What's with all the kisses all the time?! (Here is Dex with my friend Rachel... poor guy, he tolerates us all!) 
Saturday, February 25, 2006
The downside of being so cute
What's with all the kisses all the time?! (Here is Dex with my friend Rachel... poor guy, he tolerates us all!)
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Feeding Frenzies
The past few weeks have quite the adventure, as we have been trying to introduce the boys to spoon feedings. I never imagined this would be a complicated process. I visualized the happy first feeding as a moments filled with smiles, giggles, and two wide, eager mouths ready to gulp down every bit. Our reality has been quite different!
We started with rice cereal, just like we were advised. We tried mixing it with breast milk, we tried mixing it with water.... nothing made it past the tight lips of our two little boys, though! Four or five days after trying repeated attempts to get them to eat cereal, we introced bananas... then a few days later, applesauce. Both food provided the same result: gagging, crying, squirming, screaming... followed by more tight lips and adament food refusals! If even the smallest amount of food made it into the boys' mouths, they proceeded to either gag until it dribbled out or simply spit it out, which seems to be much more effective. :)
Two days ago we achieved success! It was a day I was beginning to think would never come. I heard trumpets sounding the moment when Dexter licked his banana-covered mouth and decided that yes, in fact, he did want more of this sweet substance. I watched eagerly as he looked at me, then at the spoon, then back at me... and opened his mouth widely for a real bite of food! This morning, Jaxon followed suit, accepting his first real meal of... you named it, bananas. (I guess we do have two little monkeys!)
Yes, my fears have been erased. No longer will I imagine our two little boys, going off to kindergarten with sippy cups filled with breastmilk. :)
We started with rice cereal, just like we were advised. We tried mixing it with breast milk, we tried mixing it with water.... nothing made it past the tight lips of our two little boys, though! Four or five days after trying repeated attempts to get them to eat cereal, we introced bananas... then a few days later, applesauce. Both food provided the same result: gagging, crying, squirming, screaming... followed by more tight lips and adament food refusals! If even the smallest amount of food made it into the boys' mouths, they proceeded to either gag until it dribbled out or simply spit it out, which seems to be much more effective. :)
Two days ago we achieved success! It was a day I was beginning to think would never come. I heard trumpets sounding the moment when Dexter licked his banana-covered mouth and decided that yes, in fact, he did want more of this sweet substance. I watched eagerly as he looked at me, then at the spoon, then back at me... and opened his mouth widely for a real bite of food! This morning, Jaxon followed suit, accepting his first real meal of... you named it, bananas. (I guess we do have two little monkeys!)
Yes, my fears have been erased. No longer will I imagine our two little boys, going off to kindergarten with sippy cups filled with breastmilk. :)
Friday, February 17, 2006
Mornings can be so much fun
This photo just cracks me up. Dex is on the left, looking oh-so-cute... and Jax was in the midst of SUCH a giggle fit!
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Friday, February 10, 2006
Adventures in Diaperland
It happened again the other day. I ran into an old acquaintance and one of the first things she asked me was, “So, now that you’re not working anymore, what do you do all day?” I smiled politely and told her that my little rascals kept me pretty busy, not wanting to bore her with the minute details of caring for two babies. She pressed on, however. “Yeah, but… what ELSE have you been doing? You know, in all your spare time.” Again, I smiled politely and laughed a little bit. “I don’t really have that much spare time,” I replied. Then I saw the expression… the shadow of doubt mixed with sheer disbelief. I’m sure she imagined me at home, sitting on my couch reading a magazine, while my two darling boys slept the afternoon away or played by themselves.
I have been struggling with a way of communicating just how involved a day with two babies can be. I’m not saying it’s rocket science, nor that it takes a super woman to handle it… I’m just saying it takes effort, patience, dedication, a lot of love… and the realization that your day is not your own… it belongs to your children. I’ve also realized that describing one small portion of my day can be highly effective.
Here is an example of how a simple dual-diaper change can take a good half hour…
-Carry babies upstairs to change diapers
-Place baby A on changing table and placate baby B on the floor with a few toys
-Change baby A’s diaper
Baby A keeps trying to pull clean diaper out from under him, and in the process of wrestling it away from him, you let the wash-cloth you use to cover him up slip… and he proceeds to re-inact one of the most overdone movie scenes of all-time. Yes, it involves a naked baby boy and a surprised (and wet) adult.
You check on Baby B, who has rolled under the crib. Pull him out from under crib. Hand him a new toy.
You remove Baby A’s clothes and give him a quick wash-down (never mind your own clothes!). You give him a nice clean diaper and a nice, dry set of clothes, stopping twice in the process to pull Baby B out from under the crib. Whew! One down, one to go!
Switch babies. (This is not always as smooth a transaction as it may seem.)
