Looks like JackJack wants what is only meant for his sister. Sorry buddy but bows are for girls only!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Bow Bow
This video was just too cute not to post.
Looks like JackJack wants what is only meant for his sister. Sorry buddy but bows are for girls only!
Looks like JackJack wants what is only meant for his sister. Sorry buddy but bows are for girls only!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Bible
Life has been crazy busy so the blog has been neglected. But I guess that is the right thing to be so. However I got this video from my nanny today and it made me smile and I wanted to share. I hope it gives you a little smile too! Above all else I hope they learn to love the Lord and crave His word in their lives!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Getting Out with Twins-For MoMs by MoMs
Today I am linking back up with my fellow Moms of Multiples to talk about getting out with twins.
I feel this is something we have always done pretty well. We were on the go before them and while we have slowed down some we have tried to not let them change the things we like to do too much. Since the twins were little we were on the go. I was home with them for 11 weeks after they come home from the NICU and once we were settled we had no problem taking them out. We found that all 4 of us or 3 if Aaron was at school were much happier if we did not sit at home all day.
Now I will note I had spring babies so we didn't have to worry about germs so much-I know if you have winter babies it is a lot harder to get out because so much sickness is going around and it is cold.
While it was not always easy we found with a little planning it worked well for us.
First I would pack the diaper bag with many many bottles, at least one more set than I thought I would need in case we were out longer than expected. If I had more than a few things to do, the trusty pump would come along as well-I was not beyond sitting in a parking lot pumping so we could accomplish everything we needed to. I found as long as they could eat when needed they were pretty content. We live about 30 minutes out of our big city so it was important we do it all at one time.
As they have gotten older it has gotten more difficult but we still do our best to make sure we are not stuck between the 4 walls of our house. While they are harder to manage physically the preparation is less. Just 2 sippy cups and some snacks-along with the normal diaper bag stuff and we are out the door.
Just remember to be flexible and know your plans might change if someone is having a tough day. The one thing I have found is you have to decide what is worth getting two babies in and out of the car to accomplish. When they were in the carries and I could grab those and plop in the snap-n-go it was much easier to make multiple stops. Now that we have to be strapped in and out and the car seat and stroller it is more cumbersome. We try and do a lot of errands on Sunday's after church when we are together so it is not left to one of us.
If you have twins find what works for you, but don't feel it is impossible to get out with them you can do it and I think you will be glad you did once you figure out your routine!
I feel this is something we have always done pretty well. We were on the go before them and while we have slowed down some we have tried to not let them change the things we like to do too much. Since the twins were little we were on the go. I was home with them for 11 weeks after they come home from the NICU and once we were settled we had no problem taking them out. We found that all 4 of us or 3 if Aaron was at school were much happier if we did not sit at home all day.
Now I will note I had spring babies so we didn't have to worry about germs so much-I know if you have winter babies it is a lot harder to get out because so much sickness is going around and it is cold.
While it was not always easy we found with a little planning it worked well for us.
First I would pack the diaper bag with many many bottles, at least one more set than I thought I would need in case we were out longer than expected. If I had more than a few things to do, the trusty pump would come along as well-I was not beyond sitting in a parking lot pumping so we could accomplish everything we needed to. I found as long as they could eat when needed they were pretty content. We live about 30 minutes out of our big city so it was important we do it all at one time.
As they have gotten older it has gotten more difficult but we still do our best to make sure we are not stuck between the 4 walls of our house. While they are harder to manage physically the preparation is less. Just 2 sippy cups and some snacks-along with the normal diaper bag stuff and we are out the door.
Just remember to be flexible and know your plans might change if someone is having a tough day. The one thing I have found is you have to decide what is worth getting two babies in and out of the car to accomplish. When they were in the carries and I could grab those and plop in the snap-n-go it was much easier to make multiple stops. Now that we have to be strapped in and out and the car seat and stroller it is more cumbersome. We try and do a lot of errands on Sunday's after church when we are together so it is not left to one of us.
If you have twins find what works for you, but don't feel it is impossible to get out with them you can do it and I think you will be glad you did once you figure out your routine!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Walking 2.0
Jackson finally decided to join in the fun and surprised us all last week when he started to walk. He is still not 100% sure about it but will take off and go until he falls, at which point he goes back to his super-human crawl. He is so cute, his legs don't really bend so he has a bit of a Frankenstein look.
I really think having two walkers will make life easier, they were already everywhere so this does not change their mobility too much.
I really think having two walkers will make life easier, they were already everywhere so this does not change their mobility too much.
Monday, June 25, 2012
For MoMs by MoMs-Questions Answered
Today is another link up with my MoM (moms of multiples) friends (Heather, Amanda, Jennifer & Megan). This week is is answering some questions that fellow MoMs posted. I have picked a few to chime in on from our experience.
How to get babes this young not to bite?
This is a big issue we are dealing in our house right now too. I just did a post about this last week seeking advice. We are popping their mouth and telling them NO when we catch them, but sometimes they are just too sneaky. I have had many tell me they had to resort to biting their child so they would learn it was wrong. We are not to that point yet, but I won't say anything is off the table if this continues. Also a girl in my MoM group recommended a book Teeth are not for biting. Good luck and let me know if you have any good ideas about this.
Did you have any ideas on the personalities of your twins, and if so were you correct? Mine seem so different already.
I think they definitely seemed different on the inside and they have continued with that trend out here as well. Jackson is my easy going and Riggs was crazy from the get go. However about a year I felt like they had a shift and Riggs mellowed a lot. It is so fun to see their difference and love them for the individual they are!
