What people say when they see 10+ lbs of baby in a belly

I'm 34 weeks pregnant with twin boys. I happen to be measuring 35 weeks. The last couple weeks, I've hit the point where passersby are just saying whatever they want. Mostly, I think it's comical. Here are a few in blue. My responses are included in green.

"I like your shirt. I am sure you'll be glad to hang that one up anyday." - fellow shopper

"Thanks. It's not a maternity shirt. And, I have 5 weeks to go."

"Woah! You're about to explode!" - gas station attendant

"$20 on Pump 1. Thanks."

"Oh, let me back up. You aren't going to be able to make that corner." - fellow shopper

"Yeah, there is no sucking in these days."

"Oh my gosh! You're huge!" - my business client TONIGHT

I just smiled. I love her. Doesn't matter.

TGIF

It's the end of the week!



Bring it on, weekend!

Dog-gone-her: Part III - It is finished

This is easily the most we've ever talked about our dog on this blog. First post here. Second post here. Especially in one week's time. And, this is likely the last post about her. Ever. We're so happy to report Chloe has officially found her new home! Here is the email we got this morning from her new owner...

Hi Crystal,

...The girls are getting along fantastic now. It’s funny how quickly Andi has adapted to another dog in her home. They’re really cute together now. They were even napping side by side last night. We’ve had no problems at all with Chloe. She’s been an absolute joy. We love her...

Quite surprisingly (and very thankfully) the boys have only asked about her twice since the weekend when we dropped her off. We've told them that she's gone to stay with her new dog friend. And, shockingly, LA hasn't grilled us and asked 37 more questions. He did say yesterday, "Where is Chloe?" But, quickly moved on to something else. We originally planned to take them over to see her new home, but as of today, we decided not to do that. It might just complicate things. We don't need that.

So, after we drop off her documentation this weekend, the transition is complete. It's right.

To honor our fantastic pup, here's a super cute video of her with Boatboy when he was a wee one...

Dog-gone-her: Part II - Chloe update

As you know, we're seeking a new home for our westie Chloe. Below is a lovely note we got this morning from Chloe's likely new owner. She's staying with him, his partner and their Jack Russell, Andi, (who's Chloe's same age) for a few nights as a trial. If all things progress well, we'll move her in later this week.


Hi Crystal,

Wanted to drop you a short note to let you know that Chloe’s first night went really well. She’s such a good girl. She went right to her crate at bedtime. Andi and I spent the night in the basement (where her crate is) with her so she wouldn’t be lonely on her first night. The girls are getting along pretty well now that the dust is settling. Chloe and Andi were very good to each other when I let Chloe out of her crate this morning...all wags and sniffs. Breakfast time went well and morning potty went well. It’s all good. She’s a really sweet girl and we’re really enjoying her. I see the potential for some serious spoiling on our part.

Just wanted to give you an update.


So excited our little girl has likely found her new loving home!!!

Dog-gone-her

While this is a dog post I assure you it's not all puppies and rainbows. Turn back now if you can't handle life and death discussions regarding pets. It's also signficantly longer than the average post here at Blondes, Poop & Mascara. I'm feeling inspired. You'll see why.

Just before our 1st wedding anniversary, she showed up as a gift to Mrs. Blonde in the spring of 2005. A perfect white little cotton ball ready to love and be loved. And, she did. And, she is. Tremendously so really! Six years ago our little white westie, Chloe, was born into our family. Our first baby if you will.

I'm a dog person. (Which isn't to say I'm not a cat person. I don't dislike cats. But, I don't like them either. Where was I...yes. Dogs.) I've had a dog in my dwelling place my entire life except a few years in college. I've always loved it that way. They are after all man's best friend. But, their stories don't always end well.

Frosty (Westie): My first. Great little dog! I must have been 6 years old when I came home from the 1st grade to be told that he had to "be put to sleep" due to horrific skin conditions. Truth is, the dude was absolutely miserable most of the time. Scraping open sores to ease his pain. Sad scenario. Dead.

