Domesticity

Well life did not stand still after I was able to fit into my green pants.. thought it must seem like it as I have not posted since that moment. The truth is that aside from being a little busy, there have been so many happenings that I felt overwhelmed when considering how document it all here so I just stayed away. Anyway, I am back now. These are a few recent (as in yesterday) shots of Ada and Margot. Aren't they getting big?!

These adorable little sleepers are from Aunt Sheila and Uncle Lewis. Thanks guys!!! 

Boy do these girls love to smile. They smile when they wake up in the morning, after a feeding, while they are getting dressed for the day, when they get up from a nap.. in the bathtub.. the list goes on and on. They seem to get happier and be more content with each passing week. 

SO much has happened since my last post..and some even happened before that but I didn't get to post about so here is a laundry list of highlights:

- Went to dinner with my Dad's good friend Don and his wife Nicki at Don's daughter Wendy's home. She made a fantastic dinner and we got to meet her family and we all juggled cranky babies and generally had a great time visiting. I have been hearing about my Dad's friend "Barker" ever since I can remember and it was such a treat to get to meet the man behind the stories. I only wish I had been able to take more time to visit and one day I hope we can pack up our little family and head out to AZ for a visit. Wendy's sweet daugher, Kendall, even gave the girls one of her dolls for them to take home with them. Such a precious visit. 

- Grammy Mary and Grandpa Larry came to visit!!! We had a blast and took advantage of their being here by heading out on our own in the afternoons and leaving them with the ladies. We had a great visit as always but I got about 4 pictures and none of them are very good :( Mary was there with me when Margot giggled for the first time which was pretty special. 

- My Mom came over and cooked us a full on turkey dinner - early Thanksgiving. SO good and we had loads of leftovers.. can't wait for the real deal next week!

- Aunt Margie came to visit the girls while she was here with Uncle Gavin for a conference in Raleigh. She brought a bag of goodies as well :) It was so wonderful to visit with her and I must add a bit surreal to have her in my home .. I mean.. she is the grown up..I  am the kid.. right? I still feel that way.. felt sort of like I was inviting her into my play house :) Fun house is more like it these days :)

- Stephen turned 28.. yay!!!

- We have already had snow flurries twice this week..I hope this means we are headed for a cold winter around here. That would really make Stephen happy :)

there may be things I am forgetting but that should at least catch us up a bit..

Normally I go grocery shopping when Stephen gets home from work (or sometimes after the girls go down at 8). Usually I come home to the scene above or similar. This week I got the bright idea to take one of them with me to the store. Why didn't I think of that before!? I got to spend one on one time with Margot while we roamed the aisles together with cart and Baby Bjorn, and Stephen and Ada got to hang out while we were gone. I think I will definitely do that again. 

It never ceases to amaze me the way one baby  can cry right next to the other and the other may join in or may just ignore the ruckus. 

Ada is getting VERY strong.. yes Ollie is bathing himself in the background of this picture but it was the best one I have of her demonstrating her feats of strength so.. I think her cuteness outweighs his lack of decorum in the moment. Margot is getting strong as well but in this picture she was taking a break. 

Ada considering Grandpa Larry. 

My one pathetic picture of everyone together from the recent visit. Gotta get the whole picture taking thing together for the holidays!!!!

Ada and Margot - The Latest

They have both laughed several times and are THIS CLOSE to rolling over. They are going down like clockwork each night at 8pm and each wake only once.. Margot slept right through the night without a single peep one night this week. Margot is my amazing sleeper. She really seems to get it. I can put her down for a nap and even if she is not falling asleep yet she will lay there and smile and talk to herself before she drifts off. Ada is still working on it but naps faithfully in the swing on those days that Mommy needs to get things accomplished around the house. I am going to be more strict about training her to nap in the crib in the coming weeks. They have both napped so well this week. I can almost set my watch by them. They get a little fussy about 10 minutes before 9am and 10 minutes before 1pm and by 9 and 1 respectively they are fast asleep and stay that way for the full 2 hours until their next scheduled feeding. They are reaching for the toys dangling from their bouncy seats and kicking and splashing in the tub. They are growing too fast!!!! The older they get, the more sure Stephen and I are that we want a big family. Having kids is just so incredible. 

Parentals - The Latest

We are doing well but (of course) missing New York in this cold season. We sit around the dinner table reciting memories and stories from this time last year. I am getting a handle on the cooking and shopping in the house - I actually made  a pot roast tonight with carrots, potatoes and onions.. green beans on the side.. it was so good. It's nice to feel domestic for the first time in about 5 years. 

I am sure I could go on and on with this but I need to get to bed so I am going to stop here and hit the hay. 

Booya!!!!

I had made myself promise not to try on any of my old pants again until the girls were six months old.. still.. periodically I can't help myself. Yesterday was one of those days and lo and behold.. THEY FIT!!!!!! I tried on my Citizens first and when they buttoned I just about screamed!!! I pulled out all my fall cords and started trying them all on as well and they fit too!!! Granted, there is still a bit of a muffin top, but they are totally wearable and that means I do not have to go out and buy new clothes for the winter with $$ that I don't have. I am super psyched!! I have been wearing the same pair of stretchy jeans since April or something.. this is a much needed development around here. Now I feel like busting my tail with walking and pilates to get back to my old self despite any exhaustion I might feel on a daily basis. The task no longer feels insurmountable. But enough about me..

Margot woke up earlier than usual this morning and was super exhausted (read cranky) as a result. Here she is sleeping it off :)

Ada too woke early this morning and played with her keys until quite worn out (again read cranky). She too is sleeping soundly in her crib. 

Stephen and I went to look at a potential new apartment yesterday. We have been trying to choose between one floor plan and another, the difference being a few more square feet and $100 more in rent. We plan to live in our next abode for a few years at least so we want to make sure we make the right decision for the long term. The cheaper apartment was the one we went to see and though we liked the apartment itself, it is on the outskirts of the community, facing a busier street. Turns out the more expensive place is on the same street as the two other couples from our church who live there (one of which is expecting twins in April - crazy right!?) and I think that will end up being the one we go with. It's bigger and I just have a gut feeling that we will really need the extra space. There are pros and cons to both places but when I made a list yesterday there were and equal number of each for both places so.. location wins out it seems. 

I will leave you with this humorous story from Stephen and one of his students:

Student handing Stephen a brochure for a ski resort in Colorado: "You should really come on our ski trip Mr. Shingler!!!"

Stephen: "Thanks man but there is no way I can afford that!"

Student: "What do you mean? All you have to pay for is the plane fare and the lift ticket - come on.."

