christmas eve

I'll begin with Christmas Eve (aka. The Night of Our Tiny Miracle).

Kara and I had originally planned to stay-in on Christmas Eve and just relax with our little family.  My parents (and older brother) would be going to spend Christmas Eve with my twin brother and his family.  They would then spend Christmas Day at our home.  But then a couple of weeks before Christmas I got a text message from my sister-in-law inviting us over on Christmas Eve.  And by "us" I mean Kara was also invited to their home.  A first.  Needless to say I nearly fell off my chair.  Of course Kara and I could not decline the invitation (for many many reasons) but we were a bit worried as everyone was not getting together until 7:00pm.  And that is when the boys go to bed.  I was really nervous that the boys would be super fussy.  Kara and I decided to leave the house around 5:30pm and drive around town to look at the Christmas lights.  Because the boys always fall asleep in the car this would give them a decent nap before the events started for the evening.  I was a nervous wreck.  But then I decided to just let things be.  There should be no grand expectations for the night.  And once I relaxed things seemed to go just fine.  Things were a bit "awkward" but thankfully little kids can ease the tension in any room.  I know my mother was beyond thrilled to finally have all her grandchildren in the same room at the same time.  It only took 7 months.  My brother and sister-in-law went above and beyond to make a wonderful meal which we all enjoyed a great deal. The boys did just great!  We even managed to get lots of good pictures.  I wish I could share those pictures with you all but for privacy reasons I obviously cannot do that.  Just know that each picture made my heart very happy.  It was neat to watch my nephew zoom all around the room during the evening.  He is a little spitfire.  And super smart.  And then I realized ... I will have two spitfires at the same time.  Oh Lord!!  I'm going to be exhausted!!  The boys hung tough for a couple of hours.  My favorite part of the evening came as we were leaving for the night.  I was sitting on the stairs putting on my shoes when my nephew came down from upstairs.  I asked my nephew if I could have a hug.  I knew this would be a stretch for any two-year old.  But this is a two-year old who does not really know who I am.  And without a second thought my nephew wrapped his arms around me.  And I did my best to squeeze tight for just a few extra seconds.  I hope it's not the last hug.  But I just don't know what is going to happen with the relationship with my twin brother.  I know this was a good first step.  And I just hope it continues in the right direction.  But for at least one evening I felt like my family was complete.  And it was rather perfect.

Mary 

i promise to write soon

But in the meantime here are some pictures from Christmas ...

Reindeer Jakob

Reindeer Alex

Of course staying true to their personalities.

Our Family

Again ... both boys are staying true to their personalities.

Of course we have some spoiled little boys ...

And this little gem.  I'm playing with my nephew ... (I will let that sink in for all my long time readers) .... !!! (I will be back to dedicate an entire post to this topic.)

Indeed it was truly a magical Christmas.  I feel blessed. 

Mary

our favorite things (3 - 6 months)

Better late than never!!  What are we still using all the time from our previous list?  You can view that list here.

Rock 'n Play Sleeper
Boppy
Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump
Dr. Brown's Bottles
Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack

What are we still using on occasion?

Bumbo Baby Seat
Fisher Price Rainforest Swing
Infantino Swift Classic Carrier

What are we not using at all?

Gerber Side Snap T-Shirts
You Tube
Miracle Blanket

Here is a list of our favorite things from 3 months - 6 months.

Joovy Nook Highchair - This highchair is wonderful.  It is great if you have a small space because it folds up to a very compact size.  It is super easy to keep clean because it is made of leather.  And you can unlatch the tray with only one hand.  This is great for when you are holding a squirmy baby.  The only drawback ... There is a big gap between the tray and where the baby sits.  This has made it difficult for the boys to learn to pick-up food because it is quite a reach. 

Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo - This has been a lifesaver!  Our boys absolutely love the jumperoo.  A fussy baby is automatically calmed down when placed in the jumperoo.  This is an absolute must for a twin momma.  It allows me to play one-on-one with one baby while the other baby entertains himself in the jumperoo.  The boys would jump all day long if we let them.  The only drawback ... It is an eyesore that is impossible to hide or put-away.  I'm not exactly sure where we are going to store it once the boys are done using it.