-Change baby B’s diaper
Baby B has a dirty diaper that has managed to explode up his back (SO pleasant). Unfortunately, you are FAR too used to this. You carefully remove all his clothes and the dirty diaper. You give him a quick wash-down, stopping twice in the process to pull Baby A out of the blanket he has managed to roll himself into. You give Baby B a clean diaper and clean clothes. You stop again to stop Baby A from crying, as he just rolled into the dresser.
Now Baby B is crying, as he is tired of being on the changing table. Take a few moments to calm him... a song and dance should do the trick. You spray his clothes with stain remover, place him on the floor next to his brother and run to the bathroom to wash out the clothes before the stain sets in. Two minutes later, you hear shrieks from the babies’ room and run in to find the two babies grabbing at each other’s ears and noses. You separate the babies and run back to the bathroom to wring out and hang the clean baby clothes. Again, shrieks from the babies’ room. You run back to find Baby B under the crib again and Baby A tangled in the blanket. Aagh!
You quickly pull Baby B out from under the crib and rescue Baby A from the evil blanket…. When you realize that Baby A has a dirty diaper (the last one was just wet). You consider jumping out the window, but see how cute your babies look and imagine them explaining to their future friends how their mom abandoned them during a diaper-changing marathon…. And you jump right back into the everyday chaos that has become your life!
How would that be for an answer… the next time someone asks me what I do now that I’m home full-time? :)
I have been struggling with a way of communicating just how involved a day with two babies can be. I’m not saying it’s rocket science, nor that it takes a super woman to handle it… I’m just saying it takes effort, patience, dedication, a lot of love… and the realization that your day is not your own… it belongs to your children. I’ve also realized that describing one small portion of my day can be highly effective.
Here is an example of how a simple dual-diaper change can take a good half hour…
-Carry babies upstairs to change diapers
-Place baby A on changing table and placate baby B on the floor with a few toys
-Change baby A’s diaper
Baby A keeps trying to pull clean diaper out from under him, and in the process of wrestling it away from him, you let the wash-cloth you use to cover him up slip… and he proceeds to re-inact one of the most overdone movie scenes of all-time. Yes, it involves a naked baby boy and a surprised (and wet) adult.
You check on Baby B, who has rolled under the crib. Pull him out from under crib. Hand him a new toy.
You remove Baby A’s clothes and give him a quick wash-down (never mind your own clothes!). You give him a nice clean diaper and a nice, dry set of clothes, stopping twice in the process to pull Baby B out from under the crib. Whew! One down, one to go!
Switch babies. (This is not always as smooth a transaction as it may seem.)
-Change baby B’s diaper
Baby B has a dirty diaper that has managed to explode up his back (SO pleasant). Unfortunately, you are FAR too used to this. You carefully remove all his clothes and the dirty diaper. You give him a quick wash-down, stopping twice in the process to pull Baby A out of the blanket he has managed to roll himself into. You give Baby B a clean diaper and clean clothes. You stop again to stop Baby A from crying, as he just rolled into the dresser.
Now Baby B is crying, as he is tired of being on the changing table. Take a few moments to calm him... a song and dance should do the trick. You spray his clothes with stain remover, place him on the floor next to his brother and run to the bathroom to wash out the clothes before the stain sets in. Two minutes later, you hear shrieks from the babies’ room and run in to find the two babies grabbing at each other’s ears and noses. You separate the babies and run back to the bathroom to wring out and hang the clean baby clothes. Again, shrieks from the babies’ room. You run back to find Baby B under the crib again and Baby A tangled in the blanket. Aagh!
You quickly pull Baby B out from under the crib and rescue Baby A from the evil blanket…. When you realize that Baby A has a dirty diaper (the last one was just wet). You consider jumping out the window, but see how cute your babies look and imagine them explaining to their future friends how their mom abandoned them during a diaper-changing marathon…. And you jump right back into the everyday chaos that has become your life!
How would that be for an answer… the next time someone asks me what I do now that I’m home full-time? :)
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Six month photo
Six months old!!! Jax is on the left. Dex is on the right. I love how they instinctively reach for each other (okay, so they instinctively reach for ANYTHING... but it's adorable when they hold onto each other).
The best
The best is when the babies fall asleep downstairs and I get to carry their sweet, relaxed little bodies up the stairs to their cribs.
The best is when they burrow their little faces in my neck.
The best is when they squeeze my arm with their little fingers.
The best is when they stare into my eyes before closing their own to fall asleep.
The best is when they've had a nice long nap and I'm hoping my hardest that they wake up soon... since I've already started to miss them.
The best is when they burrow their little faces in my neck.
The best is when they squeeze my arm with their little fingers.
The best is when they stare into my eyes before closing their own to fall asleep.