Stephen: "That's not all I'd have to pay for man! Where am I gonna sleep?" 

Student brandishing the brochure: "Here!"

Stephen: "Right.. can't afford it."

Student: "You wouldn't have to pay for that part!"

Stephen: "What do you mean?"

Student: "We own it. We just have to give them a couple weeks notice."

Ah the joys of teaching at a private school :)

13 Weeks and counting..

Only 13 weeks and already the girls are ready to take the family car for a spin :) 

Ada says, "Please Mommy? I promise to be back by nap time!"

Things are picking up around here. I know it is only the 5th of November (Remember remember the 5th of November.. anyone ? Anyone..? Go here if you are having trouble) ..but I broke down during play time this morning and started playing Charlie Brown Christmas.. oh how sweet it is. I can not WAIT until Christmas this year!!! Snuggly babies on Christmas morning!?!?!? Fresh hot cinnamon rolls?!?! It's gonna be amazing. 

We have just emerged from 4 weeks of very trying times. The days have had their ups and downs the but nights have been consistently difficult. The girls got into a habit of waking every hour after about 12:30AM to eat. You can imagine how tired the two of us have been. After the 3rd week of this I started to suspect that this was not the growth spurt that I had previously thought but instead a habit forming. So, I devised a plan to break them of this killer (after consulting the web and several of my baby books). I decided to see if they would take a binkie instead of food since they only were eating for a few minutes when I fed them and then falling back asleep. I started getting up on the hour with them and giving them the binkie. I found it easier to just stay in their room during this whole process so I made a bed next to the crib and settled in. I watched when they squirmed in their sleep and when they stared to wake up. I watched to see if they showed signs of hunger and was pleased to see that they did not. The next night I felt confident that they didn't actually need the food and that they were perfectly capable of sleeping for longer stretches. So when they woke I would get them up and hold them like they were going to be fed but give a binkie instead and they would snuggle down and suck and drift right off. Then I moved to just giving them the binkie while they were in crib when they woke. The waking was getting less and less frequent. Monday I started them napping in separate cribs and they did so well I decided to do the same at night and .. VOILA !!! Suddenly my waking babies are sleeping 8-9 hour stretches again!!! They go down around 8 and don't wake until 4 or 5 at which point if they are truly hungry I give them a snack and they go back to sleep until 7 when I get them up for their first feeding. This morning I actually had the energy to get a shower before Stephen left for school, I didn't feel like a deflated balloon like I have been feeling in the AM. Sigh of relief. Hope they keep this up. 

They are growing so much. Smiling all the time in response to being smiled at. They love to play and listen to Mommy talk her head off and sing songs to distract them when they are cranky. Ada still really loves to observe her world and seems to be so sensitive. There are times when she screams and I can't do anything to help and I really feel like that is her just needing to get her emotions out. So I hold her and she kicks and wails and before long she settles down for a snuggle. Margot loves to be held and feel like she is participating in whatever you are doing. She loves to be talked too and isn't as much a fan of the toys as Ada is. She is more interested in your face and interacting. Ada does this as well but I can tell Margot is really into it. 

Stephen and I are doing well despite the recent lack of sleep. I do feel a little trapped some days but lack the energy to get myself up and out. I think that will be changing very soon. Sleeping at night is heavenly. 

I must admit, moving the girls into separate cribs has been a little tough. I love seeing them snuggled together and I felt like they were happier that way. But apparently, that time has come and gone. Aside from the waking up, they were also doing a little traveling in their sleep so I am sure it feels better to get sleep without your sibling smacking you in the face with a runaway arm or having your sibling squish you with her diaper butt. Sigh. Maybe they will start liking to sleep together again when they are older. I don't know why this is so hard for me!? They look so alone in that big crib on their own. I suppose it will just take time for me to adjust. It is obviously better since they are sleeping so much better. 

Yes, I voted yesterday... and no I don't want to talk about it here. I have never brought up politics on this blog and I don't plan to start now. 

Morning People

Ada and Margot are at their brightest first thing in the morning. Looks like we have a couple of morning people right now! Good thing Mom is a morning person too :)

Proof..

.. that beautiful Aunt Linda came to visit us recently..

.. and that her equally beautiful daughter Leah came with her..

..that we had a fabulous fabulous visit with Elsie while she was here and really enjoyed getting to spend time with Linda and Leah as well..

..that Margot loves Great Grandma's kisses..

..that Ada still loves to be held upside down and on her side..

..that Margot still loves being snuggled upright..

..that crying is contagious.. 

..that Ada started it :) ..

..that we persevered through the crying and dressed up and took the girls to see Cinderella and the set that Daddy designed anyway.. we all hung out in the "cry room" so we could still see the play but make sure that we didn't distract any attention from the actors :)..

..that Ada has a beautiful little smile..

..that Margot has an equally beautiful little happy face..

..that Mom actually ordered a pizza for dinner on Saturday.. kinda hard to cook when a certain Margot won't let you put her down..

..that Ada can think deep thoughts..

..that Daddy doesn't scare her.. yet :)

... proof that our days have not been all bad and that I was just venting when I posted yesterday. We love these little guys so much and they are so sweet these days.. they don't mean to be difficult. Parenting is just difficult.. whether you have 1 baby or 12 teenagers. Thanks for the prayers.. we got much better sleep last night and are ready to face the week with a smile. 

Help

Hello everyone. Missed me? Well I can tell you I have loads of fun and cute pictures to post and fun and cute stories and events to recount but right now I am just sending this out to ask for prayer.. please ya'll.. pray for us. We are worn thin.. worn very very thin. Stephen is out walking Ada right now who has refused to stop screaming at the top of her lungs for most of the morning. Margot is sleeping in the swing but when she wakes up she will be screaming again too I am sure.. they have been cluster feeding in the AM .. as in... the early AM.. every hour or so..for the last 2 weeks.. and not napping very well during the days.. unpredictable... shower? What is that? No rest during the days ..no rest during the nights.. I am venting here but seriously.. it has been a rough time. That coupled with the fact that we are crammed in our living space and have no time to look for or apply for a new place to live just makes life that much more difficult.. life with twins is sort of kicking our tails at the moment. So all of you worriers out there.. please don't worry.. please just pray. This is normal.. we know this.. this too shall pass and all of that.. I am just trying to be as real as I have always been on this blog and right now that means asking for some serious prayer. We need patience, wisdom, and rest.. rest.. rest.. again.. no worrying.. please.. this is normal.. put that effort into prayer. I promise to try to get it together enough to show everyone the most recent bright moments and cute photos we have very very soon.. sorry to be a downer but.. I am feeling pretty down at the moment. 

