Double Mommy

January is Slacker Month

2012-01-03T17:43:00.000-08:00

I have been planning a Christmas entry since, well, since Christmas. I have lots of great pictures to make into a slide show that would definitely have you smiling and oohing and ahhing at my absolutely adorable children and my spectacular Christmas decor, but alas, I did not post this lovely entry before the clock tolled twelve and welcomed the new year. So, I decided instead to write about why January should be a month of slacking, not a month of getting off your ass and doing everything you meant to do the last twelve months that just "flew by."

First of all, January is the month of my birth. Until I'm a pile of ashes in a lovely urn, I will always celebrate my birthday in any way I can. Even though I do have plans to start some sort of exercise regiment as well as clean out every single closet in my home, I don't think I should have to do any of these things right before my birthday, on my birthday, or in the following days after my birthday. I am, in fact, quite surprised that I cleaned my linen closet. (It's nice, right?).

Second, whoever said new year's resolutions must begin in the first month of the year. There are ~~365~~ 366 days to get everything done on that to-do list (you've had for nine years). Let the first month be the month you recover from the last two weeks of holiday insaneness. If more people took a breather, maybe more people would keep up with the gym membership, sort through all those piles of paper on the office floor, and have clean, Martha Stewart-esque garages.

Basically this entry boils down to this. I am not going to stress this month. I will post Christmas pictures when I post them. I will clean my closets when I clean them. And I will kick my butt doing low-impact cardio and Pilates when I decide my butt is thoroughly ready for some kicking. In the meantime, in the early days of 2012, I'm going to relax and shut my eyes tightly when I look at the mess Christmas has left me.

Plus, if the Mayans are right, we're all dying in December, so live it up!

Christmas, The Beginning

2011-11-25T12:00:00.001-08:00

It's here. The day after Thanksgiving. To some, it's Black Friday. To me, it's the first day of the Christmas season.

It's time to get my decorate on!!!

Last year, it was low-key but nice. The girls were still quite small and didn't get what was going on. This year, I'm not going to be so low key. I have vowed not to go Opryland-lights crazy, but I am going to have a little fun...on a budget, of course.

The tree is going up this weekend, so I'll be back to post pictures.

Other than the decorating, I am very proud of myself for being frugal and thoughtful with this year's Christmas shopping. For the girls, they are getting three gifts from us--one of which will be handmade (if I finish on time...which I will, dammit).

They have a new obsession with dinosaurs thanks to Jane Yolen's "How Do Dinosaurs" book series, so they will be getting Dippy Dinos from Jellycat. They also really love playing with Mommy and Daddy's keys--to the point of not letting us have them back when we need to drive--so they're getting Funkeys* from B. Toys. The handmade item is a crocheted blanket for each of them. I'm no master crocheter, but I thought having something made by Mommy would be a really nice thing...even if I meant them to be birthday presents...last year. Oops.

*The Funkeys were recalled back in 2009 but have since been redesigned for anyone concerned.

Quick Tip of the Week

2011-10-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

OK. I know, I know, my last three blogs have been quick tips. But I can't think of anything to write about, so please send me some ideas so I can get back on the wagon!!

Anyway...on to this week's quick tip.

Find a Field

Today, the girls needed to get out. It was such a beautiful day, we went to the park. Usually we play on the playground, swing, or walk the path. Today, though, I grabbed a couple of balls, a bag of snacks, and let the run free in a big field at the park. I could pretty much sit in one place and see them. It was great for them because they could run and check out leaves and pinecones and whatnot. It was great for me because I didn't have to stay right on them, and they got rid of a lot of energy. I highly recommend a large field for playing.

Quick Tip of the Week

2011-10-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

Make Oatmeal Fun!

The girls eat a lot of oatmeal. We have our "normal" flavors: apple and cinnamon (made with diced apples or applesauce) and raisin (a little brown sugar, a lot of raisins and pumpkin pie spice). Recently, though, I've started experimenting with different flavors mixed into our quick oats.

Frozen fruit has been a big hit--strawberries or blueberries thawed in the microwave, stirred in before cooking the oatmeal.

Almond butter and honey taste like wonderful cookies!

Diced peaches and vanilla yogurt (Stoneyfield Whole Milk yogurt is our favorite) make a wonderful oatmeal or put it in the fridge after cooking and have it as a pudding for a snack.

So if your kids (or you) like oatmeal, forget the instant and buy a large container of quick oats with all kinds of different mix-ins!

Quick Tip of the Week

2011-10-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's been awhile. I'm sorry. But I've been busy. I'll blog more, I promise. And I'm starting here, with a new weekly entry called "Quick Tip of the Week." Every week I'll share some small tidbit that I use that helps to make my life easier. Hopefully it will be something you can use too. And because I only have so many ideas in my head, I would LOVE for you to send me your own quick tips as well.

First Ever Quick Tip of the Week: Cheap and Simple Blind Cord Safety

Instead of spending any kind of money on blind cord wrappers, trapper, winders, or whatever, I stuck two push pins in the wall next to the window. Wrap the cord around and there you go! The cord is out of reach for little hands, feet, and kitty paws.

I already had a pack of push pins, so this was free for me to do on all the windows in the house, but a pack of push pins will cost you, at most, $5 for 100. (Check the dollar store to save even more.)

Space Saving DIYing

2011-09-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Lately, the girls have been helping me with the laundry. I've known for a long while that our laundry room needs some serious reorganization to allow for better use of the tiny, tiny space. I realized it even more when I was in the room with two little helpers. It was a tight squeeze and the girls are still just knee-height to me. I can't imagine when they're three years old and really helping me out! Therefore, I've started--you guessed it--a plan to make the laundry room more friendly. More friendly to clothes washing and drying and ironing, cleaning supplies storage, and even kitty littering.

The first step is finding a compact ironing board. I currently use a double folded bath sheet on top of the washing machine. Yep, it's as horrible as it sounds. But I believe I've come up with a solution. Two of these extremely clever folding shelf brackets along with a DIY pressing board in whatever size I'd like. (Thank you to Amanda at A Crafty Fox for the wonderful idea and tutorial!)

As I've always thought, starting a room with something cute and homemade makes it a better room to use...no matter how dreadful laundry can be.

I Have a Goal

2011-08-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago and got weighed. I'm not going to tell you what the number was, but I'll just say it was a lot higher than I wanted or expected it to be. So now I have a goal. I do have a number in mind, but that's not the true goal. The goal is, by next summer, to be able to wear this.

And this.

Yes. Both the swimsuit and the lovely, lovely dress come in my size. But if I put either of them on now, I'm damn sure someone would ask me when I'm due. (And if you're that evil greeter at Wal-Mart, you'll check twice to make sure I answered correctly when I said I wasn't expecting.) Since puberty, I've had a big booty and muscular thighs. I accept those things. I do not accept the mommy tummy. I want it to go bye-bye and never return. Thanks to genetics, I've always gained weight in the midsection, and thanks to two little ladies, the midsection grew some more. But now I'm done with it.

The thing about this awesome goal is that I am a procrastinator, and I hate "working out." I have yoga and Pilates and other workout DVDs, but there's something about standing in front of my TV and doing moves that makes me want to just go ride a bike, play a little volleyball or take a martial arts class instead. I want to sweat and work hard for my weight loss, but I want it to be enjoyable too.

I will do the DVDs to really get my heart rate up, but I plan to walk with the girls more, run around on the playground with them. Maybe eventually sign up for some karate or something. I want to be more active, more fit, and less tummy.

