(Grocery) Shopping Chronicles

With two babies, you have to be creative in how you shop, if you are going to dare attempt it on your own ;) I think I have tried just about every way you can imagine to take both babies shopping.

• Both babies in cart (Only works for smaller trips... as you can see, not much room for groceries. Picture taken about a month ago):

• Both babies in stroller, momma carrying a shopping basket (Easiest to set up, but only for very short trips)
• One baby in Moby Wrap, one baby in top seat area of cart
• One baby in Moby Wrap, one baby in bottom area of cart (Still not a ton of room for groceries, but I feel like the car seat is more stable. Poor Adam is buried under groceries, but he doesn't mind. Picture taken today.):

I just had to snap pictures of these funny moments.

When I see moms with three (or more) kids, with some/all of them mobile, I just watch and wonder how they do it!!

Sitting Up

My sweet boys sitting up on their own this morning! Matthew on left, Adam on right.

6 Months

We made it to 6 months! Adam & Matthew are changing so fast, it is truly amazing. (In above picture, Adam is in front in the Moby Wrap, Matthew is on my side)

They:

• Find, reach for, grab and play with toys
• Sit up without asssistance for a good amount of time
• Push up on their hands, lifting their chest completely up (for long periods of time)
• Can entertain themselves for long periods (my personal favorite achievement, haha ;)
• Notice each other, smile & laugh at each other
• Laugh at the cats
• Pet the cats
• Are completely captivated by people and their surroundings. Even if they are nursing & dad comes into the room, they both immediately look at him & smile.
• Grab their toes & chew on them while on their back
• Flip from front to back easily. Matthew can flip back to front. I am pretty sure Adam can too, but I don't think he wants to ;)
• Are eating solids. I started them 8 days before their 6 month birthday. So far they are eating rice cereal, sweet potatoes, acorn squash and peas. They are also sipping water from a straw or a cup. (They aren't very good at the sippy cup yet)
• LOVE to stand and "walk" with us holding their hands
• No words yet, but hopefully soon!
• Take 2-3 naps a day. Naps are starting to become longer & further apart.
• Usually sleep from about 7/8pm - 6/7am, waking up only once to nurse.
• Weigh 14 lbs 9 oz (Adam) and 14 lbs 11.5 oz (Matthew). 5-10th %
• Are both 26 in. long. 25th %

They are starting to develop their own personalities.

Adam:

• More even tempered (Slower to smile, but also slower to bawl. Also has a softer cry.)
• More sensitive. Loud noises or people making strange faces can make him cry.
• Goes to sleep easier.
• "Coos" while crying
• Eats more solid food
• Less picky about his solid food, except it CANNOT be cold. The moment it gets cold, he rejects it. (But he gobbles down everything that is warm, including peas)
• Has a big heart. He likes/notices Matthew more than Matthew reciprocates the feelings :) (so far)

Matthew

• Easier to make laugh, but also gets more upset, and with a louder cry. He seems to experience a wide range of emotions (quickly)
• "Grunts" while crying. (We can now tell their cries apart on the monitor)
• Is "done" eating solid foods much faster than Adam
• Takes longer to go to sleep
• Sticks his fingers in my mouth while he nurses.
• Hates peas (so far)
• Smiles very easily. "Flirts" with all of the girls (really!)

I am so happy I made it to 6 months. So far, every month has gotten easier & more fun. I do still feel overwhelmed at times. And, I admit, I can feel jealous of my friends who have singleton babies. I am jealous they can hold their baby on his own, that they are much more mobile (stick him in a moby wrap and you're good to go), that they can breastfeed one baby at a time (easier to cuddle & bond, and easier to travel).

I was actually having a pity party for myself the morning my mom & I took my precious babies for a walk. After a while of walking, this is how we found them:

They looked so peaceful together, it made my heart happy :) I really really love that they have each other, that they have a built in playmate, that they share a room (so I worry less about them being lonely at night), and that they will (hopefully) be friends for life.

Food, Food, Food

Today, just 8 days shy of their 6 month birthday, Adam & Matthew had their first solid food (whole grain rice cereal). They loved it!

I will admit, my goal was to exclusively breastfeed for a full 6 months. But, the boys were consistenty acting hungry after nursing. I felt I should either give formula or solid food, so rice cereal it was. They couldn't get the food fast enough, it was so funny!

I was excited they took to solids so well. So, I pureed some organic sweet potatoes for them, nixed it with water, and stored it in these nifty containers from Babies R Us for later:



The freezer is filling up fast with baby milk/food :)

Things I Can't Live Without (at 5 Months)

#6 - Jumper
The boys are just starting to like this, but I can tell the boys are going to love it more and more as they grow. Love Adam's expression in this picture.