Night Swimming

The girls and I look forward to Stephen coming home in the afternoon. They have usually just finished eating and are full and happy and ready to play and visit for about 30 minutes before the evening fussy time begins. 

This afternoon, Margot decided to show off for Daddy and prove just how strong she is becoming. She is lifting that noggen all on her own :)

Ada was helping me with the dishes in the kitchen and Oliver was standing watch over us all. 

Sleep training has lately felt like treading water. Working really hard to keep afloat but not seeming to make much progress for the work being expended. For the last two nights in a row, I have knelt by the crib on my knees and sang the girls to sleep, while rocking their little bellies with my hands as they work their binkies and stare up at me with heavy eyelids. I am not sure who has enjoyed this more, me or the babies. I remember my Mom singing and reading to me until I fell asleep at night. How safe I felt when I drifted off knowing that I was not alone. Aunt B used to sing to me in the dark of my room at the little white house at 311. Hearing her voice in the dark used to calm my fears about my parents being absent. I have been faithfully following this whole sleep training thing for 2 weeks now and yesterday I realized I might have been too rigid and possibly even misinterpreted something. There is still that initial bout of crying after their last feeding, and I am not letting them fall asleep in my arms, but I think comforting them while remaining next to the crib.. no matter how long it takes for them to drift off.. is more my speed this week. They slept for a longer period of time last night too. This is one of those moments when I really feel like a mother. Having those girls stop their crying to listen to my singing makes my (lately easily discouraged) heart soar.

!?!?!?!

Ok this is just too strange.. Today I saw a commercial that I was sure had to be a joke. The pretense was that some people end up married to their one night stands and the last frame of the commercial had the tag line "Life is short. Have an affair." I thought this had to be some sort of joke.. but no.. upon looking up the website I found that  the Ashley Madison Agency does indeed facilitate "married dating" and affairs. I don't know why I am shocked by this but it really got to me. It just makes me sad that someone has found a way to potentially make $$ off of broken homes and shattered lives. 

blerg

Blerg pretty much  describes the last week for me. I never got a shower before 3pm - blerg. The girls didn't nap super well - blerg. Margot wet through her diaper while laying on the bed and now I need to change the whole thing - blerg. Ada keeps biting when she is nursing- OUCH and yeah - blerg. Blah could be another word to describe my week .. as in looking for houses to rent around here leaves me feeling blah. 

The girls will be 10 weeks this Wednesday. Hard to believe. They had their 2 month check-up on Thursday and got their much dreaded shots. Thanks to the advice of Mom and Erin, I gave them Tylenol before they got their shots and I think that made a huge difference. I was crying in the car before we even got to the doctor's office, dreading the shots and what the girls reactions might be. Sure enough I balled when they actually got each shot - they cried too but I think I was crying harder. Particularly with Margot because she was asleep before the shot and woke up all happy and smiley then looked at me in horror when she felt the shot and started screaming. Terrible, just terrible. Bright side, they only cried briefly and were happy to be comforted by Mommy and Daddy after it was over and we actually left the office with quiet children. Thanks Tylenol. In case you are wondering, they each weighed 9 pounds 12 ounces. That's right, they weigh the same amount. Even the nurse was shocked, she said twins are usually pretty far apart.. at least 1/2 a pound. Not our girls :) They are super healthy of course and doing fantastically well. They slept most of the rest of that day and were feverish and pitiful the next day but after that they have been fine. Margot and Ada both broke my heart during the feverish period, looking at me with tears rolling down their cheeks and crying like sad little 4 year olds. It was  a more mature sort of crying that said "I don't feel good Mommy and that makes me sad and I am going to cry about just how sad I feel." We cried together. 

They are smiling a lot more now. No, I don't have a single picture of it yet. Our camera is full and we need to go and get the picture developed but - shockingly - just can't seem to find the time in there. Actually Stephen worked very hard to uploading them all online to send for development yesterday so we should have that accomplished soon. They both love to smile and talk to you during the post feeding diaper changes. I spend extra time with each talking to them and kissing their chubby cheeks to make them smile and coo. It's fun. Margot also gets pretty smiley when she wakes up in the morning or from a nap - if she has had some decent sleep. She seems to be a morning person. Ada needs a good cuddle when she wakes up but soon after enjoys smiling up at her mobile - she loves that thing. Artist in the making? 

I skipped Church yesterday. Yes, skipped it. Frankly I am exhausted and the thought of  doing what it takes to get us all to Church just about did me in so, I stayed in. Maybe next week. The sleep training is going well I guess. Some nights it takes 30 minutes and others its 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then they wake up around 2 and want to eat again - I feed one and as soon as she is done the other wakes and wants to eat.. this goes on until about 4:30 most nights. See why I am so tired? Sigh. Last night I started to wonder if I am crazy for doing this - but I know it is for the best and will be fantastic for them in the long run.. I am just ZONKED folks. 

We are looking for a new place to rent - we need more space. We knew this when we moved in so this comes as no surprise. We went to look at a couple of houses this weekend. The guy on Saturday stood us up - jerk. His house wasn't that great anyway, backed up to a very busy road and the big yard was mostly dirt and sand. We also did a drive by on a place downtown. This house is perfect for us. It's a little Craftsman (my absolute favorite home design) that has been fully restored with 3 bedrooms and hardwood floors, a deck in the back, porch in front ..beautiful.. unreal price. I knew that it was probably in a sketchy neighborhood and sure enough when I called the guy to see if we could go take a look he asked that we please drive by and look at the neighborhood first and we if we were still interested he would show us the house. So we drive over and sure enough, it's in a neighborhood that is being revitalized and as we drive along we see the diversity that we have been longing for. Nice looking people with nice looking homes - most of which have been remodeled and look really nice. Suddenly on the right we pass a "shopping center" with a Bail Bonds place and several other dark looking establishments - loads of people milling around in the parking lot.  Then we get to the street where our prospective home is located. Sure enough, it's on the very cusp of said waive of revitalization. There is a boarded up house next door and a vacant lot on the other side. A sign in the lot says "Garden of Hope" but there doesn't seem to have been any gardening going on for quite some time as it is completely overgrown. There is a "apartment complex" of sorts across the street that looks abandoned. So yeah, that adorable house is pretty much the only occupied looking space on the block. My heart sank. I would love to live in a diverse neighborhood, but it has to be somewhere with neighbors. If there had been homes on either side of this place with doors that I could knock on and introduce myself to the residents, I would have been thrilled.. but there were none. There probably will be sometime soon..but right now.. there were none. Stephen said he would worry about us, myself and the girls, being there without him during the day. How could there not be any neighbors!? Grr! I hate that there weren't any and I hate that I am not brave enough to insist that we give it a shot. I always wanted to be that person that could live anywhere.. but I just couldn't do it without neighbors. So sad. We drove around some other neighborhoods closer to where we live now - depressing. The architecture out there just makes me sick to my stomach. I would be depressed to live in some of these neighborhoods. Brick ranch houses from the 60s that would be perfectly wonderful except for the fact that people have tried to "modernize" them with things like white trim and wrought iron porch railing - again dazzling white. Those whose owners have embraced the style of their home look amazing.. but the rest.. blerg. I know the right next home is out there somewhere.. we just have to keep looking but the looking is pretty depressing. I am such an architecture snob. I am probably a snob in other areas as well but this particular area has always given me trouble. 