Cookie (Jack Russell Terrier): She had this crazy mixture of hair types. Long straight around her neck and slick throughout. Equals = a lion mane. Good stuff. She was high energy. A jack russel; high energy? I know. She'd had a litter of puppies; was let outside for a potty break and never came back. Dogs don't leave their young. Stolen. Gone.

Dundee (Jack Russel Terrier): One of Cookie's pups. Of course I named him after the hottest cinematic sensation of the day. Three weeks after moving him (and our entire family) from the city where I spent the first seven years of my life to the countryside where I spent the next 13, he got hit by a car. On Friday, the 13th. SOB never even slowed down before Dundee was plowed down. Not even a brake mark in the road. My Dad buried him in our pasture. Dead.

Yeller (Mountain Feist): Naming a dog after Old Yeller takes two things. Integrity (because that movie is full of it). And, ignorance...because the dog gets rabies and then a bullet to the head. Yeller had a calm temperment. He was incredibly strong for his size. We used to pick him up by whatever toy he was clinging to and dangle him in mid-air while he tugged and flipped about. He was a sturdy sidekick. He stayed inside most of the time. But, when he was in the back yard, he played with his big friend...

Bear (1/4 Huskey, 3/4 Timber Wolf, yeah you read that right): Bad ass dog! Huge! He never came inside. Well, when my brother and I were home alone he did. But, a 120lb wolf dog isn't the most elegant creature traipsing through the house. We could practically ride this beast like a horse. In the snow, he pulled us around on our sleds. People feared him. We adored him. One spring, it's theorized that he and Yeller got into a yard treatment chemical that was to have been killer on weeds yet safe for animals. Turns out, it wasn't safe. Seizures started up. Then, more regularly. Bear's seizures soon became accompanied by anger. Before long, he wasn't safe. My Dad couldn't trust him around us boys. He was euthanized farm-style (.22). Dead. Yeller - the same fate. The brain damage was too much. Dead.

Muffin (Jack Russel Terrier): She's the mainstay. Sweet. Kind. Not spastic-Jack-Russel in the slightest. When we would sing, she would howl with us. She ate food from my Dad's mouth. That's too much. I know. But, it was always funny. She had several litters of puppies. We loved it! Even watching her birth them was awesome. By the time the tumors became too much for her body to handle, she'd lost an eye in the battle, had her sinuses rearranged and been with us for over a decade. Not that there wasn't with the others, but a special deep set of tears came to pass when she did. Dead.

Butch (Jack Russel Terrier): One of Muffin's pups. A classic Jack. Good looking dog. Fine manners. Just a few weeks after I met Crystal in the late Spring of 2003, I got a call from my crying mother. He'd gotten into a loose bag of chips in the bathroom trashcan. While foraging for crumbs the bag got stuck on his head. He couldn't get out. Trapped; he suffocated. My heart still breaks for this guy. A disturbing end to his story in every way. Dead.

Then there's DOZENS upon dozens of coon dogs. Mostly Walkers. Some Curs. Skunk, Jim, Susie, Horny (my Dad named him), JB, Chopper, Pac, John, Slammer and there were more.

Mrs. Blonde's had one dog. Ever. Just one. Noel (Maltese) lived to be 37...alright...14. But, that's it. Just one dog. Recounting my dog days when Crystal and I first met, she thought my stories (and possibly me) to be completely insane! And, you probably do too. That's fine. So do I. They're not the norm. But, they're mine. Most are tragic. All involve loss. Yet I gained so much from them!

I'm a dog person and Crystal is for certain dogs. Noel and Chloe being a couple of them.

And, we have Chloe. Right now anyway. As you can read in the blog header, we jokingly began referring to her as our "White Afterthought" after LA was born. We're man enough to admit that at this point, she's become the thought after the after thought. And, that's just not right! She's perfect. Seriously. Adorable. Great with the boys. Leash trained, but you don't even have to use one. She just stays alongside you outside. Stays off the furniture (if you want her to). Goes for runs with us. Loves to ride in the car (and boat). Enjoys cuddling. Knows several commands by hand and/or voice. She's happy. All. The. Time. She's everything we ever wanted. Which is why it's so hard to consider seeing her go. And, why it's so right seeing her go. She doesn't deserve to not get the right amount of attention. We've neglected her.