Guest Appearance

2011-08-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Lillie and Dani have made the Photo of the Day over at Spearamint Baby!

While you're there checking out my cute ones, check out all the fun stuff on this great blog. Everything from birth stories to nursery decor. It's great for soon-to-be and already-there parents.

Follow Me!

2011-08-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

I joined the masses. I am now on Twitter. Follow me if you'd like. I probably have more interesting things to say here, but you never know when I might bust out a winner. :)

Planning Far, Far, Far Ahead

2011-07-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

I have a problem. I've had it for years, but with kids, I must say that's it has gotten worse. I love to redecorate. At this juncture, I do not have the funds (or truly the time) to do so, but I definitely do lots of planning. I have links to about twenty home improvement, DIY and decor sites on my bookmark list. I would cry big tears of happiness if someone gave me a shopping spree to Lowe's, Havertys, and Ikea. (Wow, I'd have one awesome family room if I could pull that off....) I also happen to have a small collection of inspiration photos for redecorating the girls' room when they move to "big girl" beds.

Yep, I have inspiration photos for something that probably will not happen for another four years or so. I told you I have a problem.

We bought convertible cribs for the girls so we could get the most bang for our buck, so when they're out of crib stage, we'll convert them to toddler beds. Once they leave toddler beds, I still want them to be in the same room; therefore, converting the toddler beds to full-size beds won't fly in a 100 square foot room. This is where the planning starts--what kind of beds do we go to?

Twin beds, duh.

But bunks beds? Side-by-side beds? Storage beds? There are so many choices!!

from Better Homes & Garden

Bunk beds, at first, were the way to go for me. The girls get there own space yet we open up some floor space for a play area and a desk (which is already in there as a changing table right now). The downside is storage. The girl in the top bunk doesn't get much in the way of a nightstand or anything. I mean, I could install a wall shelf or something, but it still seems a bit lacking. Plus there's the whole ladder thing. Yes, they make cool bunks that have stairs on the side, but I'm still not keen on someone climbing to bed every night OR a parent having to carry a sleeping child to a bed that's taller than said parent.

Even though I'll still consider them, I'm leaning more towards the side-by-side idea. Everyone gets a bed and a nightstand. Depending on how I set up the room, both can have a little bench or seat at the foot for getting ready. Also, I've always wanted a room with side-by-side twin beds. If we hadn't had children, I actually thought about doing it in the guest bedroom anyway. There's just something very clean and inviting about the symmetry of it all!

from Apartment Therapy

I love the bright headboards paired with the bold striped rug in this picture. I'm not so keen on the perfectly matched bedding, though. Just as with their clothes, I don't think I'd give Lillie and Dani identical bedding. The centering of the photos over the nightstand is a nice twist on the norm as well. I'm thinking that I'll still have the mural up that's painted there, so I won't even worry about additional art, but who knows! Maybe ~~Mommy~~ the girls will grow tired of it and want a change.

I also think storage is a big, big, huge deal. Beds with built-in storage seem like the way to go. But their beds will be rather close together side-by-side, so I can imagine pulling out drawers being a bit of a nightmare when two little ones are rushing to get ready. So then I think about a different room set up to allow for ultimate storage.

The L-shape set up in this picture gives plenty of room for drawers plus a central nightstand/storage place for each girl. Plus I'm pretty sure this could be very optimal for sleepovers later down the road since a wider bit of floor would be open.

So many decisions and so ~~little~~ much time to go back and forth and back and forth. Of course, I'll just keep these inspirations tucked away in a folder and add to them as I find new pictures. But it is fun to share my little obsession with people just to get some extra feedback (either on my ideas or a good counselor I could see).

My Ikea Hack

2011-07-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

For months (OK, it may actually be years), I have been looking for a great piece to go in our makeshift entryway. I needed it to be no more than 12 inches deep and 50 inches wide. I wanted to have closed storage to keep the girls out of it, and I didn't want it to be too cookie cutter. Every single piece I found fit only one of my criteria. In fact, the dream piece I found at Pottery Barn (for a mere $599!) is too big for the space.

Expensive, but beautiful!

I'd finally found a piece--or pieces rather--that worked for me: closed storage, the right dimensions, and...well, they're a little cookie cutter because they're from Ikea. I knew that I could take these boring pine dressers and make them my own.

I purchased two Rast Dressers through ModerNash (love you guys!). I also purchased some stain, new knobs and some foam brushes. That way, these cookie cutter dressers could become what I wanted them to be.

So here you go.

And (drumroll please...) the after! Well, not exactly the after; it's more the in progress. Eventually, I plan to make these two dressers look like one as well as add legs to bump it up about six inches. For now, though, I really am proud of the work I did.

I'll take some better pictures in the future when I've done a little more work on it, but I was just too excited to not share right now. What do you think?

No Longer the Favorite

2011-06-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

I'm going to begin by saying typing this will probably make me cry. Actually, there's no probably about it. I will cry.

When Tim & I first discussed getting pregnant, I initially said I wanted to wait a year in the hopes to better prepare myself for the idea of pregnancy. He, on there hand, said sooner was better than later since my grandparents aren't getting any younger, and if we had children after my grandmother died, she would haunt us. (I don't care if you don't believe in that kind of thing, Miss Lillian would haunt us.) I try to never think about any family members dying; therefore, the idea hadn't even crossed my mind. I'm happy we did have the girls when we did because just seeing them brightens my grandparents' day tenfold.

So today, in the car, my grandmother told me that she loved me lots and lots...but that she loves my daughters more. I knew this. I may have been the favorite grandchild growing up, but I've known she loved my children more since the day she literally pushed me out of the way to say hello to them when they were around six months old. It wasn't that statement that brought a tear to my eye. It's what she said next: "Those girls are a ray of sunshine that makes our lives better, and I am so happy that your granddaddy and I get to spend the end of our lives with them here."

Now, I may joke on a regular basis that Grandma is one morbid person. She's convinced she's going to die when she has a bad headache. She even once gave me her diamond anniversary ring because she wasn't going to "make it through" her knee surgery. But I know the inevitable will happen. Everyone on this earth leaves it at some point in time, and I know my grandparents (especially Granddaddy) aren't in the best of health. To know that my daughters help them have better days both warms and breaks my heart. I want my girls to remember their great-grandparents; I hope they are around for a long time so Lillie and Dani have some good solid memories of them.

Spend lots of time with your family. I know you know in your heart that you love them, but sometimes someone needs to say it for you to realize how much love is there.

Little Touches, Playroom Edition

2011-05-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

As I stated in this blog, I've gone on a cleaning rampage. I have officially finished the dining room and, early this morning (around 1 AM), I finished the playroom. My goal was to dust, sweep and mop all the surfaces; hang new shelving and finish floor pillow covers for the girls. This morning, it was all about that last floor pillow.

Here are the results! (Click the photos to supersize.) I must say that I am very proud of myself. My dinky sewing machine broke halfway through the first pillow, so I had to sew those suckers by hand. And, of course, the embroidery is all hand done because I definitely don't have the money for one of those cool Martha Stewart embroidery machines.

The embroidered circles were my original design. In fact, I did a small version way before the girls arrived. I had planned on doing the pattern on curtains for their room, but that fell through. Then I started searching online and came up with the felt butterflies for the second pillow. I knew when I did the butterflies that I was going to love it more than the embroidered circles, but that's OK. I will not (will not, will not, will not) redo that circles pillow because I love it too.