Did you sleep train? If so, when did you start?
We did not do a specific sleep training system as they came home pretty trained from the NICU. However when things did get crazy and J was not sleeping well or through the night once he was able we finally did 2 nights of CIO around 6 or 8 months. I know that is a personal decision for everyone but it was worth it to us. It only lasted a night or two and we all have gotten a lot more sleep because of this decision. Babies are creatures of habit and I felt like by getting him up when he cried we were enabling him to continue this bad habit. Worked for us but I know it is not for everyone.
I've been crazy researching strollers. Which ones do you guys have and what are so me of the pros and cons?
I love love my City Mini! We researched this subject a ton as well and knew it was something we wanted to invest in. We found many recommended the side by side for twins since they would both want the same view long term-I agree with this and I am so glad we went this route. We did have a double snap 'n go for the first few months and I would recommend starting their to any mom of twins, I could not imagine having to get them out of their carriers when they were little. The City Mini is super easy to use, very streamlined for a side by side and it folds like nothing you have ever seen and is so thin when folded. We acutally were thinking about selling our CM for a BOB so we had something more all terrain but after test driving the BOB yesterday, I know I could not use that as my dad to day after having the CM. I felt like the price was good for the quality, not cheap but not crazy expensive like some. Go to BuyBuyBaby and try some out you will know what you like best by seeing how they all work!
How do you balance treating your twins fairly with treating them as individuals with individual needs?
I think at this age it is not a huge issue but is definitely something I already think about as they get older. It is important to remember they are individuals and to treat them as such. They are special because they are twins but they are special because of the individual they are as well and it will be important for us to make them feel as such. I don't see this being a huge issue for us since I have boy/girl twins but could see it being a bigger challenge with same gender twins especially if they are identical!
How to get babes this young not to bite?
This is a big issue we are dealing in our house right now too. I just did a post about this last week seeking advice. We are popping their mouth and telling them NO when we catch them, but sometimes they are just too sneaky. I have had many tell me they had to resort to biting their child so they would learn it was wrong. We are not to that point yet, but I won't say anything is off the table if this continues. Also a girl in my MoM group recommended a book Teeth are not for biting. Good luck and let me know if you have any good ideas about this.
Did you have any ideas on the personalities of your twins, and if so were you correct? Mine seem so different already.
I think they definitely seemed different on the inside and they have continued with that trend out here as well. Jackson is my easy going and Riggs was crazy from the get go. However about a year I felt like they had a shift and Riggs mellowed a lot. It is so fun to see their difference and love them for the individual they are!
Did you sleep train? If so, when did you start?
We did not do a specific sleep training system as they came home pretty trained from the NICU. However when things did get crazy and J was not sleeping well or through the night once he was able we finally did 2 nights of CIO around 6 or 8 months. I know that is a personal decision for everyone but it was worth it to us. It only lasted a night or two and we all have gotten a lot more sleep because of this decision. Babies are creatures of habit and I felt like by getting him up when he cried we were enabling him to continue this bad habit. Worked for us but I know it is not for everyone.
I've been crazy researching strollers. Which ones do you guys have and what are so me of the pros and cons?
I love love my City Mini! We researched this subject a ton as well and knew it was something we wanted to invest in. We found many recommended the side by side for twins since they would both want the same view long term-I agree with this and I am so glad we went this route. We did have a double snap 'n go for the first few months and I would recommend starting their to any mom of twins, I could not imagine having to get them out of their carriers when they were little. The City Mini is super easy to use, very streamlined for a side by side and it folds like nothing you have ever seen and is so thin when folded. We acutally were thinking about selling our CM for a BOB so we had something more all terrain but after test driving the BOB yesterday, I know I could not use that as my dad to day after having the CM. I felt like the price was good for the quality, not cheap but not crazy expensive like some. Go to BuyBuyBaby and try some out you will know what you like best by seeing how they all work!
How do you balance treating your twins fairly with treating them as individuals with individual needs?
I think at this age it is not a huge issue but is definitely something I already think about as they get older. It is important to remember they are individuals and to treat them as such. They are special because they are twins but they are special because of the individual they are as well and it will be important for us to make them feel as such. I don't see this being a huge issue for us since I have boy/girl twins but could see it being a bigger challenge with same gender twins especially if they are identical!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Praise Baby Live
I am not sure I have ever talked about it on here but my kids LOVE Praise Baby. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it is like Baby Einstein but to praise and worship instead of classical. I am not sure what it is but they can be totally freaking out and we will turn this on and they are memorized, we affectionately refer to these videos as Jesus Crack. I am not ashamed to say we have even resorted to it in the middle of the night when a certain little guy would not sleep. I love that they love this. It makes them happy and they are learning great praise songs. I feel like music is such a great way to introduce them to God at their young age.
Last night we had ENGAGE at our church-it is a monthly event we have for a time of Praise and Worship-it was great! Since Jackson and Riggs are so mobile and it was informal we mostly let them wonder around or play on the floor. There were a few times I looked over at Jackson and he was dancing which made this mommy's heart melt. I think he thought he was watching Praise Baby Live!
I was able to catch a video of him, it is a little dark but one that I think will be so special for years to come. I hope he is always this excited about worshiping our Awesome God!
During one of his other dancing moments Jackson actually took a step that Aaron and I both got to see! Won't be long before we have two walkers.
Last night we had ENGAGE at our church-it is a monthly event we have for a time of Praise and Worship-it was great! Since Jackson and Riggs are so mobile and it was informal we mostly let them wonder around or play on the floor. There were a few times I looked over at Jackson and he was dancing which made this mommy's heart melt. I think he thought he was watching Praise Baby Live!