Alright, I am going to end this. I have blathered on long enough about things no one cares about and if I hurry, I might get a shower in before the girls wake up. 

Plus 2

It was very chilly when we took Daddy to work early this morning..

..so we had to bundle up in our favorite snuggly blankets from Aunt Mindy and our special Peruvian alpaca woven hats from Grandpa Larry...

..and our binkies of course. 

A very small Margot bean who decided to plant herself during play time. Meanwhile her sister was napping peacefully in the swing.. and yes I did move Margot into the crib.. but not until I had eaten my lunch ;) You never know how long such moments of peace and quiet will last and thus it is imperative that they be taken advantage of. 

Netflix arrived yesterday baring the second DVD of "John and Kate Plus Eight". Ever since we found out we were having twins, everyone under the sun has asked us if we have seen this show; to which we reply with a very lame "No..we don't have cable." Thankfully it was out on DVD and we have now watched both seasons.. are there more? What a fabulous confidence booster they are. We sit and watch them expertly managing their household with all the ups and downs that come along and we feel so relaxed.. so calm and blessed. I feel like I can take on the world after watching Kate make lunch for her 8. If she can do it.. man think of what I could do with all my energy! 

Keeping strict to the schedule has worked like a charm this week. They have napped in some way  shape or form every day. Last night it only took about 50 minutes to get them to sleep.. and they stayed asleep on their own until each woke for her respective early A.M. snack. Stephen helped out last night so we each took turns at the 3 minute marks. It's nice to share such things. It's nice to be married to someone who wants to share such things :)

Homecoming is tonight and we are planning to attend with the girls. They went to the game last Friday as well and did wonderfully so .. crossing fingers. Go Warriors!!! 

Yellow Baby

Ada and I waiting for Daddy to get home

When I was little I named my first doll "Yellow Baby" - she was yellow of course. Margot was doing a pretty good impression of Yellow Baby today. She wasn't interested in her morning nap and preferred to watch me clean up the kitchen and put away laundry from the comfort of her seat. 

Yesterday the girls turned 8 weeks old. I have been waiting for and dreading this day. Waiting for because it's just exciting to see them get older... dreading because this is the age when it is appropriate to start "sleep training" twins.. or so I have read. So I started last night. The process goes something like this. Instead of letting them fall asleep in our arms and them putting them in the crib, I put them down while they are still awake - right after their last feeding. I remind them that it is night time and thus time for sleeping, zip them into their sleep sacks kiss them goodnight and then leave the room. Inevitably they start crying at some point. I let the crying go on for 3-5 minutes then go back into the room and try to comfort them from the side of the crib without picking them up. If this doesn't work I pick them up and once they have stopped crying and are calm again, put them back down and leave the room. I think this went on for about an hour and a half last night.. so far tonight it's been about 45 minutes. I have a feeling this is going to be a long process but I am up for the challenge and I know once they learn to self comfort and put themselves to sleep our lives will be much easier in the long run and so will theirs. That said.. wshoo.. we are tired ya'll!! And it's only been 2 days!!! 

Sigh. The debate is on. I have a strong urge to mute the TV when Palin speaks because my blood pressure goes up when she starts speaking - I am so afraid of what she is going to say. It's like watching Bush give a national address, I am always so embarrassed for him when he flubs up his words. I wish Tina Fey was up there instead.

Weight

The girls took their first trip to Nana and Grandpa's house this past Saturday. We stopped and visited with Gram and Aunt B when we first got into town, then spent the rest of the day at Mom and Dad's. A good time was had by all. The girls slept through the entire visit. 

I just got back from a lovely walk with Erin. I am walking lots and lots these days and eating good nutritious food ( no junk ) so....why the heck does it seem like I am GAINING weight?!??! I don't have scales here so I am just going on the way my body feels and the way I fit into the clothes that I DO manage to fit into and call me crazy but.. seems like I am going no where fast with this whole weight loss thing. Yeah I know 9 months on 9 months off yadda yadda yadda. Anyway, I just Googled "breast feeding and losing weight" and I found out loads of very interesting stuff. For example, while many women do lost tons of weight while nursing, there are loads that don't. Apparently the hormone released while you nurse is the same or very similar to what is in birth control pills and if you get bigger on the pill .. then is stands to reason that you would swell while nursing too. I read many comments from women who said they ate well and exercised while nursing and nothing really happened until the weaned the baby and then it all came off all at once. Hmmm.. I wish this was a little more common knowledge. I thought I was doing something wrong. I know I can only do what I can do, but reading all this really made me feel better. I will just keep eating my healthy diet and going for vigorous walks and doing Pilates when the girls allow. Glad to know I am not the only one who feels the way I feel about the whole thing. I was starting to think there was something wrong with me. 

I should be in bed..

.. but instead I can't sleep. The girls are going for their hip ultrasound tomorrow. Apparently, twins are prone to hip issues, particularly breech twins (Margot) so we have to get them checked out. That's not keeping me awake though. Not sure what is. So I am just going to ramble for a minute and then make myself attempt sleep. 

You know what I find kinda funny that I feel like no one really tells you about babies..? It is just incredible to me how many times they poop on their clothes!!! I mean, I have heard mention of the occasional "blow out" but for goodness sakes.. I thought it was super rare or something. Maybe it's just my girls... maybe it's time to go up a size on the diapers but all I can say is thank heavens for baby stain getter outer stuff. I think I have washed my Boppy covers at least 4 times this week.. a drip here and leak there.. Goodness. I am pleased that they are eating so well .. I guess I just never knew that poo could just leak out of a diaper like that. Thank goodness it's breastmilk poo so there is not really an odor but still.. I never experienced this side of babies in all my years of baby sitting. 