Flipping through all our photos of her tonight, I approached the "2010" folder. Guess how many photos in almost 900 featured Chloe? ONE! And, that's only because she photobombed a photo I was taking of Boatboy.

To add to it, we started to notice a few months ago that whenever Boatboy is near her for very long he starts sneezing like crazy! We haven't diagnosed him as alergic to dogs. But, we know he can't be around her. [NOTE: Please don't mention this to LA or Boatboy if you personally know them. The last thing we need is for his alergies (or him) to be blamed for anything.]

As of yesterday, Mrs. Blonde found Chloe, what is likely to be her future home: A dog-loving single guy who has a Jack Russell and wants some more company for the two of them. We're all meeting each other tomorrow to feel out the fit.

As I type this, ol' girl is sleeping on the floor next to me and I'm feeling all "It's not you it's me." But, I'm 100% satisfied that her story hasn't ended like the others before her. Still pacing steadily ahead, she's just ready for another chapter.

-Mr. Blonde

Follow Blondes, Poop & Mascara on Twitter @mrsblonde1

#1 turns 4

While we never really want to admit it, us Gen X parents, some cliches about family life aren't cliches at all. They're shared wisdom. "Time flies" is one worth authenticating.

Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine when this guy was born that he would some day be the oldest brother of four! He's gone from our first little baby boy to our first pre-K bound little man in what seems like a flash.

Happy Birthday, LA!



birth



One



Two



Three



Four

We just love you and love watching you grow up!

32 weeks!

It's always SO nice to get to see these boys and get good reports. It never gets old!

At 32 weeks they're each measuring at 33 weeks. And, are each 4 1/2 pounds. That's NINE pounds of baby, folks!

Click on the ultrasound image to the left to get a magnified view of their tiny boy cuteness!

I’m Disappointed In Me

I have a distinct memory of having been gifted a 3D puzzle of sorts when I was around 10 years old. It was complicated. It had brightly colored crazy looking geometric shapes all over it. It folded in obtuse ways. The goal was to get certain shapes and colors to align. It was fun. Think Rubik’s Cube meets Jacob’s Ladder.

The difficulty of the puzzle trumped fun when I got stumped by the trivia of it all and pressed so hardly on a piece of the game that it broke the entire puzzle. After my initial relief (“Ha, I showed you stupid puzzle!”), I remember an overwhelming sense of guilt form over my pre-pubescent heart. At a tender age, I felt the burden of my disrespect for the gift I’d received. I’d taken something I never earned in the first place…and trashed it.

I remember taking the broken pieces to my Mom (she’s known mostly as Grandma these days) and apologizing through the tears rolling down my face. I remember her abruptly ending the phone conversation she’d been on and her saying “It’s ok. You didn’t mean to.” While her grace felt nice and permitted me to relax a bit the fact remained that I DID mean to do it. I was frustrated and responded by destroying my toy. It was NOT an accident. And, I felt horrible over what I’d done.

This brings up two questions:

1) How are you at extending grace in the lives of your children? Are you quick to forgive like my Mom was grasping the moment following an indecent action as a time to teach? Or, perhaps you’re too quick to forgive (“Oh, it’s fine. We’ll buy another one.”) brushing aside the opportunity to talk through the importance of permitting people to make mistakes in life and grow through them?

2) How are you at modeling for your children how to receive that same mercy when YOU need it? Re-read that same question to make sure you understand what I’m asking here. I’m still learning how important it is to receive grace in my life so that I can teach our boys the same life lesson. If you’re a Christian, like Mrs. Blonde and me, then this is essential to the Gospel message because the more you get hung up on yourself and your own issues the less you’re giving Life to others. As Mrs. Blonde puts it so clearly, “Get over yourself!”

If you can’t answer those two questions in the comment section on this entry, how about writing your own post (including stories gets bonus points) and linking back to it in the comment section here? If you’re the Twittering kind, tweet your response(s) including @mrsblonde1 and a link to this post too.

-Mr. Blonde

Smile! New baby pics!