I was able to catch a video of him, it is a little dark but one that I think will be so special for years to come. I hope he is always this excited about worshiping our Awesome God!
During one of his other dancing moments Jackson actually took a step that Aaron and I both got to see! Won't be long before we have two walkers.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
8 Little Teeth
One thing I was so excited about with having twins was that they would have a built in playmate from day one. I love watching my babies chase each other around the room and laugh-it is such a special bond between them. As with any relationships there are giggles and tears. We have entered a new phase with the twins "play" and it is one that I was not ready for and really don't know how to handle. We have BITERS! It started a few weeks ago when we found 8 perfect teeth marks on Riggs' arm. They have nipped at us before but never left marks like this, we were hoping it was a one time thing but the next day Jackson had a matching mark from his sister. Since then we have not found any more marks on Riggs but Jackson has been his sister's victim more than once.
Yesterday I came home to what seemed to be the worst offense so far. Riggs bit Jackson twice on the face. It looked like he had old lady lipstick on his cheek.
We are trying everything we know to discipline, but it is so hard. I feel like they are at an age where they really don't understand it is wrong. We try and catch them before it happens but they will be playing sweetly and then one is screaming with their arm hanging out of their sister's mouth. I feel like this is hitting earlier than with most because they are twins and they are always together, but maybe I am wrong.
So far they have not gone after anyone other than us and our Nanny Staci, but I am terrified they will bite a friend in nursery at church.
HELP! Have any of you gone through this? What did you do? How did you make them stop? I want to teach them it is wrong but not sure what to do since they are only 14 months.
Yesterday I came home to what seemed to be the worst offense so far. Riggs bit Jackson twice on the face. It looked like he had old lady lipstick on his cheek.
We are trying everything we know to discipline, but it is so hard. I feel like they are at an age where they really don't understand it is wrong. We try and catch them before it happens but they will be playing sweetly and then one is screaming with their arm hanging out of their sister's mouth. I feel like this is hitting earlier than with most because they are twins and they are always together, but maybe I am wrong.
So far they have not gone after anyone other than us and our Nanny Staci, but I am terrified they will bite a friend in nursery at church.
HELP! Have any of you gone through this? What did you do? How did you make them stop? I want to teach them it is wrong but not sure what to do since they are only 14 months.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Wordless Wednesday
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| Someone is smarter than the outlet covers! |
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| Banana Hair! |
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| All this for a cookout with some friends! |
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
For MoMs by MoMs-Feeding & Schedules
I am linking up once again with some of my favorite twins moms to talk about feeding and schedules with twins.
I feel being on a schedule was one of the biggest blessing that came with the twins being in the NICU. When Jackson and Riggs came home they were on a very strict feeding schedule and it was important to me to keep. As I mentioned in last weeks post I was called the Baby Nazi at one point by my mom, but until you have twins you don't understand how have a schedule is your sanity. The golden rule was when one eats they both eat if not you will never get a break and you will always be feeding.
We came home on a 3 hour feeding schedule of 3, 6, 9, 12 repeat. This worked well for us and gave us some predictability with the twins.
I had great desire and intentions of breast feeding the twins, but also knew we would do what worked best for us as a family. Since they were preemies we began with me pumping and them being bottle fed and in the long run this is what we stuck with. I know pumping like this to many this sounds horrible but for us it worked. I knew I was going to be going back to work so pumping was going to be a huge part no matter what. I found that I could put one on my lap the other in a boppy beside me while I was pumping with my hands free bra (lifesaver) and we could be done with the entire process in 20 minutes. When we did BF it would take about an hour by the time they fed, I pumped and then supplemented. While this is not how I had hoped it would go it is what worked best for our family and I was able to provide them some breast milk for 7 months.
For us the feeding was the most important thing for us to be on schedules with. We knew we wanted kids who slept well but also wanted flexibility to be able to be on the go with them as well. We felt this worked well for us-we even took pack 'n plays with us to friends houses so they could sleep and we could have fun.
Schedules are so important with twins, find one that works for your family and you will be able to breathe during those first crazy months!
I feel being on a schedule was one of the biggest blessing that came with the twins being in the NICU. When Jackson and Riggs came home they were on a very strict feeding schedule and it was important to me to keep. As I mentioned in last weeks post I was called the Baby Nazi at one point by my mom, but until you have twins you don't understand how have a schedule is your sanity. The golden rule was when one eats they both eat if not you will never get a break and you will always be feeding.
We came home on a 3 hour feeding schedule of 3, 6, 9, 12 repeat. This worked well for us and gave us some predictability with the twins.
I had great desire and intentions of breast feeding the twins, but also knew we would do what worked best for us as a family. Since they were preemies we began with me pumping and them being bottle fed and in the long run this is what we stuck with. I know pumping like this to many this sounds horrible but for us it worked. I knew I was going to be going back to work so pumping was going to be a huge part no matter what. I found that I could put one on my lap the other in a boppy beside me while I was pumping with my hands free bra (lifesaver) and we could be done with the entire process in 20 minutes. When we did BF it would take about an hour by the time they fed, I pumped and then supplemented. While this is not how I had hoped it would go it is what worked best for our family and I was able to provide them some breast milk for 7 months.
For us the feeding was the most important thing for us to be on schedules with. We knew we wanted kids who slept well but also wanted flexibility to be able to be on the go with them as well. We felt this worked well for us-we even took pack 'n plays with us to friends houses so they could sleep and we could have fun.