Another thing I was surprised about, pleasantly this time, is how sweet their breath is. I am sure each mother thinks her baby's breath is sweet, but I suppose it never occurred to me that they would have such sweet breath. 

Sometimes it's hard for me to make myself put them down for a nap - crazy? Usually someone is fussier than the other (varies from day to day) so the least fussy one goes in the swing for a nap and I hold the other until they are sleepy enough to put down in the crib. It's so hard some days for me not to just hold and snuggle that little sleepy/sleeping bundle for the entire nap time. I think I have said all that before.. but again.. I suppose it bears repeating. 

Ok.. enough cheesy nonsense. I am ordering myself to bed. 

Highlights

Double decker baby daddy. This is how we spent most of Sunday.. no church.. one walk.. lots of crying and fussiness.. a long Saturday night preceded this long Sunday in which we actually started watching old home videos of ourselves pre-twins. The house was a wreck, but somehow we managed to cook a pot of chili (I was cooking while Stephen sported both babies) and have a pretty decent day after all. We enjoyed watching Jeremy and Michelle's wedding, puppy videos of Oliver and our first trip to New York .. the pre-grad school trip. In one part of that video Stephen and I are walking through a street fair in Chelsea and I ask him what he thinks of New York and does he think he would ever like to live there.. he said yes. 

Monday saw the girls getting their first ever full on tub bath (Margot's belly button FINALLY came off!!!) We took a tiny video and two photos.. see.. it's really a two person job to bathe the little ones so all 4 parental arms were needed so we salvaged what we could for a few memories and then got down to business. They were cold and that luke warm baby approved water doesn't stay "hot" for long. 

Both Ada and Margot are trying desperately to smile at us. They have almost got it and it has happened very briefly a few times already - briefly meaning mili-second and no it's not a "gas smile" its the makings of a real I-see-you-mommy/daddy smile. 

They have been exploring their play gym this week as well. We try to play as much as we can during the day, but those sessions are usually short ones. They can get overstimulated pretty quickly some days. They  are holding onto rings and some toys now which is pretty fun. Ada held onto her frog toy and brought it up to her mouth over the weekend. It's amazing to me how quickly new sensations overwhelm them. Something soft feels good to them one moment but soon becomes and issue and they are ready to let it go or move away from it. They still sleep a lot during the day so many times crankiness during play time is easily remedied by a nap. 

Ada says "What is the problem Margot? I think this is a perfectly fine way to spend 10 minutes of our day."

Why am I still awake.. well.. I am on duty.. despite an evening walk (we went for one this morning too) and a double feeding session, Ada and Margot have decided to stay awake and not fall asleep tonight. We put them down 2 hours ago and soon after I sent Stephen to bed since I had a nice nap today. I think Margot is finally out and I just fed Ada again so hopefully this will be it. Sheesh. Last night they went down so easily and slept so well.. I swear every day is different. Once you think you  have got a system down they change it up on you  and you are back to square one. Have I said that before? Probably, but it bears repeating I think. 

Stephen and I talked a lot about "home" this weekend - "home" being New York/Brooklyn. When we think of Florida and NC (respectively) they don't feel like home.. why is that? Why did we feel more at home in a place we lived for only 2 years? Was it because it was the first place we made a conscious choice to live ? Was it the fact that we felt like we fit in so well there? Who knows. It's hard not to dream of moving back. We talk about it a lot. What if we won the lottery? We could buy a brown stone in Park Slope or Sunset Park and Stephen could have a studio in that building down by the F train. We could fly to see family 'cuz we would be super rich. Heck, we could fly family to see us! We pretend we will move back when the girls are a little older.. before they start school. We are out of our minds, I know this. We are so blessed here in Raleigh - so blessed to be part of this instant community of incredibly wonderful people. So why the heck would we want to go back to bumming around on the subway and walking blocks and blocks to get milk??? I don't understand it. I suppose I have never really felt like I fit in anywhere and Brooklyn/NYC was the first place I have lived that I truly felt at ease and comfortable right away. I felt like I belonged there and I was free to do and say whatever I felt like. No social barriers.. no strange looks.. whatever. I am not going to start whining about missing Brooklyn again I just.. don't get why that place felt like home to us and this place - that is far more home-esque and makes a heck of a lot more sense for us to live in - just doesn't. My Raleigh friends who read this thing probably hate me right now or are rolling their eyes. Rightly so. I know I know... move on.. be grateful. I will.. I am.. really.. goodnight. 

Friday.. again..

So every time I come near the computer when the girls are napping.. they wake up.. start crying/screaming and I have to abort my mission. I am taking a gigantic risk to write this post, but I just felt like making a go of it. They are currently napping next to me on the bed and just now when I started typing, Ada stretched and made a load of her grunting "waking up" noises.. but she has now quieted back down so on we go. 

I have started letting them nap during the day wherever they fall asleep.. I hope this is not bad. I will try and put them in the crib to nap and if they are happy there - so be it. However, if they fall asleep during tummy time - as in the picture above - I will let them nap right where they crash and usually crash right next to them. I have discovered that we all sleep better this way. Moving them to the crib is not always the best idea. 

Nights they spend in their crib without a doubt. Putting them has been relatively easy the last week or so. I feed them their last feeding at 8 or so. Then we change them and Stephen wraps them up tight and we each hold on until they settle down and/or fall asleep then put them in the crib. Usually we have to go in and re-comfort one or both once or twice but that's it. Then the two of us rush to get in bed ourselves to get as much sleep as possible in case they wake up earlier than expected. Normally one will wake around 3am - we get her up and feed her then put her back down - and her sister will wake about an hour later and we do the same for her.. then the alarm goes off at 5 and we are both up getting showers and breakfast while the girls snooze until their first morning feeding at 8.. sometimes it ends up being 7 if they are hungry earlier. So, I guess they are not really sleep through the night consistently but we feel like they are doing pretty well and it leaves us feeling more rested. 

Stephen loves to hold them first thing when he gets home in the afternoon.

Margot gripping his pocket. They are grabbing at things now. My hair is of course their favorite thing to snag. No smiles yet but they seem to be very close. Lots of cooing and they really enjoy staring into our faces. Holding their heads up well too, these girls are strong! I don't know how I will hold both at once in a few more weeks!

Above you see my birthday present from Stephen.. well these and an ice cream cake from Ben and Jerry's. The man knows how much I love my Terrantino..plus we saw this Grindhouse double feature at BAM in Brooklyn after a particularly lovely dinner so.. it's sentimental in the way that only a cheesy bloody guts and gore B movie can be. 