The playroom will be ongoing--adding new art, replacing old toys. But for now, it's seems quite complete. When I finish the entire house, I shall have pictures.

Road Trip!

2011-05-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

Last week, the girls and I (along with Aunt Mandi) came back from a trip to Maryland to see my dad. He was meeting his granddaughters for the first time, and it was absolutely amazing to watch him with them. I'd say a majority of the trip was a grand success. The other parts not so much.

The girls did very, very well in the car. Our attempt to drive overnight so they would sleep didn't go quite as planned. We ended up stopping at a hotel both coming and going. Both times being more for the adults than for the children. I think next time we'll travel during the day and just have plenty of leg-stretching, energy-expressing, eating stops since it seemed the day travel went better for everyone. I'm obviously no longer a spring chicken who can stay up all day and drive all night as well.

The visit was lots of fun. We nearly abandoned all sense of schedule, which I took better than I thought. The girls actually took naps in their strollers while we were out. They loved being out and about in the city--seeing people, museums, and lots of birds. The only thing that really seemed to make them unhappy was mealtime at Dad's. There was lots and lots and LOTS of screaming and crying every single time we had a meal. Dani tipped over in one of the chairs--scaring the crap out of everyone in the room. I don't know if that fall is what triggered the unhappiness for the rest of the trip, but as long as those girls weren't up to the table having a meal, they were relatively happy. (They also didn't particularly like when I left the room, but that's not a new thing.)

We successfully survived our first long trip. I'm not so scared of taking more now. I have learned to now pack every bit of medicine they might need. Be prepared for all kinds of weather, no matter what the Weather Channel says. Travel with painters tape or plug covers. Having single umbrella strollers is nice because they take up less room and make for easier maneuverability in museums and public transportation, but they suck when it comes to storage, so take a big backpack and deal with the bag searches.

Super Spring Clean

2011-05-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

I used to be a neat freak, and I've always been a procrastinator. Adding two little ones to the mix did not make matters better. My need to clean and straighten was quickly replaced by my need to eat and sleep. But now I just can't take it anymore. I see dust on bookcases and fans, dingy spots on my beautiful white rug (Yes, I have a white rug in my sitting room...about one foot from Lillie's highchair.), stacks and stacks of junk mail piled up everywhere. I actually twitch a little when I walk into certain rooms.

Summer begins on June 21. That's seven weeks away. I plan to spend the remainder of this spring cleaning my house. And yes, I am insane.

I do not intend to spend every free moment cleaning. That's just crazy talk! I do, though, have a plan. An actual plan written on index cards with little boxes next to each task that can be satisfyingly checked off as I accomplish them.

I will go room by room and do some serious organizing and cleaning. I will dust baseboards and get cobwebs out of corners, vacuum a mattress, wash curtains, scrub a refrigerator and steam clean the wood floors. (If anyone can recommend a good steam mop, I'm all ears.) I plan to locate my staple gun that went missing some time last year. I'm sure it's hiding with other things that have gone into hiding.

It began last week when I put together the first of two bookcases for my office and actually got books off the floor. I continued this week with freeing the dining room of dust and cleaning the window. Next up, remove the rug and play mat from the playroom and take care of those floors as well as dust the piano. I'm sure I'll find a (un)healthy amount of Cheerio bits.

There's an interesting saying I found that states, "Cleaning while the kids are home is like shoveling snow while it's still snowing." Well, it's going to be snowing in this house for a long while, so I just have to get over it and do my best.

Renewal

2011-04-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

Spring is the time for renewal and rebirth. For a long while now (around 14 months and 3 weeks), I have been neglecting myself. Not entirely, of course, but for the most part, two little ~~terrors~~ darlings dominate my life. They will, gladly, continue to do so, but I am making Spring 2011 the time I renew, reinvent, rediscover, whatever you want to call it. I will reinvent my body, rediscover a sense of order in my home, and renew my love for tasty, tasty homecooking.

I plan to blog about each of these more in depth later on, but I felt it necessary to put this pledge out in the 'Verse. It's not truly a promise you can keep unless you tell others you're trying to keep it.

Dani the Sleepy

2011-04-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

Ear infections suck. Miss Dani cries and coughs and cries and gets very little sleep. But I must say, I got some cute (albeit pitiful) pictures of her first day feeling the effects of two nights' bad sleep.

Miss Dani having trouble keeping her eyes open...

In my attempt to comfort Dani, I let Lillie destroy napkins to stay entertained.

Falling asleep while I changed Lillie's diaper

During nap time, she wouldn't sleep in her crib, so we went old school on the Boppy.

After lunch, she still had no energy and wiped out on her hedgehog. Later, Lillie tickled her feet.

Vote for Me

2011-04-19T04:56:00.000-07:00

I want to be one of HopScout's new editors. To even get in the running, I need your help. You need to vote for me. It's simple. Go to Hopscout's Facebook page, then vote for yours truly. Tell your friends, your family, and your neighbors. Voting closes April 22, so help me out! The highest 20 votes move on to the second round. Even easier, just click the link below.

Click here to watch my video.

Thanks!!!!!!

Easter and the Eggs

2011-04-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

Don't I wish I could decorate like this!

Easter is next weekend, and I'm ashamed to say that I didn't realize that until I saw a big sign at Publix reminding me. Oops.

On Easter Sunday, I've promised my mom that I will take the girls to church. This will be their first time going to church, and I'm curious how it will go. My mom is super excited and has said she doesn't care if they run around like crazy children, but I care, so I've already planned to take them over to the nursery/daycare area if they just can't sit still. They also have these sailor dresses they will be wearing. When we got them as a gift, I had no clue where they could possibly wear them, but I must confess, they are absolutely perfect Easter attire. I promise to deliver plenty of pictures...or at least a couple.

We probably won't be going to visit the Easter Bunny at the mall because I just don't see spending money to wait in line to take pictures that may or may not cause fear in my 14-month olds right now. Plus, the Easter Bunny near us creeps me out a bit. I am considering taking them to an egg hunt, though. They love to run around and pick up things, so why not make a morning of it? I just can't seem to decide which one...

Belmont Mansion
The mansion's egg hunt is a free event on the grounds. There will be three separate egg hunts starting at thirty minute intervals with the first one at 1pm. There are no age limits on the site or parental involvement restrictions, so I assume the girls can go. Plus, I haven't been to Belmont Mansion since I was in elementary school.

Nashville Zoo
Eggstravaganzoo at the zoo has separate hunts divided by age group. We already have a membership, so this event would be free for us. There will also be eggs "hunted" by the animals, face painting, and games. The girls probably won't play any games, but they do enjoy people-watching.

Tennessee Central Railway Museum
This isn't even in consideration because the cost of a ticket for children under 12 is $20 and $31 for adults, but I think it would be really fun when the girls are older. You take a train ride from Nashville to Watertown, TN where the egg hunt takes place. The Easter bunny rides the train with you, and as long as you have your own camera, you can take pictures with him (or her or it, which is it?). I do think the girls would enjoy the train ride, but the cost just isn't justifiable quite yet.

So what are you doing for Easter? Family dinner? Church and breakfast? Any egg hunts? For locals, I'm sure there are hunts that I've missed, so let me know if there are some you attend.