Schedules are so important with twins, find one that works for your family and you will be able to breathe during those first crazy months!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Sunday Social
Today I am joining Ashley and Neeley's Sunday Social. Hopefully this will be a fun way to meet some other bloggers or learn some interesting facts about ones I already love.
How did you come up with your blog name? When I started my blog I had no idea what I was getting in to. Aaron and I we still newleyweds and I thought it would be fun to play off of our last name hence the beginning of the Galloway Way! I can't say I absolutely love it but I guess it works, I have toyed with the idea of changing it since the littles came around, but I wonder if that will cause more confusion than good.
What is your favorite thing about blogging? Being able to easily document my families life. While I am not super consistent I love being able to look back at the things that I do post and have a place for special memories for many years to come.
What is one thing you have discovered because of blogging and now can't live without? Instamgram and twitter, both which make blogging so much more fun!
Facebook or Twitter? and why? This is a hard one, can I have a little bit of both? I use them for two totally different reasons. Facebook is my IRL friends and family. It is a way to keep up with people that I would have no other way to. Twitter is my virtual world where I have connected with others mostly in the same season of life as myself, without many of the constraints we feel with IRL friends. I feel I can be more vulnerable here because I don't have to see the people face to face.
If one celeb read your blog who would you want it to be? Oh wow! If a celebrity was going to read my blog, I think I would need to make it way more interesting. But if one was I think it would have to be a celebrity twin mom. That is one thing I have enjoyed so much is meeting other Moms of Multiples through the internet, so I guess maybe Julia Roberts! I think she is absolutely amazing and would be so honored.
What is something you want people to know about your blog?
This blog was created for me to document my families memories but has become so much more. I have been able to "meet" and connect with others that I would never have without it. It is a little slice of my life and I am glad you stopped by to visit!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Our Big One-Birthday Party!
If you go back here you will see that the twins birthday didn't go quite as planned due to a little sickness but we were able to still have a fun family party that night. Two weeks later we finally had the party I had planned for for pretty much the last year. I am going to warn you there will probably be an overload of pictures. But I am sure they can tell the story of the day better than I.
Their party was pretty much DIY for me and Staci. If I could make it or design it I did. I wanted to have such a special day and by doing this I was able to afford more.
I went with more of a color scheme and polka dots than a theme. Having boy/girl twins limits what you can do somewhat, but I loved how it all turned out.
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| Birthday Banner! |
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| Cupcakes! |
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| Custom label water bottles! |
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| Fence decorations! |
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| Front Door Wreath! |
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| Cupcake Topper! |
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| Riggs' Birthday Book! |
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| Jackson's Birthday Book! |
We had lots of yummy finger food and what first birthday is not complete without smash cakes? The twins had fun making a mess and getting a rare treat of sugar!
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| My sweet birthday twins! |
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| Happy JackJack! |
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| Blue faced Riggs! |
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| I love this one of Riggs in action! |
We had lots of fun with family and friends. Our crowd ended up being a little smaller than we originally due to the change in date, but I think it was still a good time where we were able to celebrate such huge blessings in our life.
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| Granddaddy playing with his 4 grandkids! |
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| Water table fun with our cousins and our friend George! |
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| A few of our friends who came to celebrate! |
Monday, June 4, 2012
For MoMs By MoMs-Bringing Home Babies
Today I am linking back up with some of my favorite twin moms about bringing home those little bundles.
After becoming pregnant this is the day that you have dreamed of for so long, when you get to be wheeled out of the hospital into the real world with your little bundle of joy.
However like with everything else, with twins this is totally different-well at least it was for me. The day I was discharged was filled with tears as it was the first time I had to leave my tiny Jackson and Riggs. I think with being a MoM it is important to have realistic expectations of the challenges you might encounter so you can try and prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. I was told the day we had our ultrasound that showed us two little heartbeats that with twins all of your risks are doubled. I knew throughout the entire pregnancy it was likely I would deliver early and the twins would have to stay in the NICU after I went home. While I knew all of this it was still very difficult and emotional. But I will tell you there are many MoMs that carry to full term and are able to have that magical moment of going home together.
Going home without the twins was extremely difficult, but you know it is what is best for them long term so you figure out how to manage. Looking back on this I have come to realize their NICU time was a huge blessing in the long run. When they came home they were healthy on a great schedule and this momma had had time to rest and recover from their delivery. Aaron and I had been able to ease into the every 3 hour feedings, we would get us when they were eating so I could pump. By the time they came home this was our schedule as well.
If your babies do end up in the NICU do the best you can to take some time for you. As one of my nurses told me, you are paying for some very expensive baby sitters-use them! Now don't get me wrong we were at the hospital a lot but not all the time. We decided to be there for their 9 am, 3 pm and 9 pm feedings everyday. Somedays we would be there more, but for the most part this worked well for us. The babies need to sleep and grow and being held a ton actually can hinder this since they are burning more calories and energy.
By giving ourselves sometime to adjust when we were finally able to bring them home things actually went really well. Riggs came home a day before Jackson, which once again brought on the water works. I was so sad to leave him all alone, this is the only night the two of them have ever spent apart and I felt like we were deserting him. But the next day our JackJack was discharged and our family of 4 was finally sleeping under one roof.
I think for everyone those first few days and weeks your needs are different. Since the twins had been in the NICU we did not have family here to "help". I think for me that was best. I know I am very independent person who does not need a ton of help. Actually when we had "help" it stressed me out. We had figured out our schedule that worked for our family and when others would try and enter it caused more stress for me than anything. Aaron and I are pretty laid back with the twins and life in general which is not a trait shared by our families. I know for others they want and need an army to help and that is great just not for me.