The best is when they've had a nice long nap and I'm hoping my hardest that they wake up soon... since I've already started to miss them.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Second night... do I dare hope for more?
Ten+ hours last night! Woo-hoo!!! Now I really AM starting to believe we're on the verge of some sort of greatness. I'm afraid to get too excited, it's only been two nights... but imagine how functional we'll all be with an extra hour or so of sleep each night! Last night, after the boys went to bed I managed to finish laundry, a kitchen full of dishes, check email, knit a few rows, return a phone call and savor a lovely little root beer float. Yes, I was in full celebration mode. Yes, I could EASILY get used to this.
Shout out to Great Aunt Kathy!!!!!
After our Gopher family photo, my Aunt Kathy sent the whole family Louisville Cardinal cothes... and I have tried countless times to redo the photo with our new red and black! There have been heads cut out, tears present, spitting up, major baby meltdowns and diaper problems.... all preventing the photo from taking place. So far, this is the best I've been able to do. The saga is far from over, mind you! I'm not giving up! We'll get the four of us yet!
Monday, February 06, 2006
Our little olympians
It the spirit of the winter olympics, Dex and Jax seem determined to set a few records of their own! Prepare yourself for the astonishing.... last night, Dex slept for TEN HOURS and Jax made it a full ELEVEN! Yes, I did check on them several times to make sure they were okay... and they were. Maybe this is the start of something new! Maybe I'm on the verge of something great... waking up feeling well-rested! What little champions!
In other record-breaking news, both boys are training hard at perfecting their newfound ability to pronounce a few syllables. Favorites (okay, so they only have three) are "ba ba ba," "guh, guh, guh" and "meh, meh, meh." And they're complete masters at "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" The best is seeing how pleased they look when I reply with my own little combination of, "ba ba guh guh." It's as if they're thinking, "Wow! She really understood me!" Pretty cute.
In other record-breaking news, both boys are training hard at perfecting their newfound ability to pronounce a few syllables. Favorites (okay, so they only have three) are "ba ba ba," "guh, guh, guh" and "meh, meh, meh." And they're complete masters at "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" The best is seeing how pleased they look when I reply with my own little combination of, "ba ba guh guh." It's as if they're thinking, "Wow! She really understood me!" Pretty cute.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Triumph!
I am VERY happy to report that we have found the pediatrician of my dreams! A few months ago, I met another mother of twins (always a treat!) who is a nurse at a pediatrician's office. Her twins see a pediatrician at that practice and she told me that several of the doctors that work there are parents of twins, themselves. Based on her recommendation, I gave it a shot.
The doctor we saw has twins and joked about cornering the market on twin patients. The boys were his third set of twins that day! He took over an hour and a half to see the boys, which just completely blew me away. I so frequently felt rushed through appointments with our last doctor. When I thanked him for taking so much time with us, he said, "Trust me, as a parent of twins, I know that everything takes a little bit more time!" I really feel like the medical care the boys will be receiving will be specifically tailored to fit their unique needs. In addition, the parenting tips (regarding sleep, feeding, behavior, etc.) that I received was also specific to raising twins. This is something that never happened with our previous pediatrician.
So, at six months, the boys continue to grow and grow! Jaxon weighed in at 15 lbs 8 oz and Dexter was at 15 lbs 5 oz. This puts them both at about the 10th percentile for weight. As far as length goes, they're two little shorties and 24 1/2 " and 25" (this is the first time Jax has measured longer than Dex). That's about 5th percentile for length. As always, their noggins are on the big side! Jax is 95th percentile (18 1/4") and Dex is 75th percentile (17 3/4").
I just can't believe how quickly the past six months have flown by!
The doctor we saw has twins and joked about cornering the market on twin patients. The boys were his third set of twins that day! He took over an hour and a half to see the boys, which just completely blew me away. I so frequently felt rushed through appointments with our last doctor. When I thanked him for taking so much time with us, he said, "Trust me, as a parent of twins, I know that everything takes a little bit more time!" I really feel like the medical care the boys will be receiving will be specifically tailored to fit their unique needs. In addition, the parenting tips (regarding sleep, feeding, behavior, etc.) that I received was also specific to raising twins. This is something that never happened with our previous pediatrician.
So, at six months, the boys continue to grow and grow! Jaxon weighed in at 15 lbs 8 oz and Dexter was at 15 lbs 5 oz. This puts them both at about the 10th percentile for weight. As far as length goes, they're two little shorties and 24 1/2 " and 25" (this is the first time Jax has measured longer than Dex). That's about 5th percentile for length. As always, their noggins are on the big side! Jax is 95th percentile (18 1/4") and Dex is 75th percentile (17 3/4").
I just can't believe how quickly the past six months have flown by!
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