#5 - Bumbo
The boys LOVE sitting in this bumbo, but only if it is where the action is! (Like on top of the counter when I am cooking or doing dishes). Here is Matthew chewing on his Pooh toy while mommy does chores.

#4 - Walker with belt attachment

This has been a lifesiver!! The boys are too short to move the walker on their own, but with a belt attached to the top, it becomes a "mobile command chair" that can be easily wheeled around the tile. Both of the boys LOVE it. I put the other twin in the Moby wrap, and I can entertain two fussy babies without killing my back or my arms. It is wonderful!

#3 - Moby Wrap

Probably one of the best things ever invented. With a little practice, baby can be easily held hands free. I can get chores done with this thing, and I can't tell you how much the babies love it. I can also take walks with a baby (if there is another person to hold the other), or use it in the grocery store. The one huge limitation though, is that I can only hold one baby like this. (Often combined with the above walker). Here is Adam in the Moby Wrap, showing off one of his preemie outfits to show how much he has grown.

#2 = Exersaucer

This one only beats the Moby Wrap it is virtually parent free :) This is THE favorite hangout spot for both babies (aside from mommies arms of course). I have been using this and the bumbo in the kitchen so I can cook. (I had seriously been lacking in the cooking department before this)

And the #1 thing I can not live without - Grandparents!!

If I am ever overwhelmed, I can almost always call a grandparent over to help me out. Here is grandpa entertaining both babies. So sweet!

Also I would not be able to do this without my husband, but this post is about when he is at work :)

Tough Day

Children are a blessing, and I know I am blessed beyond belief that I have two healthy, thriving twin boys.

As much as I love my boys, there are times I get frustrated (as I am sure all parents do).

When both boys (or even just one boy) is happy/content, all is well in the household. But, when both babies are upset, it is hard on me (emotionally and physically) to calm them both down.

Yesterday was just such a day. The boys were on a nap strike (2 of their naps were only 20 minutes long), and thus they were cranky and wanting to be held much of the afternoon. Well you may have guessed from my tiny arms that my bench pressing max in my glory days was 45 pounds. My triceps are non existent, and the boys have already wrecked their destruction on my back. So... not a lot to work with as far as holding two squirming 13+ pound infants together. (My arms get tired very fast.) Then with the short naps, I didn't get much of a break either.

So, needless to say, I was a tad grumpy when Alan got home. Poor guy didn't even get in the house before I handed him a baby (Adam I believe).

Alan had 10 days off of work during the holidays, and it was so so nice having him around to help with the babies. (Again, poor guy. He didn't get much of a vacation. :P) But it also may have spoiled me just a bit, because yesterday it was hard to go back to just me.

So far this morning things have been going well though. Here is a picture of the little trouble makers, taken yesterday morning (before the nap strike). They are grabbing everything (and inserting into mouth when possible). Matthew is looking at the camera:

It's official

Adam & Matthew are IDENTICAL twins. (The official cheek swab results came in last week.)We are going to have our hands full :)


The boys are 4.5 months old and doing great. (Adam on left, Matthew on right in above picture.)At their 4 month check up Adam weighed 12 pounds, 8 ounces, 24 inches. Matthew weighed 12 pounds, 7 ounces, 24.25 inches. Both are in the 10th percentile for weight & length. (They weren't even on the chart when they were born, so this is good). We are still exclusively breastfeeding, and going strong. They eat about every 3 hours during the day. And every 4-6 hours or so at night (They have been waking up around 11:30pm and 4:30am, and I put them to sleep between 6pm and 7:30pm, depending on when their last nap was.) They take 3 - 4 naps a day. Their naps are usually 45 minutes to an hour. Occasionally the morning nap is a little longer, but sometimes the later naps are only 35-40 minutes.



They are learning new skills all of the time, and they are developing their own personalities. Adam is our reserved, calmer baby. Matthew is our wild child.. he gets more upset than Adam, but he also smiles & laughs more easily. Matthew is our good napper. When we put him in his crib, he almost immediately puts his thumb in his mouth and goes to sleep. Adam seems to forget about his thumb when he naps, so he usually fusses for a few minutes before he drifts off.

Above is one of their first tummy time sessions where they weren't completely upset about being on their tummies. (Adam on left, Matthew on right) They are also rolling from front to back like little acrobats :) They try to roll back, but they get halfway & get stuck.

Here is Adam sitting up for the second time. I'm not completely sure if this counts, because he is not very steady, and I positioned him, but he stayed long enough for a picture :) This was yesterday.

Matthew was able to pull it off as well :) I have such strong little boys!

I am loving the 4 month age range. Adam & Matthew are just so so sweet. And I can't get over how adorable they are. Sometimes I just can't kiss them enough, they are just so lovable.