I have been cleared by my doc to do whatever, whenever. My scar is healing up nicely.. well ..healed  up really. The weather here is fantastic so we are taking lots and lots of nice long walks. Ada loves to ride along and look up at the trees. Margot enjoys this as well sometimes but she peppers in a bit of crying with all that looking. She is not yet as much of a fan of riding in the stroller. Ada likes more movement anyway. She loves for Stephen to zoom her around the room or bounce her up and down. Margot doesn't like these things as much and looks frightened and anxious when the goes for such wild rides with Daddy. Ada seems the daredevil at this age. 

I am doing ok.. the house is not as clean as I would like it but considering I turned down an offer from my mom to come and clean it that is my own dang fault :) Anyway, we cleaned half of it last night and we will do the other half tonight. My days are long but I am making it. Feels sort of like a marathon of sorts. A marathon where you are constantly on call to have to step off to the side and rock a baby. Sometimes I feel like my back is going to break in half if I have to stand up for one more second. So I have to let one of my girls cry in the crib while I comfort the other from the rocking chair. I try to comfort the crib bound one from afar "It's ok Margot.. you're ok Mommy's right here.." and so on.. but that doesn't do too much. Sometimes .. you just have to let them cry.. am I right? I try to let this happen as infrequently as possible but I am only human and only one person with only 2 arms. When Stephen comes home in the afternoon he is already tired from work but jumps in anyway, heating up dinner, holding babies, bathing babies etc. It really is the most work I have done in my entire life. I try to sleep when they sleep but honestly sometimes I just have to get a few things done.. and when I attempt it.. they usually wake up. They are still the sweetest babies I have ever known. 

One more thing..I have to just say  that the folks over at St. Davids are just the most amazing people we have ever had the pleasure to encounter. The meals have been incredible, huge batches of home cooked goodness with salad and sometimes even desert! Last week we were given the largest apple pie I have ever seen in my life! Anyway, we are so blessed and so thankful for their generosity to us. They just keep blessing us and blessing us over and over again.  Really could not have dreamed up a better place for Stephen to be working.

Friday

Finally, Friday has arrived. That means that Stephen will be home with me for the next two days. Hurrah! 

The girls had a great doctor's appointment on Wednesday. Ada weighed 7lbs 13 oz and measured 20 and 1/2 inches while Margot was 7lbs 14 oz and 21 and 1/2 inches in length. They insist on keeping up with each other! One ounce apart and they both have grown exactly 1 and 1/2 inches since they were born. Everything else looks good. The doctor did say she heard a slight heart murmur in each of them but it is apparently very normal for this age and should disappear soon. She was not concerned but said we would keep a close eye on it for the next few appointments. 

Soon it will be time for those dreaded vaccinations. I want to have them vaccinated, but I am concerned about the amount of vaccinations that are given to their tiny systems at once. All you moms out there... any advice ? After talking at length with the doctor, a new mom herself, I feel so confused that I am inclined to just do it they way the office suggests and say a prayer for their safety. Still, what did the rest of you do about this ? She told me we could do it any way we wanted too and rattled off a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo about when this needed to take place and this other thing and the timing of that as compared with the first one etc etc etc.. yadda yadda yadda. Sheesh. I am glad she is flexible but seriously, how am I supposed to come up with a plan for this when I am not a doctor!?  Help...?

The girls are sleep super well at night right now. Last night they didn't even cluster feed and they slept almost straight through. Margot woke at 2:30 (after going to bed at 9:30) and I fed her, then Ada woke at 4 something. Previously I would make sure both were awake at the same time to feed at night, but I am trying a new strategy. Since the doc said it was ok to start phasing out that early AM feeding, I am letting each girl decide on her own whether she wants to wake to eat or not. If she wants to sleep through, then so be it. So far this strategy has afforded Stephen and I some super rested mornings. With feeding only one baby at a time, I can nurse on my side (aka snooze and nurse at the same time) so he doesn't have to be awake to change diapers and try to keep babies awake enough to eat etc - I can do it all on my own. I "rest my eyes" while they eat. The fall asleep after they are done and we tuck them back into bed. I am sure you are all super interested in all of this. 

Yesterday was a tough day. Stephen stayed just a little late at work. I was expecting him earlier so I had started to watch the seconds tick by when he arrived at the front door. I asked him to watch the girls for me so I could get a few things done around the house - soon after bursting into tears in his arms as I tried to scurry around, doing laundry and organizing the disaster of a desk that I have been staring at for days. He was such a sweetheart and decided that after he had given the girls their bath, he would take them for a drive. He reasoned that it might help me just relax to know they were out of the house and therefore the possibility of them crying at any moment would be removed from my mind. What a great idea! I had never thought of that but he was right. Just those 30 minutes alone with no tears was super refreshing. I got things in my house tidied and even managed to write a few thank you notes. I have to admit, seeing him drive away with the two of them sleeping sweetly in their car seats did make me tear up a little. The thing of it is, they are just so good. Don't get me wrong, they cry - quite a bit - but they are babies .. you know? That's what babies do. I do my best to comfort and engage them but sometimes despite it all - they just cry. I can hold them both at once, though it's not easy, and when this becomes necessary I do my best to comfort both but.. it's hard ya'll. I have taken to letting them nap on the bed with me in the morning. The rest of the day and night they sleep in their crib but after that first morning feeding.. it just seems to work best to have family nap time. I have yet to get frustrated with them because I feel like we are all in this together. They do their best to be patient and let me know what they need and I do my best to accommodate. It's myself that I get frustrated with. Why am I not strong enough to take care of them and manage the house as well ? Why do I choose to take a nap sometimes when they are sleeping when I could be doing other things ? I know I need to rest, I know that all of this will take time but it's hard. I must admit.. I also want my body back. Badly. Seeing my reflection some days can make me want to cover the mirrors in the house. Stringy hair, that belly, those thighs, the same 4 outfits (I plan to remedy that one this weekend with some birthday shopping!) I know this too will take time but I am just saying.. it's hard for me. I am working on it, taking walks really helps my mood. Still, I guess I am just an impatient person. I have been the same size since high school.. until now.. it's hard to go 29 years being the same size and then in 9 months.. it seems that nothing you own will fit on your body. Worry not. I am not trying to diet while breast feeding twins - I don't diet anyway, never have. Just expressing what I am battling over here. In a word.. an acute case of vanity. 