Favorite Picture of the Week

2011-04-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

My Favorite Things

2011-03-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

Itzbeen
Without this nifty little gadget, my girls may have gone too long between diaper changes or missed bottles. I don't know where my brain went when they were born, but the Itzbeen helped me seem slightly sane. My husband and I were so dependent on those things that we didn't tell time anymore, it was always how long it had been since something happened. I still use it to keep up with naps and diaper changes.

Fisher-Price Happy Days and Nights Diapers

Through Amazon's Subscribe and Save and Mom programs, these diapers cost me $13.99 per case. That's the best thing ever. Secondly, they work really well! I've only experienced two leaks with them and it's because I used a daytime diaper for longer than I should have (over three hours). I'm sure Pampers and Huggies make thinner diapers, but a little extra bulk is nothing to balk at when I'm saving a bundle. (I did that alliteration on purpose.)

Carter's

Extremely adorable clothes that are well made and last. The sizes are true to my kids, and I don't believe I've ever paid full price since they will send or give you a handful of coupons every time you show.

Circo

We have Circo clothes, socks, toys, storage containers and two adorable hedgehog bean bag chairs. Target's go-to kids brand is amazing.

Bumkins Junior Bibs

We have tried all kinds of bibs at meal time, but these are perfect. The girls cannot pull them off since they have sleeves. They're big enough to cover their laps, and they are super easy to clean. Bonus--they come in really cute patterns!

Perdue Breaded Chicken Nuggets

All-natural baked chicken with a whole grain breaded crust. They take 90 seconds to warm in the microwave, and even when the girls are going through a picky phase, they will eat these. They are the best quick meal. I just wish they came in a Costco-sized freezer bag.

Sprout Stage 3 Meals

Honestly the closest I've ever seen to real food in any baby food. The lasagna has actual ground beef. The macaroni and cheese has a variety of cheeses with butternut squash and real noodles. Their line includes oatmeal with mixed berries, pumpkin peach pie, and ginger chicken. Plus there are herbs and spices. I'm a foodie, so this is the best baby food to get my girls to be foodies-in-training. It does cost a little more than Gerber or Beech-Nut, but it's worth it. Buy them through Amazon, and they're even cheaper.

Amazon Subscribe & Save and Amazon Mom

Speaking of Amazon... Because of these two programs, I rarely buy diapers in the store. I just don't see the point. I save up to 30%, and it's delivered to my door in two days. And now, as soon as I know they like a certain food, I'll buy a case of it and save myself some more money. Sign up if you haven't already; it's free.

Baby Bjorn Anyone?

2011-03-05T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hey all! This isn't really a traditional entry, but hey, I'm a mom, most of you are moms. This should work out for the best.

I've got two Baby Bjorn Active carriers (one in white and one in red) that my little ones have outgrown. If you or anyone you know is looking for one or two, shoot me an email, and I'll give you a good deal...I promise!

The Active carrier has better back support than the original. Take it from a Mama with arthritis in her back and two bum shoulders, this carrier kicks boo-tay when toting little ones around football games.

Need more info? Check out the link below:
http://www.babybjorn.com/products/baby-carriers/baby-carrier-active/active/

A Week of Change

2011-02-22T05:25:00.000-08:00

This week is big for the girls. Sunday was their last day in their infant car seats. Yesterday they rode in the brand spankin' new Evenflo Symphony 65 seats.

Here's there first ride...

And their last.

Also, today will be the first week they'll have all milk all the time instead of a milk/formula mix. Tim made the last full batch of formula Sunday night, so yesterday was and today will be some formula, but come Wednesday--all milk! Did you hear my big happy sigh? The idea of not buying buckets and buckets of formula is sooooooo nice.

Also, the girls are about to change diaper sizes. I just ordered Fisher-Price Happy Days/Nights, size 4. They're getting sooooo big!! I promise, when I get around to it, I will do a 12-month report. :)

From the Ottoman

2011-02-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

Lillie takes her first (documented) steps.

Painting the Town Red

2011-02-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

Here's the invitation for the party that happened on February 5 to celebrate the upcoming first birthday of my little girls...which happened on February 7.

The theme was red. Friends and family came a celebrated well. Cake smashing and laughter and lots of good presents made for a wonderfully low stress day for Lillie, Dani and even Mommy.

the main cake--vanilla with strawberry filling

smash cakes for the birthday girls

The girls got lots and lots of books.

I'm pretty sure this is another book. :)

CAKE!

Favorite Picture of the Week, part 2

2011-02-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

I had many favorites this week because of the birthday party yesterday, but this one is my favorite right now. The girls had just finished their cake...and decided to share the icing with the bathroom wall.

Favorite Picture of the Week

2011-02-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

Favorite Pictures of the Week

2011-01-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

Eleven Month Report

2011-01-18T08:52:00.000-08:00

Actually, this is the eleven month and eleven day report--sorry about that! For some reason, the past couple of weeks have seemed more hectic than others. Maybe it had something to do with that returning to teaching thing I decided to do. Oh well, I guess late is sometimes better than never.

On December 23, Dani took her first steps! She went from standing in November to assisted walking early in December to taking a couple of steps. It was a wonderful early Christmas present. Now, she much prefers walking to crawling. It is absolutely adorable to watch her toddle around the playroom, the family room, her crib--anywhere I let her walk.

Lillie is still cruising and crawling with great speed. I've caught her standing on her own for a second or two, and she's started walking assisted by only one hand instead of two. I think she'll get that walking thing down soon enough. She doesn't seem to care so much, though, that her sister is doing something she's not.

More and more I've been letting them play on their own. I'll put them in the playroom and eat breakfast or fold laundry. It seems that not having me as a distraction all the time is making them find each other funny. A couple of weeks ago, they were in their play yard while I went upstairs to get dressed, and I heard lots and lots of giggling. I figured Tim had taken a quick break to come play with them, but when I came downstairs, they were just sitting feet to feet passing a toy back and forth and laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. I do hope that they keep it up and become the best of friends.

They're also showing signs of wanting to drop to one nap a day. They're still getting tired in the morning, but it's been later, so I've been putting them down for a nap later. Then, when afternoon naptime rolls around, they both fight it like the plague. In fact, I don't believe Dani has taken her second nap for over a week. I really didn't want to go to one nap just yet, but hey, I can't dictate that so much. I've finally decided to slowly push the morning nap later and later because the idea of them staying up from 11:30 to 6 is just craziness. I almost went for a random drive yesterday just to get them to nap.

With all this added mobility and extended awake time, I realize even more that the playroom shouldn't be the only baby-proofed room in the house. We took steps when they began crawling to remove breakables and add cushions and cover all the outlets, but it's just not enough now. I've put together some plans for the family room to make it more baby friendly because our current solution of moving everything from the table to the very small space on top of our DVD cabinets just isn't really working. Storage solutions that are at least four feet off the ground are definitely necessary!

Passing on the Music

2011-01-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of me at six years old. That little piano there is probably a few months old, and I'm playing a little tune in my first grade music class. I absolutely adored that piano. I played it nearly everyday until my grandmother bought me the real thing. Then that piano sat safely underneath my real one, still treasured.

When I went off to college, got married and then moved away from home, that little piano was still sitting underneath my big piano. When I moved back to Nashville and bought a house, my big piano came with me, but the little one stayed behind.

Then the girls came along, and I started to really think about that little piano. When they got big enough to really be interested in banging on keys, I knew it was time to bring the little piano to my house.