After yesterday's pregnant-with-twins drama, today's overly positive reports were great to hear from the OB office.

The twins are growing extremely well! They're actually measuring one week ahead of singletons! Ugh! :) Their hearts were fluttering nicely. And, they're all snuggled up next to each other in my belly. "You're baking some good babies in there!" the doc told us.

Enjoy the pics!

the time has come

I have been reading about this day a lot lately. In my multiples books. On blogs. Thinking it would not happen to me this early. Nope. I have two toddlers at home. I can't slow down. I am going to be running around town until the end. Just like I did with my first two pregnancies. Carrying twins can't be that much harder?!?

Today started out great. A morning to myself. Mother-in law had the boys so I thought perfect time to catch up on laundry, dusting and prepping the house for our house church that meets in our home on Thursday nights. I was feeling great and had no distractions.

The kids came home and I took Boatboy for his 2-year-old well appointment. He got a great report too! 95% in height. 45% in weight. And, "speaks better than most 3-year-olds I (pediatrician) see." A proud mother am I.

Got home. Made lunch for the boys. Then, put both boys down for their nap. Made lunch for myself and mother-in-law. After she left for her hair appointment it was time to rest.

I have had some sore days. And, many sick days in the beginning through this 28-week journey for sure. BUT, today was the day where I realized I had done way too much. Once I started feeling what I thought was some contractions I laid on my side, chugged water and had some more protein. The pulsating, striking pain straight to the downward "area" started to really concern me. After about 2 hours of breath taking pain I decided to call the doctor's office. After hearing my symptoms they wanted me in triage at the hospital immediately. That was not the response I was looking for. Nor was I prepared to have these sweet boys tonight.

I started praying that God would take away the contractions and keep these babies in longer. After calling Mr. Blonde and packing up the big boys (in the pouring rain) I was simply just trying to stay calm...
This cannot be happening. I am only 28 weeks pregnant. We don't have the nursery done. I don't have all the baby stuff out and ready The house is not ready. This is not happening!

Trying so hard to hold it together and prevent the tears welled up in the corners of my eyes as I drive to the hospital to meet Mr. Blonde, I cranked up Justin Bieber so the boys would dance, sing and laugh! That little Disney popster helped too!

Two other times I've walked through those doors so excited! This time, I was in all but complete panic. They were waiting for me. My doctor's office had already called ahead. I was escorted to triage immediately. I laid in the bed hooked up to monitors and waited for news.

I kept asking, "Am I having contractions?" "Am I dilated?" Self talk. Fear. Rebuking it all. Calling on God every second for sustained faith and safety for the twins. And, me.

After a half hour (which seemed to be 2 hours) the first report was good. No contractions. Then, the second report. Just 25% effaced. And, the boys are doing great.

So, what gives?! Why all the pain?! Turns out Baby A is very low and hitting a nerve or sitting on a ligament that is lighting up every pain receptor down south. The ultrasound actually showed him moving his little head in unison with me wiggling around on the bed in discomfort.

Furthermore, the doc believes the cramping is happening from a day of way too much. He also warned me that bedrest is, in fact, the next step in all of this. Three hours later I'm on the couch and the little guy is still causing me complete discomfort.

But, you know what?! I'm HOME!

I am completely unable to do anything since this pain started. So the dreaded time has come. I have to slow down. I'm having two babies. Not one. I'm not superwoman after all.

Thank goodness for an amazing husband who is doing the dishes and laundry right now. It's really hard to sit here and watch him do all of this after working all day and caring for / putting the boys to bed. Oh, and, fetch me ice water! :) I know it is only for a short time, but it is still very hard.

Please keep me in your prayers as I get bigger and bigger and bigger and look and feel like a beached whale. Also that these twin boys stay in me for much longer.

Happy Birthday to my sweet love!

My amazing husband turns 32 today. As I was planning this "celebration day"...I have had so many emotions run through my mind. So here are a few....

Amos-You are such a blessing to me and all of our kiddos. I am so thankful God hand picked you for me. Thank you for being on this life journey with me. Everyday is something new and I love sharing each moment with you. I celebrate the gift you are to me and our 4 boys. You truly bring out the best in all of us. You love us so well! I love you so much!! Happy Birthday!