Not to harp on a subject but man.. these girls are just so sweet. Sometimes I hold them for a long time when they have finished eating. We sit in a big pile I feel guilty for not being more creative with their "awake time" in that moment, but all I want to do is talk to them and watch them crane their little necks up to look at me, their hands like tiny star fish grasping at my face, gripping my shirt. Nothing is more precious that watching them work a pacifier in their sleep, that little plastic front bobbing up and down. Some days I think I would just like to hold them the entire day. I was never much of a baby person.. but this is totally different. 

Ok, done rambling. 

Today I am this many..

..that's right .. today I enter my 3rd decade of life... and what a day it has been already. The girls present to me began last night, when they decided to cluster feed for almost 5 hours straight. How was this a present you might ask? Well, they then proceeded to .. wait for it.. sleep through the night!!!!!!! Well.. Margot did wake once at about 2:30 and fed for a few minutes before passing out again and try as we might, Ada would not wake to feed a single sip. In my book that is sleeping through the night. This morning I had both a shower and breakfast before they sweetly (screaming the whole time) came with me to drop Stephen off at school and then we came back home and had a big family nap time on the big bed. I have recently learned (as of yesterday) that if they so bless me to fall asleep with me there on the bed after nursing, that I should curl right up  next to them so we can all get some shut eye, instead of attempting to transfer them to the crib. So we all napped while watching Pride and Prejudice. 

Oliver too wished me Happy Birthday today by attempting to devour the girls basket of toys that I left within his reach when I took Stephen to school. Poor pup. He thought they were all for him.

Here is Stephen this weekend managing the ladies while I got ready for Church. That's right, we all went to Church on Sunday - together! The girls slept right through like champs - though I jumped at every single grunt and squeak - down on my knees in front of their carriers rocking and sshhh'ing. Sunday was the launch service for Fellowship Raleigh so it was an especially special service for them to attend. 

I even dressed them in little dresses for the trip. I failed to take pictures until we were home and they were both screaming with hunger by then so I am afraid this will have to do for both. This is Margot, momentarily passed out from her tirade. I assure you they were both super duper adorable. 

Things to be thankful for on my birthday: 

1. Loads of awesome birthday checks!!!! What oh what to spend them on :)

2. My sweet sleeping baby girls

3. My sweet hardworking husband

4. The incredible faculty at St. David's who will be bringing our family meals on Monday,                  Wednesday, and Friday from now until October 13th!!!!!! Unbelievable. 

5. My spa gift certificate from Mom and Dad

6. My fabulous stroller that allows me to get out of the house and get some fresh air

7. Lunch with Ellen yesterday

Hmm.. I could go on and on but I must stop so I can wake the little ones so they can eat before we head out for their doctor's appointment. Excited to see how much they weigh this time. It has been a fabulous birthday morning thus far :)

Weathering the storm

Both Stephen and Ada are wearing purple today. Someone's getting a little milk belly :)

So the hurricane has come and gone without too much damage done - at least in our neighborhood. Man, am I tired of seeing them talk about it on the news.. every single stinkin' channel has had nothing on but hurricane coverage since yesterday. Annoying, since the storm only had about 20 MPH winds around here.. not that big of a deal folks - move on! I can't handle the local news around here, I mean they were giving "rainfall updates" when they didn't have anything else storm related to talk about. Wow.. I was wondering just how much rain had fallen in my hood. Sheesh. 

Yesterday was quite a challenge. Here's how it went down. 

Stephen's ride to work forgot he had a prayer meeting to lead yesterday morning and had to beg out of giving him a ride at the last minute. No problem. We loaded the girls in the car and I drove him to work. Ah, nice to get out of the house and feel useful. Back at home, I set about dealing with a recent health issue. See, Margot has had a tiny case of thrush. It had gone away completely, but then I noticed it had returned on Wednesday and called the pediatrician. The nurse I spoke to thought it might be an internal yeast infection (internal as in.. in my breasts...hmmm maybe that is why I have been feeling those electric shock waves of pain) on my part and that I should call my OB to get some Diflucan to take care of the problem. Oh and by the way continue to give the antibiotics to both girls now, and also put some of the antibiotic liquid on myself after I nurse, and make sure to boil all my bras and hang them in the sun to dry, and boil anything the girls have had in their mouths after each nursing session.. and don't let them share anything. Simple enough right? I can keep a steady batch of binkies sterilizing. So feeding sessions look like this: give each girl her medicine (wipe up the yellow sticky goo that does not make it down the hatch and ends up running down their chins and cheeks), nurse, spread said sticky goo on myself, attempt to interact with babies during their "awake time", spend however long it takes to get them down to sleep - with assistance of binkies - put girls down to nap. Wake them up to nurse in 3 hours, confiscate tainted binkies and toss in dirty binky bowl on shelf - to await sterilization - start process all over again. Got it. I can handle that. Oh drat! Forgot to call the OB for that pesky Rx for myself. Call OB. OB wants me to come in and be seen. Grrrrr!!! They have an appointment at 2pm... I am waiting for her to tell me which day this 2pm appointment is available when it dawns on me that she might mean today.. she did mean today (well yesterday.. Friday).. yes today at 2pm .. it is currently 1:30 so I have 30 minutes to get it together and get to the doctor. Thank GOD I had my shower already and the girls had just eaten and were down for a nap. Got them up and safely installed in their car seats, trying not to think about the fact that this would be my first time trying to get anywhere with both of them alone. Margot snoozes away, Ada is not pleased about the task at hand, Oliver tries to eat my alive as I leave him alone in the house for the second time that day. Am amazed that I can carry both car seats at once. Race to the doctor's office where kind women appear at every turn to open doors for me and my oversized load. Sit on edge of seat, praying that Ada will nod off. She stays quiet but looks reproachfully up at me, working that binky. My name is called. I struggle over to the nurses station where they take my blood pressure and weigh me (gulp). I am pleased to see that I am a mere 20 lbs from my normal weight - not too shabby. Go back to sit and wait for the real appointment to start - all the while fielding comments and questions about the girls. Finally it's really my turn. I stand over the babies in my paper gown alternately reinserting pacifiers and praying they will stay quiet. Remember suddenly that I haven't had lunch yet!!! Feeling lightheaded. Doc comes in and apologizes for making me come in (Dang straight!) and gives me the Rx the pediatrician recommended - 2 Diflucan a day for 10 days - Yikes, my poor liver. I hurry back out of the office and out to the car where I start to wonder if it might not be safe for me to drive - so hungry I can't see straight. Quick prayer. Decide that I MUST stop for fast food. Head for the closest Wendy's but turn into the McDonald's instead by mistake - oh well. Once I have my food I realize there is no way I can get home and eat this before the girls wake up to eat again. It has started to rain by this point. Pull into the closest parking lot and shovel down my "food". Just as I finish the girls start to stir. We head for home. Now it's really starting to come down and I have no umbrella to cover the girls with. Duh. Cover each car seat with the girls respective blankets they are snuggled in and carry one at a time back into the house. Take a deep breath and both girls are suddenly wide awake and starving. Settle in to nurse. Stephen calls - he is ready to come home  - did I want to pick him up or should he try to find a ride? I need to get to Target to pick up that prescription and also get some extra pacifiers since we now are going through them like water. Decide to pick him up myself so we can all go to Target as quick as possible. Yet again, load the poor, tired little girls back into the car hoping against hope that they will not start cluster feeding right now. Stephen sits with the girls in the car while I run inside since I can't remember which pacifier we have been using recently and can only recognize it by sight. LOVE the girl at the pharmacy counter. She recently moved down from the Bronx and is just so fantastic. She has my stuff ready within minutes and I run back out to the car and head back home to feed the girls again, who by this time have woken up. Busy day.. busy busy day. I am pleased to announce that I made it through without a single tear - must have been the adrenaline. 