Alas, my parents didn't love it as much since there was no one to play it. This is what it looked like when I finally rescued it--water stains on top, dust and dirt in nearly every crevice, exposed staples and nails, plus stickers that were put on around the time that picture up there was taken. This little piano needed more than just a little cleaning.

I knew I wanted it to be something special for my girls. I figured I couldn't save the finish and replacing pieces the water stained wood was pretty much out of the question. So I decided to go bold.

After lots of scrubbing, sanding, scraping, priming and painting, and painting, and a little more painting, Lillie and Dani now have a little piano to call their own.

It will not sit safely underneath the big piano, but instead beside it. I hope they play with it well and learn to love music as much as their mommy.

The Things I've Learned

2011-01-01T13:15:00.000-08:00

The craziest year of my life has come to a close, but just like every other year I have made resolutions--to be more organized, to be healthier, to be more productive. With little ones underfoot, maybe I have a chance of keeping these resolutions throughout the year. I've also learned a lot this year. Therefore, instead of writing about what will come of this new year, I'll reflect on what did come of this past year.

Sleep is a gift. It is a wonderful thing that recharges, keeps us sane, makes babies less cranky and easier to manage. I missed it desperately for months, and now I treasure every moment of it.

Saving money is wise. You never realize how broke you are until you have children. Clipping coupons, buying store brands, doing more shopping at Costco, price checking until your fingers hurt and your eyes sting--it's all very, very worth it.

Being selfish is important. I've never had to take care of anyone like I have to take care of these girls. Most of the time, things I need or want are put on the back-burner for them. For sanity's sake, though, sometimes I have to be a little selfish and do something for myself.

Having a shoulder to lean on is necessary. I've gotten tons of support from my friends and family, but I've also found an entire community of women at Twinstuff.com who make getting through the day-to-day much easier. I love everyone who supports me--in reality and virtually.

Love is fierce. I love lots of people in lots of ways, but I've never known love like I have for Lillie and Dani. I've also found a new level of love for the people who were already in my life. It's amazing. It's scary. It leaves me awestruck on a regular basis.

Change is the only constant. I may have this tattooed on my body somewhere. Good, bad, ugly, beautiful--everything changes and shifts. I must always remember that the bad things won't last. I have to remember that the good things don't always last as well. If I can do that, my sanity might just stay loosely intact.

Favorite Picture of the Week

2010-12-26T21:24:00.000-08:00

The girls ripping into their very first Christmas present.

With One Sock On...

2010-12-22T17:58:00.000-08:00

Dani takes a few steps!!

Planning for Next Year's Christmas

2010-12-20T17:33:00.000-08:00

Every year, I drool over Christmas decorations in decorating magazines, on HGTV, and on Pottery Barn's website. I long to have a cozy house filled with spicy smells, lots of glittery lights and wonderful decorations outside. But, this year--just like every other year--I put up our tree and decorated it with red and silver ornaments. I hung the stockings (five this year instead of three). I curled the simple three strands of lights outside around our door and railing.

This is the last year that I will do that. Probably to the dismay of Tim, I plan to hit it out of the park next year with the Christmas decorations. I will not be my mother who has about 50 angels and Santa Clauses oozing from every nook and cranny in the house. I will be me, but the me who's been looking at decorating magazines for years. Why not this year? Well, the girls are ten months old, they won't care. They enjoyed watching me put up the lights, but they barely even notice the tree.

Next year, they'll be nearly two years old. Starting next year, I get to live Christmas through the eyes of my children. I get to talk about Santa Claus and elves. I get to hide gifts and stuff stockings. I get to truly enjoy putting up the decorations instead of just wishing someone else could do it so I could imagine it.

And just like with nearly every other thing I do in my life, I must begin planning. I'm planning so early because this is the perfect time to buy decorations for next year! I just have to really decide what I want to do.

I'm definitely moving the tree down a floor so it's by our lovely fireplace. I also want the outside to be bigger...with lights along the walkway and in the bushes by the house. I definitely think outdoor ornaments would look nice and be an inexpensive, simple way to dress up the outside (over-sized ornaments always go on sale after Christmas). The rest is still up in the air. Hopefully I still have this blog going next year, and I can show off the new or improved decorations in 2011.

Favorite Picture of the Week

2010-12-12T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ten Month Report

2010-12-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

I promised myself that one of these reports would actually be written and posted on the 7th...or at least the 8th. Oh well, as is the way of the twin mommy.

The girls had their well visit at the beginning of the month. As if I didn't know already, I have two very healthy growing young ladies. Lillie is 28 5/8" tall and weighs 18 lbs, 14.5 oz. She's in the 40th percentile for weight and 75th for height. Dani is 28 3/4" tall and weighs 17 lbs, 7.5 oz. She's in the 20th percentile for weight and 75th for height.

The girls are now allowed to have any and all kinds of food except for peanuts and peanut products. They won't be having bananas yet, though, because I'm still paranoid. I'll give them bananas after they turn one. We've started working more seriously with sippy cups and a couple ounces of whole milk. They both love the milk. Dani seems to be better with a straw while Lillie likes the traditional sippy better. I can't decide if I should try to get them both to use both or just let them be with a straw and a regular sippy.

Dani has basically mastered standing on her own. She can now stand up from a squatting position. Lillie will take steps while holding your hand, and she's become quite the little cruiser. Dani still thinks crawling is the best way to go, but you can get her to take a step or two while holding your hand before she flops back on the ground and speeds away.

They've both learned to clap, which is far cuter than I thought it would be. Dani claps randomly, but I can usually get Lillie to mimic me after we sing "Peas Porridge Hot."

Lillie has another tooth coming in, bringing her total to seven. Dani has two more coming in, bringing her total to four. They've both become excellent snackers. They love Cheerios, puffs, yogurt melts and these wonderful Wagon Wheels Gerber makes. They do not like hummus, but maybe that's just too strong a flavor right now. Lillie likes spinach and artichoke dip! (She stole some from Nana when we were out to dinner.) They both loved the chopped spinach with zucchini and squash. Yay! They are not like their grandma who hates spinach.

The napping is still a little wacky, but Dr. Triggs said to keep pushing two naps. On Thursday, they both took two naps over an hour each. I was sooooo happy. Plus, they've been sleeping through the night again...which I've probably just jinxed by sharing. Oh well.

Nap, Nap or Nap?

2010-11-29T18:03:00.000-08:00

Lillie nor Dani have ever been the best nappers. In the past few months, they've definitely gotten better about it, but they are not at all predictable. Sometimes they will sleep for 30 or 45 minutes. Sometimes they will sleep for 90 minutes or nearly two hours. Rarely do they both do this at the same time. Usually, one will want to sleep a long time while the other has decided on a cat nap. Every time I hear a mom talking about what she does when her children nap, I get jealous. I never try to do much when my girls nap because I never know how long they will stay asleep. I've just recently started showering during their morning nap. Before, I would shower at night after they went to sleep, but I don't like night showers, so I've braved the morning nap to get clean.

Now I've got something new brewing: the possible loss of the second nap. Around seven months, the girls started shirking the third nap, so I began the transition to two naps. Now they are nearly ten months, and it seems they are ready to transition again!

Some days, they won't go down for their morning nap and some days they won't go down for their afternoon nap. It's a rare day lately that I get them to take two solid naps. Usually, I get one good nap and one let's-pretend-it's-a-nap in the car or one good nap and no second nap, making for cranky babies who are ready for bed at 5:30! Then, one of them will wake up in the middle of the night screaming, and it takes me a long time to get her settled again. From all my reading on sleep, I've decided this reverted pattern of nighttime sleep is due to the awkward daytime sleep pattern.

