whole month or more before me and we are the same size.. I have a feeling I need to get used to being bigger than everyone! Soon I will be passing them all up. This is at 15 weeks. haha

I keep thinking.. If I'm already this big at 15 weeks.. I am going to BE HUGE by the end!!

We are super excited either way.. but for now I am planning and making as if it is a girl!!! I figure, if I'm wrong, then I will give all my girl stuff to one of my 4 friends all having girls before me.

Poor girl though.. she is smooshed!! The little boy is laying horizontally on top of her, and she has been banished to the bottom right corner of the uterus, while he is sprawled out completely!! ahaha.. they are fighting already!

This is the Boy above. Look at him all spread out with his cute little arm by his head..

This is our smooshed little girl.. She looks so cute though!! You can tell why they had a hard time looking!

We are Super excited to have a boy girl combo.. I mean, how couldn't we after these 2?? Just look at them! This is my brother Chad's twins. We did a photo shoot for them, Ill have to put up more because they are hillarious!!

They love giving kisses!

On another note.. My brother David and Juli had a baby girl!! She is adorable with TONS of dark hair.. completely opposite from her siblings who were bald and blonde! here is one of her photo shoots I did..

The best part of all though was seeing Lance hold Carys at the hospital.. Look how sweet!! I can't wait until its our babies he is holding and looking at! He is SOO excited and is going to be the best Dad.. He loves little kids. I am a lucky woman!!


Thanks for reading, and have a great day!!

BREAKING NEWS!

Well, I am about to make one of those official posts.. You know, announcing that.. WE ARE PREGNANT!!!!!........ WITH TWINS!!!!!!.......AND ONE IS A BOY!!!!

That's right! We are pregnant with twins, and we couldn't be happier!!!It has been a long time coming, so we are SOOO THANKFUL for this great news! I'm pretty sure everyone already knew.. but we chose to wait until I knew things were considered safe and far enough along before we announced to the whole world! I am currently 15 weeks along and my due date is Aug. 31st! But, with twins they are considered full term at 37 weeks, and it's really good if you make it that far.. So, we are hoping to make it to around Aug. 10th!

We had an ultrasound today to find out the gender of each baby, but unfortunately Baby A would not cooperate and had his/her legs tucked up just right to where we couldn't tell what he/she was.. At least it is a modest baby :) Baby B on the other hand was proud to announce to us that he is a BOY!! We were both thrilled, and Lance couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear!! He was SURE that it was going to be 2 little girls.. so a Boy was a suprise to him! He has already started planning hunting trips, fishing trips, working on his dads farm with his little boy, and of course teaching him all he knows about basketball!! It was so fun to see him so excited! I am also so excited for this little guy to come into our family. I had a feeling all along we would have at least one boy!

Pregnancy so far has been great! Well, not really.. I have been quite sick, but I don't care.. It makes me feel comforted as I'm throwing up to think that at least I am still pregnant!! Thankfully the sickness is going away, and I am feeling so good! I now have a new found respect for sick, pregnant women.. I used to think they were all fakers.. Boy was I wrong!!! It really does happen.. pregnancy makes you sick!! Lance has been so good and supportive as I have been sick and no fun. I go to bed around 9 every night because I just can't hack staying up late anymore.. A very different change from my old night owl ways!

We announced the exciting news to our families clear back in December by showing up from Arizona wearing these T-shirts. It was pretty funny to see everyones reactions!

My shirt says Lance .. Is going to be a dad..

And lances says, Breaking news.. Anne's pregnant!

Oh, by the way.. that same day we found out we were pregnant we found out that Lance was 1 of about 20 who got accepted into the Airforce!! And that is nationally!! I knew he was smart!!! YAHOO!!! That means no debt from school!! It was a very good day!

We are SOOOOO HAPPY!

Stay tuned for Baby A's Gender.. We go back in on Monday to find out!!!