The sun is finally out and I am watching Stephen work on set ideas for this years production of Cinderella at St. David's while  Rashomon plays out on the television screen. Margot has been seriously fussy the last 2 days and is therefore napping in her little seat and enjoying her first taste of Japanese samurai films. She can't seem to stay asleep in the crib, where her sister is contentedly snoozing. 

They have started to discover their sense of touch this week. Reaching out to touch our shoulders and arms when they are being picked up. Touching each other's hands while they nurse and exploring their blankets, binkies, and outfits with outstretched fingers. They touch and grab and then quickly withdraw their hands after a few moments as if the sensation has become too much to bear in that instant. 

I keep seeing glimpses of their future selves in their little faces. The faces we will help learn to crawl and walk, ride a bike and drive a car, coming into focus for brief seconds at a time. Pieces of the day where they look less like babies and more like little girls. I do my best to interact with them in their awake times. Touching their skin with various toys of different textures, calling them by name and trying to decide if they are looking at me or through me- mostly through me right now. 

I hope this sunshine lasts outside, it's shaping up to be a great day for a walk. 

Four Weeks

Four weeks ago today, I was sitting in a hospital bed feeling sick with nerves, watching "Cash Cab" with Stephen as we waited for the nurses to come get us. I remember the girls being super uncomfortable and moving around quite a lot while I tried desperately to relax. 

Today I sat listening to the Coldplay channel on Pandora and watching Margot suck furiously at her pacifier and Ada stare transfixed at the light coming through the window in the living room. Any moment Ada will grow tired of sitting in her seat and want to be held and talked too. She likes to be given tours of the house. I walk her through each room, holding her upright so she is facing me, and describe what takes place in each space. She listens with apparent rapt attention and watches the light dancing off the ceiling. Margot sits contentedly in her seat, with pacifier, staring at Stephen's mineral paintings. They are black and white. Soon they will each be telling me, with their "talking" cries, that they are ready for a nap. We will endure another diaper change and the screaming that comes with such activities that tend to wake a baby up instead of putting her to sleep as she wishes. I will listen to Ada scream at the top of her lungs while I change and swaddle Margot, and Margot ask quietly for her pacifier while I calm and take care of Ada. Then Ada goes down while I snuggle Margot for a few minutes. Ada's turn. Once everyone is happily drowsy, Oliver and I leave them to their dreams.

Today I tried a different strategy for making sure I get a shower and breakfast in a timely manner. I decided to get up with Stephen after their 5 am feeding and do it all then. That way if someone is in need, Stephen can help them out while I finish getting ready for the day. It worked like a charm this morning. It was incredible to start the day feeling clean and refreshed, instead of waiting around in my PJs for them to sleep long enough for me to wash up. I feel excited that I might be able to start eating breakfast with Stephen before he leaves for work. I feel energetic enough to tidy the house before taking a cat nap on the couch before the next feeding at 8. Margot woke right on cue, and I had to rouse Ada. 

The sun is shining through the windows, the babies are sleeping quietly in their crib, my house is tidy and I am enjoying a tall glass of cranberry juice and sparkling water... life is good. 

PS - for those of you who are wondering, yes, I have had some bad days. Yesterday was particularly trying. The drains in our house were clogged and the repair men were here during my one window to take a shower so I didn't get to shower until Stephen came home last night. My house was a disaster and the girls were rather a little more demanding than usual so I didn't get to even make the bed, barely got to eat or drink anything. I spent the majority of the day biting back the tears and the evening with Stephen letting them all out. So yeah.. today is a welcome change. 

Happy Four Weeks on earth baby girls. 

Clusters

There are many things that come in clusters... grapes for instance.. well around here pacifiers come in clusters and most recently.. feedings. Yesterday the girls started cluster feeding. For those of you who have never heard of this, it means that instead of eating every 2-4 hours, a baby might eat every hour or even more frequently in some cases. In our case, it meant that after the girls 4pm feeding, they did not go to sleep for more than 10 minutes, then awoke screaming for more food and proceeded to eat again at 5, 6, and 7. Since each feeding session last about 30 minutes that means that they ate, stayed awake for a few minutes, slept for a few minutes, then awoke again starving and started the process all over again. Wow. I was nervous that they weren't getting anything after the 2nd feeding but I was assured by my online research that they were, in fact, getting food and I could hear them gulping so that was also reassuring. One site I looked at said that sometimes babies do this as they are gearing up to sleep for a very long time, sometimes all night. Ada and Margot did not sleep through the night, but they did end up sleeping for two 5 hour stretches so.. that's not half bad. Funny thing is, Stephen and I both felt like we had been hit by a truck. You would think that more rest would be refreshing , instead we were more tired.. must have been the past week catching up with us or something. 

I was fully expecting them to do that again tonight but so far so good.. maybe that will change after the next feeding. Right now they are both sleeping soundly. 

This weekend has been super relaxing. The weather today has been so nice and cool that we were able to leave the windows open for most of the day. September is most definitely my favorite month of the year.. and not just because it's my birthday month :) Speaking of which, I keep remembering, at the oddest times, that I am about to turn 30.. the big 3-0. I always thought I would have some huge celebration (of sorts) for my 30th birthday but somehow it seems inconsequential in light of the present goings on in our home. The girls have their next doctor's appointment on my birthday in fact so hopefully they will have put on a pound at least and we will have multiple things to celebrate :)