Therefore, I finally have accepted they are probably ready to begin the transition to one nap. I'm not ready for it, but I'm ready for something that will help me get through the entire day with a smile of some sort.

Of course, I will have to slowly push it later and later until I get it to that perfect spot, but I don't even know for what "perfect spot" I am aiming! Bedtime is usually between 6:30 and 7. Is bedtime going to have to move to 6 until I figure this whole thing out? If so, does that mean I have to move the nighttime bottle from 6 to 5:30 or possibly 5:45? Is my brain going to explode because I finally thought I'd figured out a good schedule and now I have to change it again? Didn't some fairy godmother who wrote some fantasy-filled book tell me that this would be easier if I got in a routine?!

Do any seasoned mommies have advice for me? I'm getting as cranky as them by the time 4:30 rolls around. Help!

Favorite Pictures of the Week

2010-11-21T07:28:00.000-08:00

These aren't from this week, but I was looking at pictures this week, and these two stood out! Lillie is eight months in the first and Dani is nine months in the second.

Weekly What?

2010-11-20T04:42:00.000-08:00

I think I would like to do a regular weekly entry. I just have no idea what it should be, so I'm turning to the masses for help.

Vote in the poll below and let me know what you think. You do not have to have a Blogger account to vote!

Seriously, Where Shall We Sit?

2010-11-17T17:33:00.000-08:00

Back in August, I began my research of convertible car seats. Now, only a few months away from their first birthday, (as well as their heights nearing the limit on their infant seats) it's time to get serious about new car seats. A few extra contenders have come to play, and a couple of the original contenders have fallen by the wayside.

I should probably explain what I'm looking for in a seat. Every car seat on the market had to pass government standards, so every car seat is safe, but I'm looking for some extra features for extra safety. I want it to be comfortable. There are plenty of economy seats that are perfectly safe, but they have hardly any padding. If I don't want to sit on a cloth-covered piece of plastic, my girls shouldn't have to either. I also want a good headrest. When they fall asleep--and they often do--I don't want little heads bobbing and weaving all over the place. Lastly, something that fits comfortably in our Chevrolet Equinox. When we found out we were having twins, we actually had to buy the Equinox (so long, sweet Saturn L-series) because Tim couldn't drive the car with the car seat behind him. I am in no mood or financial position to buy a Traverse, so let's make sure that seat fits in what we've got.

With that said, here's the new short list:

Graco Nautilus 3-in-1
This is the new front-runner. It's more compact than the other seats. It's got a nice adjustable headrest, and it's side-impact tested with EPS foam throughout. This seat, unlike the rest on the list, is the only seat that cannot be rear-facing. This may prove to be a problem if the girls outgrow their current seats before they turn one. (The law is children must be rear-facing up until one year old AND 20 pounds.)

It works for a child from 20 pounds up to 100. You use the five-point harness for up to 65 pounds. Then it converts to a high back booster for 30-100 pounds or a backless booster for 40-100 pounds. Plus it has a three-position recliner and storage pockets. My girls will be able to use this seat for up to eight years!

If I'm not picky about color, the cheapest I can get it is at Wal-Mart for $138. Even with the twin discount at Babies R Us (an extra 10% off each seat), this is the best deal. Paying around $300 for seats that will get my girls far into grade school doesn't sound too bad to me.

*There's a new Elite version that comes with adjustable headwings. I've only found it at BRU, and it runs about $200.

Safety 1st Complete Air

Honestly, the first reason I started checking out this seat was pure aesthetics. I love, love, love the Flutter pattern available at Babies R Us. In an effort to save money, I would have to stick with the McKenna pattern that comes in at $158.98, also at Babies R Us (plus the twin discount). After I looked past the beauty of the seat, I realized it's very solid, seems comfortable and looks like it will last. Even though this does not become a booster, the girls would still get a good six years of use out of it.

It's a rear-facing seat up until a whopping 40 pounds and forward facing up to 65 pounds. Those cool cushions around the head are filled with air instead of EPS foam. When the seat is involved in a crash, the air cushions your baby's head to lessen impact. It sort of works like an air bag without the inflation. It also has a quick adjust harness that can be adjusted from the front plus a 5-position adjustable headrest.

If you splurge for the LX version, the base comes with recline built-in. It is also the tallest rear-facing seat on the market, so if you have a child with a long torso, this may be the seat for you.

Evenflo Symphony 65

Just like the Graco Nautilus, the 65 has a long, long life. This seat is rated up to 65 pounds with a five-point harness and 100 pounds as a high back booster.

The best deal on the Symphony is a Babies R Us with a price tag of $179.99 for the Circles Pattern. I'm sure you're wondering why I would put a seat that costs more on the list when my front-runner does the same job for less money. Well, Evenflo seats have some cool ease-of-use features. As a mom of twins, why wouldn't I want something that's easy to use?

The LATCH system is a super simple install that has retractors like your car's seatbelts. All you have to do is attach, push the seat down, and the connectors automatically tighten. Also, the harness requires no rethreading to adjust and the headrest takes one hand to adjust. Simplicity is a nice, nice thing.

Evenflo Titan Elite DLX Convertible

At the low, low price of $89.99 at Target or $99.99 at Babies R Us, it is the best deal I've seen thus far on car seats that meet my criteria.

It boasts a nice cushiony headrest, side impact testing, EPP foam lining for crash protection, and memory foam padding for comfort. Its maximum weight is 50 pounds, so it wouldn't last as long as the other three seats on my list.

You would think this seat would be the one, wouldn't you? How could I pass up such a great deal and still have some nice features? Well, it does have some nice features, but it doesn't have all of the features. Plus, I would have to shell out more money down the road for a booster seat, and if I do some quick math, buying four seats ends up costing me about the same as buying two of the all-in-one seats.

I may have narrowed my search to these four seats, but the real decision will be with Lillie and Dani. We will have to put each girl in the seats to see how they fit. Then we'll have to put each seat in our car to see how it fits. As with diapers and formula and basically everything else related to children, it's an individual decision.

If you want more information on these seats or recommendations from people who've been doing it longer than I have, check out Car-Seat.org and their blog which has a plethora of car seat reviews.

Happy on Mommy's Terms

2010-11-15T16:31:00.000-08:00

Let me warn you now. I'm about to pull out my soapbox. I don't do it very often, and I definitely wouldn't usually do it on my mommy blog. But today, that box is coming out.

It's about Happy Meals and San Francisco. If you don't know what I'm talking about, pick an article to read here, then come back and finish reading my rant.

I'm pretty politically moderate. I believe in marriage for all consenting adults. I believe helping those who are sick, but I'm not too sure our government should be the ones in charge of it. I also don't think our government should be in charge of telling me what my children should be eating. Now, I understand that the ban on Happy Meals isn't really a ban on Happy Meals. It's a ban on high calorie, high fat, low nutrition meals with a toy. If the meal has fruit or veggies attached, a toy can be brought into the mix. But again, why the hell does there need to be a law for it?

There are plenty of people in this world who should not raise children. Hell, there are plenty of people in this world who shouldn't raise fish. For the most part, though, their are good parents in these here United States, and they can take care of their own children's well being without a bunch of people who probably don't have children eating at McDonald's messing with a meal that kids have been eating for friggin' decades.