I love celebrating birthdays. This morning I made a yummy breakfast served with a candle and LA played his guitar to a Happy Birthday song to Dada. We are very excited for what the rest evening holds.....the boys are having fun preparing for their Dada's arrival!!

last "Family of Four" photo highlights [Part 2]

You saw Part 1 of our last Family of Four photo session earlier this week. This is Part 2 of our fav shots captured recently by Katelin Carter of Full Pockets Photography.



This is our favorite picture of the two boys from the entire session. They were playing peek-a-boo with "Dadda" and jumping up and down on an old park bench and caught being their playful selves so well in this shot. We're lucky the bench didn't break!



Family of Four (well, six if you count the bumps in Mrs. Blonde's belly visible here to the left of Boatboy).



For what we can recall this is the first hands-on-pregnant-belly shot we have on file. We didn't know Katelin took it until we got the final disc of images. Fitting that such a photo was taken of the last pregnancy we'll ever have (at least we're saying that now...nothing's done until it's done).



The boys



All teeth!



The family portrait classic. Everyone walking away from the camera. Why do we like this so much. Can't see any faces. Can see everyone's cans. Yet, we still like it.

NUTS scare!

About a month ago, our lives changes forever (no, this post isn't twins related) when we learned through a series of increasingly agitated responses that our 2-year-old, Boatboy, is officially allergic to peanuts. We were told by the doctor it wasn't severe but it wasn't mild either. We were to read labels copiously, check at restaurants where we dine regarding the food preparation and carry Benadryl around just-in-case. And, we've been good at it. Boatboy even asks when I'm reading the side of a box, "No nuts?" Up until Monday, we had experienced no reactions to peanuts because we've been very cautious.

Today was not one of those days.

LA, Boatboy and I ran to Target just down the street to pick up diapers and a "special treat." They chose fruit snacks. Typically they want strawberry but this time they ventured out and picked kiwi-watermelon. Sounds delicious right?! Same generic brand. Different flavor. The boys know they don't their snacks until we get to the van. Once we got to the van I ripped open two bags and handed each their bag. I then drove 500 feet across the parking lot to quickly cash a business check. It hadn't been even 60 seconds since his first bite and Boatboy started coughing like he was choking. In a matter of seconds between just thinking he was coughing and handing him his cup, he starting puking all over the van. I quickly said to my familiar bank lady, "My kid is sick! I will be back later!" And, ripped out of the bank.

Scanning the box ... "may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts" And, no Benadryl in my purse. I had tears in my eyes racing back to the house thinking...

"How is this happening?!"

"How did I not check the box?"

"I always check the box."

"The normal strawberry target brand that we always get do not have any peanuts in them!"

1 minutes later we were back in the driveway. Snatching my vomit-covered son I ran in and dosed him with the medicine. Van still running in the driveway with my almost-4-year-old, LA, still strapped in this prego was ready to race to the ER if necessary. Astonishingly! - The coughing stopped in about 45 secods. Thank God! We went back out the van and sweet LA was so worried. He said right away "I will get the strawberry fruit snacks next time!" So precious!

Lesson learned.

ALWAYS check the box and ALWAYS carry Benadryl. In a peanut butter loving family, this is especially quite a journey we have ahead of us. It was definitely one of the scariest moments I've ever had as a mother.

I'm so thankful to God we were close to home and this happened with me and not when Boatboy was with someone else.

last "Family of Four" photo highlights [Part 1]

I wanted to share some of our last Family of Four photos with you from a recent session with Full Pockets Photography. It was megahot out the morning of these photos. But, thanks to a willing aunt & uncle to assist, the wonders of blowing bubbles and bribery of marshmallows, we had a blast!

It is crazy to imagine there are going to be two more little guys in our next family photo session!

I've broken this up into a couple posts along with some other updates you'll see this week from Blondes, Poop & Mascara. We love you, your photography gifts and your friendship, Katelin!



Love this one!!



We found a trail we'd never been down. So, of course, off the boys went.