I think the biggest factor in having an easy transition was a SCHEDULE!!!!!! The twins ate every 3 hours no matter what, always at the same time. I was actually called a baby Nazi by my mom. But it worked and was how we had sanity in those first few weeks.
Bringing home multiples is fun and crazy. Everyone's experience is different but find what works for you and your family.
After becoming pregnant this is the day that you have dreamed of for so long, when you get to be wheeled out of the hospital into the real world with your little bundle of joy.
However like with everything else, with twins this is totally different-well at least it was for me. The day I was discharged was filled with tears as it was the first time I had to leave my tiny Jackson and Riggs. I think with being a MoM it is important to have realistic expectations of the challenges you might encounter so you can try and prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. I was told the day we had our ultrasound that showed us two little heartbeats that with twins all of your risks are doubled. I knew throughout the entire pregnancy it was likely I would deliver early and the twins would have to stay in the NICU after I went home. While I knew all of this it was still very difficult and emotional. But I will tell you there are many MoMs that carry to full term and are able to have that magical moment of going home together.
Going home without the twins was extremely difficult, but you know it is what is best for them long term so you figure out how to manage. Looking back on this I have come to realize their NICU time was a huge blessing in the long run. When they came home they were healthy on a great schedule and this momma had had time to rest and recover from their delivery. Aaron and I had been able to ease into the every 3 hour feedings, we would get us when they were eating so I could pump. By the time they came home this was our schedule as well.
If your babies do end up in the NICU do the best you can to take some time for you. As one of my nurses told me, you are paying for some very expensive baby sitters-use them! Now don't get me wrong we were at the hospital a lot but not all the time. We decided to be there for their 9 am, 3 pm and 9 pm feedings everyday. Somedays we would be there more, but for the most part this worked well for us. The babies need to sleep and grow and being held a ton actually can hinder this since they are burning more calories and energy.
By giving ourselves sometime to adjust when we were finally able to bring them home things actually went really well. Riggs came home a day before Jackson, which once again brought on the water works. I was so sad to leave him all alone, this is the only night the two of them have ever spent apart and I felt like we were deserting him. But the next day our JackJack was discharged and our family of 4 was finally sleeping under one roof.
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| Riggs' homecoming! |
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| Jackson's homecoming. |
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| Home together! |
I think for everyone those first few days and weeks your needs are different. Since the twins had been in the NICU we did not have family here to "help". I think for me that was best. I know I am very independent person who does not need a ton of help. Actually when we had "help" it stressed me out. We had figured out our schedule that worked for our family and when others would try and enter it caused more stress for me than anything. Aaron and I are pretty laid back with the twins and life in general which is not a trait shared by our families. I know for others they want and need an army to help and that is great just not for me.
I think the biggest factor in having an easy transition was a SCHEDULE!!!!!! The twins ate every 3 hours no matter what, always at the same time. I was actually called a baby Nazi by my mom. But it worked and was how we had sanity in those first few weeks.
Bringing home multiples is fun and crazy. Everyone's experience is different but find what works for you and your family.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Were Walking!
Yesterday mommy got a surprise video at work of her princess walking. We have been expecting this to happen for a while but finally yesterday she decided to take the plunge and started taking unassisted steps. Right now she is only taking a few steps at a time but I am sure in the next week she will be running. It has seemed with other milestones once Riggs realizes she can do something there is no stopping her.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
12 Months-April 13th, 2012
I can't believe it my babies are ONE!
This last year has been the most amazing time of my life. I always knew I wanted to be a mom but never dreamed it would be this amazing. These two little people have made me such a better person.
Here are some things you have been up to over the last month as you enter into your second year of life.
Jackson:
You weigh 22 pounds 15 ounces (75th percentile), you are 31 inches tall (93rd percentile) and your head circumference is 19 inches (95th percentile). I think your weight was actually a little low at your check up since you had just gotten over hand, foot & mouth-you are much closer to 24 pounds.
You are a big boy who can melt your mommas heart with those sweet eyes! You are wearing 12-18 month clothes, size 5.5 shoes and size 4 diapers. Just before you turned a year we were able to switch you to milk from formula. We were hoping to have you completely off the bottle, we can close but with your birthday illness we digressed a bit. You are such a good eater, you can put away some food and fast. That is one of the times you become angry is when you are hungry! You LOVE goldfish and veggie straws. You are cruising around furniture but have no interest in walking any other way, if we try and hold your hands so you can walk your legs come up at a 90 degree angle. Just like every other milestone you will do it when you are ready. You love to play ball and still have the sweetest laugh in the world. You sleep through the night most of the time, but go through periods where you will get up at some point during the night. We think you have pretty bad seasonal allergies so you are taking zyrtec, we are so thankful you seem to have outgrown your reflux! You don't just give your sister her way anymore your fight back-which I think is good to give her a taste of her own medicine. You do not like the feel of grass and try and touch as little as possible when we place you in the yard. You are such a flirt with ladies of all ages-we are going to have to watch you buddy. You most common nicknames right now are booger and JackJack. You are saying a few words, clapping and starting to wave. You still are at 8 for teeth but I think your 1 year molars will be popping through any day now.
Riggs:
You weigh 21 pounds 2 ounces (70th percentile), you are 30 inches tall (79th percentile) and your head circumference is 18 inches (72nd percentile).