Fisher Price Precious Planet Happy Giraffe Bouncer - This bouncer was a lifesaver when we will still letting the boys take naps down in the living room.  It also helped teach them to reach for objects.  We don't use the bouncer seat all that much these days but we are not ready to put it away.  It is great for sticking a kid when you need to make a quick bathroom break!

Bumkins Waterproof Starter Bib - These bibs are AMAZING.  They come in all different sizes.  We were using Gerber cloth bibs when the boys first started eating solid foods.  And cleaning those bibs got real old very fast.  The Gerber cloth bibs are great for "drooling" purposes but not for "eating" purposes.  These Bumkins bibs clean off in seconds and then we just hang them to dry in the kitchen.  These are a must!!

Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether - I will admit that I jumped on the bandwagon on these items.  We got them at our baby shower.  I probably would have never paid for them myself.  However, the boys really do love these teething toys.  They are actually a bit obsessed with them.  The giraffe is easy for them to hold and the squeaking noise is an added bonus.  These are also really easy to throw in the diaper bag.  If you don't have the money to buy a Sophie the Giraffe I promise your kid will survive.  But if you are gifted one it will definitely get some use. 

FuzziBunz One Size Elite Diapers - I disliked these diapers tremendously when the boys were newborns.  These diapers are unique in the fact that they have an internal elastic system that you adjust to your desired size.  It means you aren't fumbling with sizing each time you put on the diaper.  The problem ... it is not all that easy to re-size the diapers as your baby grows.  BUT these diapers are wonderful once you take the time to size them to your baby.  We change the boys one time during the night.  We put these diapers on in the middle of the night and then first thing in the morning because that tends to be "poopy" diaper time!  And let me tell you ... these diapers can hold in the "poops".  So I would definitely recommend a handful of these diapers if you decide to go with cloth diapers.

LeapFrog My Pal Scout - This is the favorite toy.  This dog can be programmed to sing songs with your kids name included in the song.  The boys get so excited whenever we pull out My Pal Scout.  Both Jakob and Alex have their own Scout dog.  Jakob even does this surprised face whenever we pull out his Scout dog.  He gets so excited!!  The dog is also easy for them to hold and has a heart on his chest that lights up. 

Contours Optima Tandem Stoller - It took us a long time to decide on a stroller.  We could not afford a top of the line stroller.  It is just not in our budget.  Plus we really are not a huge "stroller" family.  Our criteria for choosing a stroller included the requirements of being easy to maneuver and being lightweight.  This stroller is the lightest of its kind in the mid-price range.  It is also very easy to maneuver.  I can direct it with one hand.  The seats also move around so we can let the boys face one another as they get older.  We are still working out all the kinks but for the time being this stroller meets our needs.  The company is also great.  We had a broken seat bar when we got the stroller and they sent us a new one in only a few days. 

Mary

12.14.12

I was at work yesterday and I got this picture from Kara. 

It was a perfect picture.  I promptly sent the picture to Grandma and Grandpa with the words, "How does this not make the world seem perfect in the morning?"  It was 8:00 am.

But the world was not perfect.  There was a monster man in Connecticut who was preparing to ruin the lives of innocent children.  A man with so much evil running through his body that he did not hesitate to take the life of a helpless child.  To take the lives of a room full of helpless children.  What caused the evil?  I don't know.  And at the moment I will be honest and say that I do not care.  We can debate the facts later.  Today I only speak as a mother.   

I received a text message from Kara at 11:17 am "What the hell is wrong with people?  There was another school shooting at an elementary school."

I will be honest.  I did not respond to the text message.  I've become numb to such news.    

I NEVER in a million years thought that there was a room full of dead children somewhere in an elementary school in the United States.  I thought domestic violence.  Another dead teacher.  Let's move on with the day.    

But then I went home for lunch.  And the newscasters were getting very nervous.  And then it happened ... The world stopped spinning and for a moment I heard nothing but "20 children dead".

I held the boys tighter.  I cried.  Kara cried.  I was scared out of my mind.  How do I raise my boys in an evil world?  How do I one day but a book bag over their shoulders and send them off into the world?  How do I promise them that there is safety in the classroom?  How do I get up in the morning and not expect another tragedy to occur?  

I cannot imagine the pain of the parents who lost a child (or children) yesterday.  I do not think I would be able to live.  I told Kara that yesterday.  Her response, "I know."  