LA lovin' on the twins. Not a posed photo. :)



Boatboy carrying a stick bigger than him. Again, not a posed photo.

More to come later this week. Hope you all are well!

Nesting. The 3rd trimester begins!

Is it because my body is really starting to ache?

...or that my head is telling me how big I am really going to be?

...I don't know.

But, I am experiencing pain like I have never felt during pregnancy and I am only 24 weeks. 24 weeks?! That means I'm officially in my third trimester. Wow!

I (mostly Mr. Blonde carrying out my motives) have been trying to get the big boys' room ready, the nursery organized, blinds for our massive picture window in the living area, prepping for a garage sale purge, finding a large dining room table (for SIX!) and putting together a new playroom (office conversion). Along with much more. Nesting they call it.


In addition to preparing our home for two more adorable little boys, I'm preparing in practical ways like getting a rocking recliner instead of a rocking chair to nurse two babies at once instead of just one. Since we're talking nursing, the right gear is also crucial. Like this Peek-a-boo nursing shirt. The Peek-a-boo maternity and nursing collection enables us nursing mommas to breastfeed without exposing ourselves and still looking quite stylish. The side stitching really flatters my belly. I feel good while wearing this shirt! It's practical and comfortable yet stylish. Nobody would ever know it's a nursing shirt! There is also a cute little duck illustration situated on the inside of my tank that is only revealed while feeding. It gives the baby something to look at and provides us Mommas of a little reminder of what side we last fed on. Brilliant!

This is a practical tank that I enjoy now in my 24th week and will continue to enjoy through my nursing days with the twins!

Thanks Peek-a-boo for allowing me to review the cap sleeve tank in exchange for this review. Be sure to check out the entire collection!

maternal comfort

Comfort, simplicity and bump style. My twins boys are causing me to really find more quality simple pieces that are comfortable as I get humongous!!

This is my 3rd pregnancy and I can't believe I just recently discovered the amazing Bellaband. I am always looking to stretch a dollar and find more comfy clothes while I am preggo. Ingrid & Isabel have it all figured out. They carry only staple items. I love it! So practical and so comfy. The first product that I was thoroughly impressed with is the Bellaband. Some people use it when their maternity pants are too big. But, I love it for support and comfort. I look forward to using it post pregnancy as well.

You also have to check out the Ruched tank. It is my favorite tank!! Last week I wore it 3 days in a row and that includes through the night. That is how very comfortable it is. It looks so cute with a skirt or a cami over it. It is a seamless tank that can expand even more...thank goodness because I look 7 months now and have a long way yet!

Another staple piece is their everyday cami. Again just pure comfort. It is longer than my other preggo cami, seamless and quality. It has been washed and washed and washed and looks brand new each time out of the washer.

I have been very impressed with Ingrid & Isabel. The simplicity of their site and their collection is just brilliant. I love the three pieces I was able to review in exchange for writing my thoughts on this blog. Thanks Ingrid & Isabel. I love love your products!

Wordless Wednesday

i. hate. laundry.

I am completely horrible at laundry. I don't enjoy doing it. It's not a priority during my day. And, I have 25 pair of underwear so I have never need to do that often! BUT, it can't be this way. My husband likes clean clothes in his drawers and not in a basket. I have 2 boys who stain clothes. And I am expecting two more boys!

You know what I love about laundry? When it's done. I really need to work on doing a load everyday to keep up. It was much easier when I was just doing my own laundry. But, that was 7 years ago! It is definitley something I need to improve on. So I kind of laughed when MomSelect contacted me to review a laundry detergent. But I do love detergent that really works and fits our budget.

I was sent some new all Ox-Active Laundry Detergent. I was very excited to give this 2-in-1 advanced cleaning powder a chance. I usually just buy whatever is on sale. But I have been noticing how hard it is to get grass stains out. I have really noticed a difference in the way this new Oxi Active gets out stains. And it doesn't break the budget!! With 2 active boys and an active hubby I need a GOOD and TOUGH laundry detergent!

Oxi-Active delivers cleaning powder that keep whites vibrant and colored clothes extemely bright. It is safe for both traditional and high-efficency washing machines. Ours is "traditional." It is the most powerful all product on the market.