You are crazy! You are into everything all the time, keeping us on our toes. You have started climbing. You actually made it on the end table one day. You are smart too, you will push objects around so you can use them in your latest climbing conquest. I can't believe you are not walking yet. You cruise, walk with hands, everything is a push toy, climb stairs but just won't walk on your own. I think you could but are afraid since you try to scale the baby gate. You went to the sippy cup with no problems, but can't do milk. We have switched you back to formula for a bit and then will try again to see if you just weren't ready for the switch. I never knew how bad milk spit-up smelled. You are wearing size 12 clothes with a few 18 months mixed in for length. I think we are going to have a hard time keeping pants on your tiny booty and waist this summer-so I see lots of dresses in your future. You are wearing size 4.5 shoes and size 3 diapers. We tried to switch you up with JackJack but they were just too saggy. You had a last minute surge with teeth this month and I think the count is now at 7, but you don't like for me to look so I am not 100% sure. You decided at 10pm on your birthday eve that you needed to start clapping. So as you hung out with mommy and daddy while sick you completed this milestone. You have also started waving some. The one new thing that I am not a huge fan of is your new mommy attachment-you are so clingy and never make it through a Sunday in nursery. Also you have started having a whinny cry when you are not getting what you want. You are too young for this little miss. You most common nicknames are Potamus and Little Girl. You are a great sleeper, very seldom do you ever get up once we put you to bed. You don't really like to wear bows anymore, which breaks my heart-I am hoping for a come back soon!
You both are loved so much by your mommy and daddy! You have made this last year so amazing and we are looking forward to many many more with you both.
I was hoping to have pictures before I posted but have not been able to snap them yet so I wanted to go ahead and post and will have to update later!
This last year has been the most amazing time of my life. I always knew I wanted to be a mom but never dreamed it would be this amazing. These two little people have made me such a better person.
Here are some things you have been up to over the last month as you enter into your second year of life.
Jackson:
You weigh 22 pounds 15 ounces (75th percentile), you are 31 inches tall (93rd percentile) and your head circumference is 19 inches (95th percentile). I think your weight was actually a little low at your check up since you had just gotten over hand, foot & mouth-you are much closer to 24 pounds.
You are a big boy who can melt your mommas heart with those sweet eyes! You are wearing 12-18 month clothes, size 5.5 shoes and size 4 diapers. Just before you turned a year we were able to switch you to milk from formula. We were hoping to have you completely off the bottle, we can close but with your birthday illness we digressed a bit. You are such a good eater, you can put away some food and fast. That is one of the times you become angry is when you are hungry! You LOVE goldfish and veggie straws. You are cruising around furniture but have no interest in walking any other way, if we try and hold your hands so you can walk your legs come up at a 90 degree angle. Just like every other milestone you will do it when you are ready. You love to play ball and still have the sweetest laugh in the world. You sleep through the night most of the time, but go through periods where you will get up at some point during the night. We think you have pretty bad seasonal allergies so you are taking zyrtec, we are so thankful you seem to have outgrown your reflux! You don't just give your sister her way anymore your fight back-which I think is good to give her a taste of her own medicine. You do not like the feel of grass and try and touch as little as possible when we place you in the yard. You are such a flirt with ladies of all ages-we are going to have to watch you buddy. You most common nicknames right now are booger and JackJack. You are saying a few words, clapping and starting to wave. You still are at 8 for teeth but I think your 1 year molars will be popping through any day now.
Riggs:
You weigh 21 pounds 2 ounces (70th percentile), you are 30 inches tall (79th percentile) and your head circumference is 18 inches (72nd percentile).
You are crazy! You are into everything all the time, keeping us on our toes. You have started climbing. You actually made it on the end table one day. You are smart too, you will push objects around so you can use them in your latest climbing conquest. I can't believe you are not walking yet. You cruise, walk with hands, everything is a push toy, climb stairs but just won't walk on your own. I think you could but are afraid since you try to scale the baby gate. You went to the sippy cup with no problems, but can't do milk. We have switched you back to formula for a bit and then will try again to see if you just weren't ready for the switch. I never knew how bad milk spit-up smelled. You are wearing size 12 clothes with a few 18 months mixed in for length. I think we are going to have a hard time keeping pants on your tiny booty and waist this summer-so I see lots of dresses in your future. You are wearing size 4.5 shoes and size 3 diapers. We tried to switch you up with JackJack but they were just too saggy. You had a last minute surge with teeth this month and I think the count is now at 7, but you don't like for me to look so I am not 100% sure. You decided at 10pm on your birthday eve that you needed to start clapping. So as you hung out with mommy and daddy while sick you completed this milestone. You have also started waving some. The one new thing that I am not a huge fan of is your new mommy attachment-you are so clingy and never make it through a Sunday in nursery. Also you have started having a whinny cry when you are not getting what you want. You are too young for this little miss. You most common nicknames are Potamus and Little Girl. You are a great sleeper, very seldom do you ever get up once we put you to bed. You don't really like to wear bows anymore, which breaks my heart-I am hoping for a come back soon!
You both are loved so much by your mommy and daddy! You have made this last year so amazing and we are looking forward to many many more with you both.
I was hoping to have pictures before I posted but have not been able to snap them yet so I wanted to go ahead and post and will have to update later!
Monday, May 7, 2012
For MoMs by MoMs-Introduction
Today I am linking up with some fellow MoMs (Moms of Multiples) on their new weekly link up For MoMs by MoMs. I have gotten to know all 4 of these ladies through twitter/blogging and I love them all! I love this idea, there is nothing that has been a greater support to me than other twins moms through the last year.
Here is a little about me...