I pray for the children.  I pray for the families.  I pray for their souls.  I pray that the fear they experienced and the pain that they felt is long forgotten.  I pray that yesterday God welcomed a classroom of precious children into the kingdom of heaven with open arms.  I envision these children running free today.  They are free from a world of hate.

Mary  

7 months

Age: The boys are 7 months old!

Weight / Length: No idea.  We better not go back to the pediatrician until 9 months (outside of their booster flu shot next week).  Fingers crossed for healthy winter months.

Clothes:  We are still rocking 6 months in Carters, 3-6 months in Old Navy, and 4-6 months in H&M.  But things are definitely starting to get a bit tight!  We got some good deals on 9 month clothes after Thanksgiving so at least we have some outfits to put the boys in when the day comes that we can't button any of the 6 month clothes.

What are we eating?:  The boys are on a somewhat consistent schedule.  The day is some variation of the below ...

7:30 am - 5 oz of breast milk
8:00 am - 1 oz - 2 oz fruit or vegetable
10:30 am - 2 oz formula / 4 oz breast milk
Noon - 1 oz - 2 oz fruit or vegetable
1:30 pm - 5 oz breast milk
4:30 pm - 2 oz formula / 3 oz breast milk
5:00 pm - 1 oz - 2 oz fruit or vegetable
7:00 pm - 6 oz of breast milk
3:30 am - 6 oz of breast milk

They eat about 4 oz of formula per day and 28 oz of breast milk per day.  We are still on Stage 1 foods.  They have tried sweet potatoes, squash, peas, green beans, apples, peaches, and bananas.  They are definitely fans of the fruit.  Both boys are really getting good at eating solids.  Alex has even tried on occasion to grab the spoon.  We have also given the boys Baby Mum-Mum's.  They love these little biscuits.

I am down to pumping 4x per day.  I pump at 2:30 am, 8:30 am, 2:30 pm, and 8:30 pm.  I also have stopped recording how much breast milk I am getting at each session.  And it has reduced my stress level tremendously.  I am no longer putting a time frame on how long I will continue to pump.  I'm just going to keep doing it until I feel the time is right.  At this moment the boys are still getting mostly breast milk and for that I am grateful.  But I won't lie ... I am tired.  

How are we sleeping?  We did it.  We moved the boys to the nursery.  It was a rough transition ... for me!!  I was lost the first night.  I really just wanted to go rock myself in the corner.  But the boys are definitely sleeping much better without the distractions during the night.  We have not transitioned them to the crib.  The boys spend time in their crib each day.  And we have noticed that because they are rolling all over the place they often get limbs stuck in the slats of the crib.  This results in an immediate cry fest.  So we decided to invest in breathable bumpers.  They have been ordered and once they arrive we will begin the transition to the cribs.  I think the hardest part for me during this transition is that I get to "see" the boys even less now.  I get home from work at 4:30 pm and the boys go to bed at 7:00 pm.  And now because the boys are in the nursery I don't get to say "good-bye" before I leave for work in the morning.  That means I only see the boys about 3.5 hours each day (includes coming home for lunch).  This can be rough.  The boys are still getting up to eat once during the night.  Let me rephrase that ... Jakob is still getting up to eat once during the night!  But by default Alex must wake-up too.  All the books say that a baby should be able to go 12 hours without eating by the age of 6 months.  But to be honest I'm just not ready to transition Jakob off the middle of the night feeding.  Again.  I think we will know when the time is right.

Naps - The boys are taking anywhere between 3 - 4 naps per day for a total of 1.5 - 2 hours total.  We do not have big nappers.  But at the same time they are sleeping for 12 hours at night so it would explain why they only sleep for 1.5 - 2 hours during the day.

What are we doing?

