Fun with the FAM!

Bridget and I on our way out to the mall on Friday. There's nothing better than a little "siser" time! I seem to wear that same sweater in every picture!!!

My nephew, Noah, riding Aunt Bridget! We had TONS of fun with him this weekend. He's such a smart little man.

Aunt Kate and Uncle Eric got Noah a Cars shirt and Cars alarm clock for Christmas! Grandma Karen bought him Cars sheets for his new big boy bed. What more could a 3 year old ask for? He can't wait to meet his new cousins...and neither can his mom. This will be the first time Annie becomes Auntie Annie!

Showering the babies in Kentucky

My sisters, Ann & Bridget, and my best bud Rylan, threw us a baby shower this past weekend. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

We played the smell-the-melted-candy-bar-in-the-diaper game. We all had to smell the brown candy bar surprise in each diaper and figure out which chocolate bar it was. It was AWESOME to watch all of the guests smelling away! The guests also had to draw their best "baby" picture, but there was a catch. They had to draw it with the paper on top of their heads. All of the guests were good sports and had a great time.

We received so many wonderful gifts from all of our family and friends. Tons of clothes, toys, "buttpaste", blankets, and many homemade quilts and afghans. Thank you to all of our family and friends who came in town from Colorado, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, and various parts of Kentucky.

These are the bears that my grandpa Yibby picked out for the babies. He bought all of his 14 grandchildren their first teddy bear, and has now continued that tradition with his great-grandchildren. Thanks grandpa!! You did a great job picking them out, and I'm sure the boys will love them. Don't forget to brag to all of your Florida friends on the golf course that you have great-grand-twins on the way...I bet none of them do! We'll see you on your way back from Florida...hopefully the babies will be here by then..HAVE FUN!

Thanks one more time to Rylan, Ann and Bridget for a great shower! It means the world to us to have such loving and caring family and friends.

The final product...WHEW!!!!

On our way into Kentucky late Thursday night, we had a little fiasco with our Explorer. Bottom line, it caught on fire on Interstate 64 W due to a problem with the axle. No one was hurt by the flames, and they went out on their own after about a 5 minute mini-blaze. 7 months pregnant, shivering in the median between 64 E and W in 12 degree weather, no cell phone service, no exits for MILES, and no way to get a hold of anyone to help us. We'd like to give a SHOUT OUT to the trucker who radioed the cops for us. The car was towed by AAA to the nearest Ford Dealership since it's still under warranty. (Thanks to Eric's parents for the AAA membership every year...we definitely used it!!) My parents woke up and drove an hour and a half to Mt. Sterling, KY to pick us up and all of our luggage and Christmas gifts. (Thanks mom and dad...you were angels this weekend. Sorry to have been such a burden!) We both had to miss work on Monday to get the warranty company to approve a rental car for us to get back to NC. We made it back safe and sound with the car literally busting with gifts. Eric will be heading back to KY sometime next week to pick up the car and return the rental. There's nothing better than a 900 mile round trip drive...anyone up for a ride?

Belly shot!!!

Since I have had SO many requests to see my belly...from those I don't get to see very often...here's a shot for ya! I'm finishing up week 21 and still feeling great! I find that by the time I get home from work, gym, grocery store, then cook dinner, clean up the dishes, and finally eat...I'm POOPED!!! A love one told me I resembled a snowman...not sure if I agree...but snowmen can be kinda cute! :)

Baby Shower Remnants

Here is what was left over after the cake was eaten, punch sipped, games played, and gifts opened. Can you believe the generosity? Thank you notes are already sent!!!!

Each invitation included a Diaper Raffel card! For every pack of diapers each lady brought, their name was put in a hat, or in our case a vase, for a door prize. Congrats to Lori for winning!!! We have a GREAT stack of diapers to start with...760 diapers to be exact. (About 400 were Newborn size) When the average set of twins goes through about 140 diapers a week, we're good for the first month or so!

Thanks again to everyone!

First ever edition of the DANKO FAMILY SCOOP!!!

I figured it was time to start blogging and to "live in the now!"

The most recent news of our family is that we are expecting twin boys in February or March sometime. I'm due in late March, but these little baby boys are going to grace us with their presence much sooner than that! They are to be named Lefty and Righty until we see their beautiful faces and make sure the names we've picked out match their personalities.

I'm still working as the office manager for Utley & Knowles CPAs, but am currently looking for someone to take over at the end of the year. I will then spend the next 2 months taking it easy (at my doctors demand) while my coworkers slave through yet another endlessly stressful tax season. Those two months will be filled with nesting, sleep, reading, and quiet time because I won't remember what those things are after March.

Eric has been very busy the last few months furthering his military career!! He was one of the 25 graduates of EFMB (Expert Field Medical Badge) class in September. It was two weeks of intensive intellectual and physical training to earn this badge which, according to the General who spoke at the graduation, is one of the hardest badges to earn that the military offers. 176 soldiers began the course and only 25 completed the last task which was a 12 mile ruck march in under 3 hours. I was there to see him cross the finish line and was so proud of him!!!

Two weeks later, Eric packed up and headed to Ft. Benning, GA to spend 3 weeks training to become an Airborne Dentist. The picture above is him getting his wings pinned on by his good friend, high school classmate of his from Forest Hills High School, and fellow soldier stationed at Ft. Bragg, Russ Keyser. HOOAH!!!

My sisters SURPRISED me and came in town for a baby shower put on by my coworkers. They conspired with Eric and my two good friends, Lori and Trish, to meet me at lunch on Saturday. I thought Trish and I were getting together for a Saturday lunch, but Ann and Bridget were already waiting in the booth. After some big hugs and a few hormonal tears, we continued to have a wonderful weekend. We had some sister bonding, walked the puppies, made cookies, and then we all spent the afternoon at the shower.


Audra thought it would be funny to see how many squares of toilet paper it takes to go around my chest, and not my belly...since my belly hasn't gotten big enough to surpass the top! Come on babies...GROW!!!! Trish, 7 months pregnant with a little boy, and the future best friend to our babies, picked the exact number of squares. (It's 11 to those of you who are curious!)

Bridget took the toilet paper I tore off and measured me, but I was just ONE square over!!

Thanks to Deana who made this beautiful baby cake! Look at those booties...didn't she do a wonderful job? A great big thanks to my coworkers, family, friends and clients who threw me the shower and literally showered me with gifts. It's nice to know there are people like them in Fayetteville!

I know this initial blog was long, but I had to get set up for the blogs yet to come. I promise it will be more pictures and less blabbing from now on.