I know, I know...I have been a blogging slacker.  Let me tell you why- I'm tired, I'm nauseous, and I'm pregnant.  That is a good enough excuse, right?  I'm about eight weeks along.  My due date is May 13th.  Since I had a c-section with M and L, I will have one with baby #3.  I am penciled in for May 6th- the Friday before Mother's Day.  What a Mother's Day gift!!  Chris has been trying to get our new scanner hooked up, but it hasn't worked out yet.  I will post a picture of the ultrasound when he gets it up and running.  It was pretty difficult to see the baby since I saw the doctor when I was only six weeks pregnant.  We finally figured out what she was pointing to, and we could see the baby's heart beating.  The first question we asked was how many babies there were.  Just one- she checked...a couple times.  The whole family went.  Needless to say it was a pretty crowded exam room.  Last time I went to the first appointment by myself, and I found out we were having twins.  There is no way I was going by myself this time!  

Lena pointed at the computer screen, and yelled "Snowman!"  Maddie agreed.  There was a big white blob, so I guess that is what they both saw.  We have been trying to explain that there is a baby in mommy's belly, and that they will be big sisters, but I don't think they completely understand.  Every once in a while they will look under my shirt and say, "Baby in there."  I think as my stomach grows they will start getting it.  They will be awesome older sisters.

My friend Allie brought her new baby boy Tyler over last week.  The girls thought he was "so cute!"  They were all in his face checking him out, trying to give him his pacifier, helping with his bottle, and taking him toys.  They thought he was pretty cool.  It was fun to watch them be so excited over having a baby in the house!  Allie and I joke that one of them will be his girlfriend down the rode.  Maybe Lena...she is the first one that thought he was "so cute!"

Chris and I took the girls apple picking this afternoon.  Maddie and Lena thought they had gone to apple heaven.  They ran around gathering apples from the ground saying, "I got it!"  I'm pretty sure they thought they were at a buffet.  Chris and I quickly put a stop to them eating from the ground when Lena bit into an all brown apple.  Yuck...although she thought it was "nummy."  M and L quickly got the hang of pulling them off the tree.  Dad would help spot the perfect apple, then he would lift the girls up to let them pick it.  We brought home a couple different kinds and plenty to last us a while.  This is our second year going to Lynd's, but our first trip picking ourselves.  We will definitely do it again next year.

Our last big adventure here in Illinois was the DuQuoin State Fair.  The girls had a blast!  Our first stop was to grab some corn dogs- a first for both M and L...love at first bite.  It is quite an understatement to say that Lena enjoyed the animals and the rides.  She didn't want to leave the petting zoo until she realized Grandma was taking her on a pony ride next.  Maddie had no interest, so we watched Lena and Jalynn ride.  When Grandma put her up on the horse Lena said, "Yee haw!!  Giddee up, horsie!"  Next stop were the rides.  Maddie has the absolute diaper rash that I have ever seen, so she just wanted to be held for a while and watch all the kids.  Lena and JJ ran from ride to ride.  L started fussing when each ride would end.  She would only get off with the promise for another ride immediately after.  We were there well into nap time, so at about 2:30 we decided it was time to head home with our two sleepy toddlers. 

Maddie, Lena, and I came to Illinois for my mom's 60th birthday.  This has been by far the busiest trip we have had here.  We took the girls to the fire station one afternoon to see the trucks.  The guys that work there let M and L climb all over everything!  They were so nice and accomodating.  They turned on the lights and horns, let the girls steer the trucks, and gave them stickers and coloring books.

The next day we went to see great grandpa Kenny.  We had a special ice cream treat with him that morning.  I'm not sure who loves it more- my grandpa or Maddie and Lena?

We have spent lots of time with Andrew and his family, too.  Jalynn's 7th birthday was yesterday, so she had a party at the skating rink.  My sister and I used to go skating here every weekend when we were in grade school.  It was fun to see Maddie and Lena strap on some skates.  They were surprisingly good.  I was pretty impressed with how well they stayed on their feet.  My mom, sister, and I skated for just a little while.  It made me pretty nervous, but none of us wiped out!