Alex - The turtle has come out of his shell!!  We have gotten lots of smiles and (silent) laughs from Alex in recent days.  Alex is a rolling machine.  But he still prefers to spend time on his back.  Alex still whimpers for attention. It's not typically a full on cry.  Just a whimper to let you know that he is around.  He has also started to reach out his arms to us to let us know that he wants to be held.  Alex is working really hard to sit all by himself.  It kind of came out of nowhere.  And today Alex actually sat unassisted for about 2 minutes!  Go little man!!!  Alex still LOVES the jumperoo.  He would spend all day bouncing up and down if we let him.  Alex does a great job sleeping at night but he tends to fight naps during the day.  It is the only time he breaks out in a full on cry.  And a cry it is.  It is a slobbering, drooling, I can't catch my breath cry.  And just when we think he is going to choke to death and we bust in the nursery to save him you get ... a big smile.  Silly little man.  Alex also really loves Sophie the Giraffe.  Alex loves to chew on his toes.  I wish I could get my toes in my mouth.  Oh to be that flexible.  But let me just say .. our boys have some super stinky feet.  Kara has started to keep socks off of them during the day because their feet stink so bad.  I can't wait for the teenage years!!!

Jakob - Jakob is still a giggle monster.  He also still feels everything much more intensely than his brother Alex.  But at the same time Jakob has started to relax just a bit.  He is getting better and better at entertaining himself.  He is a world professional napper and only on rare occasion does Jakob fight a nap.  He is obsessed with his Scout dog.  He will get the most excited look on his face when you pull Scout out from hiding.  Jakob also loves the jumperoo.  There is always competition in the house for time in the jumperoo.  Jakob loves to interact with Alex.  But his interactions include climbing and/or kicking Alex.  And our sensitive little boy often gets annoyed very fast with his brother Jakob.  So there are times we have to keep them apart.  Jakob is doing a great job putting weigh on his legs.  It is amazing.  He is also working on sitting unassisted but hasn't quite mastered it as fast as Alex.  I think it's cause Jakob has my big head.  It's a lot of weight to carry around.  Both boys have started to become fascinated with our cat Ohana.  Any time Ohana walks by both boys reach out to pet grab Ohana.  Jakob also loves to grab Ohana's ears and tail.  We are working on teaching the boys to be nice to the animals.  We will see how long that takes.  We keep the dogs in the kitchen during the day and often times our mealtimes get a bit chaotic as the boys are more interested in the dogs than they are the food.  Jakob has found his voice.  Actually he has found his screaming voice.  Both boys have also mastered the "fake cough" and being stellar parents we do our fair share of encouraging the behavior.  Jakob is also becoming quite the wiggle worm and diaper changes are getting a bit challenging.  It is difficult to put a diaper on a wiggling kid.      

I am sure I am forgetting some important facts.  But I do know one thing ... I have never loved anyone quite like I love Jakob and Alex.  They are my world.  I simply cannot imagine a life without my little men.  I never knew it was possible to feel this type of love.  It's a love so deep that it hurts.  I feel so very blessed to have them with me each and every day.  You are amazing my sweet little boys.  We love you to the moon and back.  

Mary

santa

We took the boys to see Santa today!

Kara and I both had the day off of work and because we knew that we would be crazy to take the boys to see Santa on a weekend we decided that today would be the day!

Of course as we pull up to the mall I casually mention to Kara, "Just make sure Alex doesn't have a stinky diaper" .... Yep! ... So that leads to a diaper change in the parking lot.  But its not any stinky diaper.  It is a complete blowout.  Now being "that mom" I absolutely must have the boys in coordinating outfits for these pictures.  So Kara gets all MacGyver on us and manages to salvage the outfit Alex was wearing.  I just hope Santa didn't get too close.  The only casualty of the entire incident was a dirty pair of socks.  Yeah.  Don't ask.  But I didn't get too torn up over non-matching socks.

It was a perfect time to go to the mall.  There was absolutely no line!  But don't worry.  Even if there had been a line we wouldn't have slowed down the line.  Nope.  The boys lasted all of 3 seconds on Santa's lap.  Well.  I take that back.  I think Alex could have sat on Santa's lap all day long.  But Jakob had other ideas.  He started screaming as soon as I stepped away.  But the photographer was amazing.  She had actually snapped a picture as soon as we put the boys on Santa's lap.  So while Jakob is screaming his head off and the photographer is doing her best to get Jakob to stop screaming I say ...

"Didn't I see you snap a picture before he started screaming?"
"Yes.  But they weren't smiling."
"Um?  I don't care.  We are done."

So this is what we got ...

I think they look very handsome!!

I also didn't know that I would have to dip into the boys' college fund in order to purchase this picture.  Jeepers!  What happened to free pictures with Santa?

Mary