I am a working mom of 1 year old twins. They are the light of my life. I have an amazing husband who I have been married to for 5 years, but we have been together for 10. I love the South-I tried living in the north after we got married, it ain't for me. I am a former college athlete who is trying to be a runner. I love my family, friends, blogging, twitter, diet coke, the word y'all, sewing, all things with monograms, the Clemson Tigers, and above all Jesus!
You can read about why I love being a twin mom here and our journey to conceiving twins here. And if you want to meet my twins then cruise through the blog, because it is all about them!
I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment and I can't wait to jump over to your blog to meet more MoMs!
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| Easter 2012 |
Here is a little about me...
I am a working mom of 1 year old twins. They are the light of my life. I have an amazing husband who I have been married to for 5 years, but we have been together for 10. I love the South-I tried living in the north after we got married, it ain't for me. I am a former college athlete who is trying to be a runner. I love my family, friends, blogging, twitter, diet coke, the word y'all, sewing, all things with monograms, the Clemson Tigers, and above all Jesus!
You can read about why I love being a twin mom here and our journey to conceiving twins here. And if you want to meet my twins then cruise through the blog, because it is all about them!
I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment and I can't wait to jump over to your blog to meet more MoMs!
Friday, May 4, 2012
SUYL-New Friends
Today I am linking up with Kelly's Korner for Show Us Your Life. This week the focus is on making new frends-finding other who are like you or even better yet live near you!
So hear is a little about me...
I am a working mom of 1 year old twins. They are the light of my life. I have an amazing husband who I have been married to for 5 years, but we have been together for 10. I love the South-I tried living in the north after we got married, it ain't for me. I am a former college athlete who is trying to be a runner. I love my family, friends, blogging, twitter, diet coke, the word y'all, sewing, all things with monograms, the Clemson Tigers, and above all Jesus!
This blog is a little piece of my life, mostly one to record memories of my babies.
Oh yeah and the Upstate of South Carolina is where we call home.
Let me know if you are from around here, maybe we can have a girls night out blogger meet up!
So hear is a little about me...
I am a working mom of 1 year old twins. They are the light of my life. I have an amazing husband who I have been married to for 5 years, but we have been together for 10. I love the South-I tried living in the north after we got married, it ain't for me. I am a former college athlete who is trying to be a runner. I love my family, friends, blogging, twitter, diet coke, the word y'all, sewing, all things with monograms, the Clemson Tigers, and above all Jesus!
This blog is a little piece of my life, mostly one to record memories of my babies.
Oh yeah and the Upstate of South Carolina is where we call home.
Let me know if you are from around here, maybe we can have a girls night out blogger meet up!
The Best is Yet to Come!
There are many times in life I have heard enjoy blank these are the best years of your life- including high school, college, your twenties etc. I have often wondered if this was true and in many cases hoped that was not the case. Not to say any of these times were bad, but if they truly were the best, what did I have to look forward to?
I think I can say without a second thought that none of those were the best.
365 days ago I turned 30. I was living a whirlwind of having 2 preemie newborns. I think this day mostly consisted of our sanity providing 3 hour baby feeding schedule, not the glamorous 30th birthday one may dream about, but one that showed the fruition of so many other dreams.
When this year began I thought it was going to be one of survival more than anything, but as I have journeyed through I think I can say without a doubt this has been the BEST year so far.
I have gotten to know and love two of the most amazing people that will ever enter into my life. Being a mommy is something I dreamed about for so long and was a dream some days I was not sure would come true...at least as I planned. (Well actually it didn't happen as I planned but as God did and with anything His plan was so much greater.)
Aaron finished grad school, passed the CPA exam and now is working for a great firm.
I went back to work after 13 weeks home with the twins. This I thought would be one of the hardest things I ever would do. My heart has always longed to be at home with my babies, but for various reasons does not seem the be the right plan for our family right now. I feel God really laid the path to provide amazing childcare for Jackson & Riggs along with a flexible work environment for me to be a working mom. So far this arrangement has worked great for our family.
I will turn 30 weighing 20 pounds less than when I became pregnant-a weight that I have not seen since at least my junior year in college. One year ago I was hoping I would be able to lose the 60 pounds of baby weight I gained through my pregnancy. I never dreamed it would be 80 pounds lighter.
I have started running,I am just one or two more runs away from completing couch to 5K! I ran 3 miles on Thursday-decided I had to do it before I turned 31! I know this might not seem like much to some but for me this is huge. I have always had a mental block against running that stems from my leg issues in college. I had compartment syndrome which meant blood flow was restricted to my feet when my muscles contracted causing my feet to fall asleep and extreme calf cramps. As you can imagine this was awesome since I player soccer at Clemson. My sophomore year I had surgery that fixed this issue, but then had other injuries that prevented me from getting past this block.
I feel this year I have really tired to draw closer to God in the good times and bad. Wanting to know Him more and seek out His will in my life
And most recently I feel God has placed a new calling on my heart, a purpose. This is very recent so I am still trying to seek out His desire for me in this, but I feel so passionate for a cause like I never have before.
While 30 has been the best days of my life so far, I am hopeful the best is yet to come.
So as the clock strikes 3:17 AM on May 5th, 2012 I hope I am starting an even better year yet!
I think I can say without a second thought that none of those were the best.
365 days ago I turned 30. I was living a whirlwind of having 2 preemie newborns. I think this day mostly consisted of our sanity providing 3 hour baby feeding schedule, not the glamorous 30th birthday one may dream about, but one that showed the fruition of so many other dreams.