There are certain laws that I find necessary. There are laws that help us, as a people, function relatively harmoniously. I am a fan of the no smoking in restaurants and most buildings law. Smoking is a right that we all have, but your smoke will invade my breathable space. Take it outside please. The person next door to me deciding to give their child chicken nuggets and some french fries does not invade my privacy, my well being, or even figure into my day.

I would like to thank San Francisco's mayor for not agreeing with the ludicrous idea.

Now I'll put my soapbox away.

Nine Month Report

2010-11-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

Nine months. It's just three short months until Lillie and Dani are one year old. This has been the most spectacular (in all meanings of the word) three quarters of a year I've ever experienced.

This past month, my little girls have really starting babbling. There are lots of "dadadada" and "babababa." Dani loves "dat dat dat." Lillie seems to lean towards "gagaga" a lot. Maybe I should stop singing "Bad Romance" to them.

Lillie also mastered pulling up all on her own. She no longer needs help from Mommy to get to the window, the ottoman, the gate or the edge of her crib, but she sometimes asks for it anyway. In fact, they've both become master climbers. Dani has no qualms about crawling right over my legs, Tim's legs, her sister. Lillie doesn't like that last one so much.

They're eating finger foods as well: fruit puffs, cheese and veggie puff sticks, a little French toast, yogurt melts, and a couple of green beans. They've also gotten egg yolks and shredded cheese, both of which they seem to enjoy. We also began three meals a day instead of two. It's not exactly routine yet, but anytime the girls get to eat is a good time for them.

Mommy had her own milestone. Tim went on a business trip, and I put the girls to bed by myself for four straight nights. A couple of the nights were not so awesome, but overall, it wasn't so bad. I'm very thankful to have great friends and family nearby to help me out, so it wasn't a week of lonely Faith with the babies.

The girls also went to their first and second (of many) WKU football games. It was the longest they've been in the car at one time as well as the longest they've had to sit since becoming mobile. The Toppers lost both times, but the girls did really well.

Growth spurts are happening too. They both seem to be growing into and out of clothes faster than usual. They are reaching things they couldn't reach before, and they seem much heavier than just a month ago. Wow. Three quarters of a year... Amazing.

Family Photos

2010-11-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

My husband has a degree in photojournalism. I have a degree in film. Needless to say, we like cameras. We take tons and tons of pictures. Alas, this picture (taken Halloween weekend) is the first picture of all four of us since the girls were in the hospital. How sad is that?

I don't even know how it happened. We hang out with friends and family a lot. How is it that no one has snapped a picture of the four of us? I have pictures of me with the girls and Tim with the girls. It's quite odd...and, I must say, a little disappointing. I know that all new parents (and veterans alike) want to make sure to have lots of pictures of their children so they can look back and remember when, but aren't we parents just as important. Our kids will probably be just as interested in seeing what we looked like when they were such and such age.

So I'm putting it out there, I must take more family photos. I do hope to have some formal pictures done after the girls' first birthday, but I have to make sure to take candids as well.

What about you? Do you have a healthy amount of family photos?

Shopping with Twins

2010-10-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hey, all you stores out there. I have a short list of demands. I know that we, parents of multiples, are in the minority, but there are plenty of parents out there who have two or more young children, and I'm sure they would benefit from this too. Even though I do take the girls to the grocery store or Wal-Mart or Target on a regular basis, it doesn't mean it's particularly a walk in the park to get any shopping done. A few tweaks would make my life a little easier.

1. Have hand-held shopping baskets available. Yeah, I'm talking to you Wal-Mart. The last time I was there alone with the girls, I had to use one of your reusable shopping bags to do my shopping because, in your gargantuan store, you didn't have one hand basket available. That's just plain bad service.

2. While we're at it, all hand baskets should have one handle. SuperTarget is the only store that has nice large hand baskets with one handle that goes across the long side of the basket. This one handle fits quite nicely over the handle on the girls' Snap n' Go stroller. At other stores, I had to carry the stupid basket on my arm (ow!). I finally purchased some handy dandy stroller hooks, but it would still be easier to have the one handle.

3. Have more double carts available. There are plenty of parents with multiple children. Why do most big box stores have carts with room for only one child? Costco and (again) SuperTarget are the only places I've seen an abundance of double-seat carts. Oh, and I promise that if I need a double cart, and I see you--parent of singleton--with it, I will politely ask you to hand it over.

4. Offer to help me. Publix is excellent about this. Not once have I had to request help to the car or help getting items into my cart or onto the counter at checkout. Wal-Mart and Target? Not so much. Oh, and at small stores that don't have automatic doors, if you see a woman pushing a double stroller struggling to get through your front door, how about you come and give her a hand? Thanks, woman working at Once Upon a Child.

5. Ring up my purchases while you're staring at my children. Other parents would know that getting in and getting out of a store as quickly as possible is ideal. Do not hold me up at the end of my shopping experience because you just "have to get a look at those little ones." I'm so happy that you think my girls are adorable and sweet and all that, but can you do it while you work? Don't come around the register when we're done either because you're not only holding me up, you're holding up the people in line behind me.

Know Thy Neighbor

2010-10-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

I've started taking the girls on walks around the neighborhood in the morning, and it got me thinking... Why don't I know my neighbors? I've seen them all out doing work on their yards, getting the mail, coming or going, but I don't know their names. Why is that?

Growing up I knew my neighbors. Heck, I still know my parents' neighbors. One of my best friends lives a few houses away. My grandparents consider most of their neighbors lifelong friends. What happened? Do people not stay in one place long enough these days? Do we not trust one another? Before, I'm not sure I would have cared so much. But now that I have children, I actually care.

On our walks, we encounter very nice, courteous people. There are plenty of smiles followed "good morning" or "adorable babies" or "how are you today?" I live in a family neighborhood with children of all ages, so shouldn't I know these people? When those boys were in our backyard trying to get themselves hurt on our basketball court, shouldn't I know to what house they belong in case I need to call a parent? I would want my neighbors to know that those are the McQuinn twins out and about so they could let me know if something was awry.

But we don't know our neighbors, and I don't even know how to go about getting to know them. It's not like back in the day when you could just go over and knock on the door. No one has block parties (at least no one I know), and people don't just sit out on their porches and converse. I think knowing who lives nearby can make for a safer neighborhood, a happier playing environment for my kids, and just an all around better living experience. (Well, I guess that's if I have good neighbors!)

So...do you know your neighbors? How did you meet them? Do you hang out? If you don't know them, do you wish you did?

Fun Food

2010-10-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get more creative with what I feed the girls. There's just so many times I want to give them peas and potatoes or green beans and rice or apples with oatmeal. Next month, we're going to start adding meats, but I was thinking about adding some other proteins this month--namely egg yolks and hummus. (Does anyone have a good recipe for hummus?) Also, I was thinking about blending more fruits together for bolder flavors. In my attempt at getting creative, I've come up with a few baby versions of adult food. When it's all mashed together, I'm sure it won't be very visually appetizing, but hopefully it will taste good!

Baby Omelet (this one I picked up at Wholesomebabyfood.com)
Egg Yolk
Mashed Veggies
Shredded Cheese
Milk or Formula

Whip together yolks and formula. Pour into a pan with a little olive oil. Add mashed veggies and scramble until no longer runny. Add a little cheese (the girls like Cheddar, but I'd like to try Swiss & Parmesan), and mix until melted.