I know I need a laundry detergent that is going to fight stains the first time for a reasonable price. I have almost finished the bottle provided to be and I am loving it! Though it has not changed my motivation to do laundry, I have found a new detergent that really works!

Guess who else gets to try some? You or any other reader that enters to win. I have two bottles to give away! What Mom doesn't want a free bottle of laundry detergent that fights grass stains, blood, wine, grape juice, coffee, formula and chocolate!?

Buy a bottle: $4.49 for a 28 load bottle at most all mass merchandisers and food stores.

Win a bottle: Two Blondes, Poop & Mascara readers will each win a bottle of all Oxi-Active detergent. Leave me a comment about a major stain you have faced.

Extra Entries:
1. Follow my blog publicly through Google's easy reader tool.
2. Subscribe to my blog via email (and except the confirmation email).
3. Follow @mrsblonde1 on Twitter
4. Tweet about this giveaway like so "Hey! @mrsblonde1 is giving away All Oxi-Active laundry detergent (all-laundry.com) Enter here: http://tinyurl.com/27v6z7y Please RT"
5. Grab my button and post it to your cyber space.
6. Tell 4 friends via email and cc me.
7. Blog about this contest and leave the link in your comment.
8. Friend / Fan all detergent on Facebook.

Thank you once again MomSelect and all for allowing me to review a pair of shoes in exchange for my honest review!

sandal season by Eleven

Once again I'm thrilled to tell you I received a pair of quality shoes from Eleven! This time it's LA's casual sandals from the new Spring/Summer Collection. I absolutely love their vintage styles with classic designs. They are always so playful and modern.

From this collection I chose a very classic brown leather sandal called Rolando. LA loves wearing them. The sole is so durable yet comfortable with amazing traction. It really is like a gym shoe. The top part of the shoe is leather and the inside has a cushioned insole and padded collar for extra comfort. My favorite part is the adjustable velcro! LA wears them running, jumping, climbing and they still look BRAND NEW.


And wow the girls collection is something to see too! Even though there are no girls in our testosterone filled home, I love to check out their feminine collection. Look at these Chloe Berry and Astrid White. So cute and unique.

Buy a pair: Get a classic must-have shoe for your child from Eleven Collection

Win a pair: Eleven is giving one Blondes, Poop & Mascara reader a pair of shoes. Your choice. Leave me a comment on which pair you like most and for whom.

Extra Entries:
1. Follow my blog publicly through Google's easy reader tool.
2. Subscribe to my blog via email (and except the confirmation email).
3. Follow @mrsblonde1 on Twitter
4. Tweet about this giveaway like so "Hey! @mrsblonde1 is giving away a pair of @ElevenShoes to all those who enter here: http://tinyurl.com/26d2t5n Please RT"
5. Grab my button and post it to your cyber space.
6. Tell 4 friends via email and cc me.
7. Blog about this contest and leave the link in your comment.
8. Follow @ElevenShoes on Twitter.
9. Join Eleven's mailing list.

Thank you once again Eleven for allowing me to review a pair of shoes in exchange for my honest review!

Top 10 Responses to our having two more boys...

As you likely know, on this pregnant-with-twins journey, we found out last Friday that we're expecting TWO MORE BOYS! We couldn't be more excited! We can't appropriately thank the mass number of people that have congratulated us. Our favorite responses are outlined below...

10) "Congratulations!" - several

9) "That's the last thing I expected!" - Jenni (@jennik80)

8) "I wanted girls!" & "You have to try again." - several

7) "Just one more and you'll have a basketball team!" - several

6) "You're stealing all the boys. I want one!" - Sly

5) "Have mercy on your grocery bill in 15 years!" - Emily (@designhermomma)

4) "God must need u 2 to raise some strong men! Just pad a room in the house now!" - Chris (@chrreed)

3) "You've saved approximately $2.4 million in wedding costs by going this route." - Nate

2) / Mrs. Blonde's smile in the ultrasound room /

1) "I'm going to have three brothers!...I love that!" - LA, our oldest son (3.5-yr-old)