When this year began I thought it was going to be one of survival more than anything, but as I have journeyed through I think I can say without a doubt this has been the BEST year so far.
I have gotten to know and love two of the most amazing people that will ever enter into my life. Being a mommy is something I dreamed about for so long and was a dream some days I was not sure would come true...at least as I planned. (Well actually it didn't happen as I planned but as God did and with anything His plan was so much greater.)
Aaron finished grad school, passed the CPA exam and now is working for a great firm.
I went back to work after 13 weeks home with the twins. This I thought would be one of the hardest things I ever would do. My heart has always longed to be at home with my babies, but for various reasons does not seem the be the right plan for our family right now. I feel God really laid the path to provide amazing childcare for Jackson & Riggs along with a flexible work environment for me to be a working mom. So far this arrangement has worked great for our family.
I will turn 30 weighing 20 pounds less than when I became pregnant-a weight that I have not seen since at least my junior year in college. One year ago I was hoping I would be able to lose the 60 pounds of baby weight I gained through my pregnancy. I never dreamed it would be 80 pounds lighter.
I have started running,
I feel this year I have really tired to draw closer to God in the good times and bad. Wanting to know Him more and seek out His will in my life
And most recently I feel God has placed a new calling on my heart, a purpose. This is very recent so I am still trying to seek out His desire for me in this, but I feel so passionate for a cause like I never have before.
While 30 has been the best days of my life so far, I am hopeful the best is yet to come.
So as the clock strikes 3:17 AM on May 5th, 2012 I hope I am starting an even better year yet!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Perspective
Last night my husband was out of town for work so it was just me and the twins. Normally this would not be a big deal but JackJack decided that he wanted to be awake from 2-5 this morning. I sit at work exhausted but as I thought about this I couldn't help but realize how blessed I am. I know there are so many women who would give anything to be up with a crazy 1 year old half the night as the deal with infertility and loss. I will admit in the moment I did not have this perspective-there was crying and yelling by both Jackson and myself. I was deep in the self pity and frustrated by my longing to sleep. After 2 hours I decided to make the best of it and Jackson and I spent some time with God doing James bible study.
And finally after 3 hours of fun he finally snuggled up to momma and went back to sleep.
I try so hard to remember how greatly God has blessed me even on the sleepless nights. I don't know about you, but I would give up 3 hours of sleep every night if the alternative was not having this cute little boy.
This week my heart has been so heavy for babies. There were many emotional moments for me at the March of Dimes Walk-seeing so many families that lost their littles but fighting on in their memory. Then this week I heard about a friend of a friend whose 2 week old baby died after fighting so hard to overcome a heart defect. Today I read about a blogger who is fighting for her unborn twins after her water broke at just 18 weeks. I know God is in all of these situations and he has a great plan, but my heart aches so much for these people as they have tremendous heartache in a time that is supposed to be so happy.
I think last night God just wanted to give me a little perspective and remind me to not take anything for granted and treasure my twin blessings in the good and tiring moments.
And finally after 3 hours of fun he finally snuggled up to momma and went back to sleep.
I try so hard to remember how greatly God has blessed me even on the sleepless nights. I don't know about you, but I would give up 3 hours of sleep every night if the alternative was not having this cute little boy.
This week my heart has been so heavy for babies. There were many emotional moments for me at the March of Dimes Walk-seeing so many families that lost their littles but fighting on in their memory. Then this week I heard about a friend of a friend whose 2 week old baby died after fighting so hard to overcome a heart defect. Today I read about a blogger who is fighting for her unborn twins after her water broke at just 18 weeks. I know God is in all of these situations and he has a great plan, but my heart aches so much for these people as they have tremendous heartache in a time that is supposed to be so happy.
I think last night God just wanted to give me a little perspective and remind me to not take anything for granted and treasure my twin blessings in the good and tiring moments.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
March for Babies 2012
On Saturday our family was blessed to participate in the 2012 March of Dimes March for Babies with my Moms of Multiples Club. This was our families first year participating, but I hope this is the first of a long tradition for us. This is an organization that plucks on my heart strings. Their mission is to fight for babies and their families. Our formal introduction to them came last year when Jackson and Riggs were admitted to the NICU. Being at this event reminded me how fortunate we truly were during this time and continue to be today. This day was extra special I felt because we were celebrating the one year anniversary of our twins coming home from the hospital!
The March of Dimes did a great job of putting together a fun event for all. They had a band playing in the tailgate area, a bounce house and other fun things for the kids to do. The walk started at 9 and was 4 miles. The kids did pretty well most of the walk but Riggs did get restless and have to be carried some. They then had an after party with more music and FOOD!
I am excited to learn more about this organization and find ways to be a part of the good they do!
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| My cute little redheads! |
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| Other twin families. |
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| More twin families |
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| Riggs & Staci warming up for the big walk! |
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| Twins and donuts, what could be a better combination? |
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| Our littlest twins walkers! |
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| My family ready for the big event. |
The March of Dimes did a great job of putting together a fun event for all. They had a band playing in the tailgate area, a bounce house and other fun things for the kids to do. The walk started at 9 and was 4 miles. The kids did pretty well most of the walk but Riggs did get restless and have to be carried some. They then had an after party with more music and FOOD!
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| Starting Line! |
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| Twins in motion. |
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| Our family after the walk-Riggs was tuckered out. |
Monday, April 30, 2012
Riggs A Year in Review
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| One Month |
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| Two Months |
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| Three Months |
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| Four Months |
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| Five Months |
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| Six Months |
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| Seven Months |
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| Nine Months |
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| Ten/Eleven Months |
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