Fried Rice
Egg Yolk
Rice Cereal
Milk or Formula
Peas and Carrots (both mashed or pureed)
Garlic Powder (optional)

Scramble egg yolk or mash a hard boiled egg. Prepare rice cereal with milk or formula. Mix egg, rice cereal and veggies together. Add a sprinkle of garlic powder if your child has had it before.

Fruit Salad
Blueberries
Cherries
Apples
Pears
Peach juice (as needed)

Puree or mash fruits and add peach juice for smoothing if necessary. My girls can't have melons, bananas or citrus, but if your baby/babies can, go ahead and substitute.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato
Apple Sauce
Raisins
Cinnamon

Boil sweet potato and raisins (probably 1/4 cup of raisins per potato) until soft. Puree and mix with apple sauce. Mix in a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Eight-Month Report

2010-10-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

Dani, come back!

Crawling, pulling up, trying to cruise--it was the month of mobility! Lillie has really mastered crawling and sitting on her own, but she's still working on getting into a seated position by herself. Dani began pulling up to her knees, then quickly moved to standing. Lillie still has trouble getting up on her own, but once she's there, she's up on her feet too. They're both cruising just a little. In fact, they both took a step (just one!) when I was holding their hands.

This month also marked the 80% completion of the playroom. It has a gate, bean bags and plenty of toys. The only thing left is to finish putting legs on the ottoman, paint the piano, and put some art on the walls.

They are also starting to try some finger foods. We've tried Cheerios as well as yogurt melts. They seem to really, really enjoy the melts. I think they're still making a decision about the Cheerios. Next, I'm going to try steamed carrots and cauliflower. Should be fun!!

Usually, I have some very nice pictures to show off. Last month, there were fits to be had. This month, they just didn't want to be still. It was darn near impossible to get them in the picture together. And the when we did get a picture together, there was not much happiness. Maybe next month will go more smoothly...or this could be the end of the official monthly photo shoots.

And now Dani's in the trash!

Mmm...it seems that Dani is causing all the trouble.

How to Save a Bundle

2010-10-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

First, don't have twins. Haha. But if you do have twins (or more!), you'll definitely appreciate this.

OK. Let's begin with diapers. My girls go through an average of 10 diapers a day. That's 70 diapers a week, 280 diapers a month. Most economy boxes of diapers are around 180 to 200 diapers. That's more than one huge box of diapers a month. If I paid full price for Pampers Swaddlers (which is my diaper of choice), I would pay around $42 for each box. That works out to about $0.23/diaper. That's $504 per year. Ouch.

The best way to save money was to not buy diapers at the store. There is no store--not Wal-Mart, not Costco, not Big Lots--that has diapers cheaper than you can get them online. When they were wearing newborn and size 1, I bought them a Diapers.com. It's my favorite site (if you'd like to get some wonderful stuff there, use my link over there to the right). When they moved to size 2, Amazon's wonderful Subscribe & Save program became my best friend. If you sign up, you get an extra 15% off your purchase. Amazon already sells Pampers for less than retail, so that brought my price of diapers down to $33.50, saving me nearly $100 over the course of a year. Not bad, right? Do you want to know what's even better? The Amazon Mom program. Through this program, you get the normal 15% off from Subscribe and Save, but then you get an additional 15% off, and now I'm paying under $30 for that 184-count box of Pampers Swaddlers, and that means I'm saving over $170 a year. That's better.

For the past few months, I've been overjoyed at my savings. Instead of paying $0.23/diaper, I've been paying $0.15/diaper. YAY! I decided that this wasn't quite enough. I'm not teaching any classes this quarter, so money is a little tight. If I can save even more, I would be a happy camper. When they were small, I tried Target brand (not cheaper than buying them from Amazon). I tried Huggies (which cost more than Pampers all around). I also checked out Luvs (which were too thin and smelled odd to me). I didn't like any very much.

Now that the girls have gone up another size, I decided to give another brand a try: Fisher-Price. Yep, Fisher-Price makes diapers! They're called Happy Days and Happy Nights. I bought a box through Amazon using the Subscribe & Save plus my Mom discount. I paid, wait for it, $13.99 for a box of 96 diapers! That's $0.14/diaper. Pampers Cruisers (their new diaper) are $0.17/diaper. That's an extra $32 saved. If I bought a 160-count box of Cruisers in a store, they would run me about $41 or $0.26/diaper. That means I'm saving $0.12 on each diaper by changing to Fisher-Price. That means I'm saving $436.80 a year.

Next up--formula. I envy all the women who are successfully breastfeeding their babies. Not only because you get to have that awesome bonding time with your kiddos, but also because you don't have to worry about schilling out $200 or so to buy formula. Our girls have been eating Similac Sensitive exclusively since they were about a month old. Just as with the diapers, we tried different formula. Enfamil seemed to cause more gas. The Target brand of Similac caused a really bad case of constipation in both of them, so brand name is where we stayed.

But when Similac had their huge recall, we were spending lots more to buy liquid formula and smaller cans of the powder. It just isn't cost-effective, so I looked for a new solution. We were originally purchasing our formula is the huge, huge tubs (by the case) from Costco. A case ran us about $200, that worked out to about $23 per 40 bottles of prepared formula. Since the girls are older, I decided to give the Target brand another try. I haven't researched per unit costs so much, so you'll just have to bear with me and my approximations. Two large canisters of Target brand sensitive formula costs $27. Two cans probably make 50 or so bottles. Without any complicated math, that saves us some serious cash in the long run.

So what's the lesson learned? Buy online. Second lesson? Don't be afraid to check out different brands. If your child gets sick or develops a rash, simply stop using it and return to your tried and true brand...that you're now happily buying online.

Seeing the Outside World

2010-09-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

This past week, Dani has become very skilled at sitting up unsupported and crawling quite quickly. Lillie has started soldier crawling and sitting up for seconds at a time unsupported. Yesterday, though, they both did something very interesting.

Dani crawled towards the window. I think she may have seen a bird or leaves blowing in the trees, but she was so fascinated that she did this. She sat there for a good five minutes.

Then Lillie, not wanting to be left out of the fun, pulled her self over to the window to join her sister. (I had to help get her stabilized, but she pulled up mostly on her own.)

Then, when I was about to snap a second picture of the cuteness, Lillie surprised (and scared the crap out of) me, and did this!

I think it might be time to give that window a good cleaning!

Design Dilemma...Again

2010-09-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

A while back, I wrote about the girls' playroom. I wanted to put some storage in there for toys and whatnot, but now I've decided that a bookcase probably isn't the best way to go. I'm thinking about soft-sided storage ottomans that can serve multiple purposes--seating for adults, storage for toys, and a soft item for the girls to pull up on when they get to that point (which will probably be very soon the way Dani is crawling up on pillows). I'd either go with a couple of cube ones or a larger trunk-like one.

Here's the room! Fun times, right?

So what do I need in this room to make it truly baby friendly? A gate is priority one. We have one, and it will hopefully be going up this week, as soon as a replacement part is delivered. Number two priority is something to cover the bottom of the piano. Dani has already attempted to lick the pedals, and I just can't have that. It has to be movable since I actually do play it. I'm leaning towards a decorative skirt. If I do the skirt on the piano, I'm thinking the floor pillows over there by the window will be in the same fabric.

Then there are the walls. This room is across from our dining room. Definitely not a formal setting, but it is a nice room, so I don't want the playroom to be so overtly childish that it looks weird across from our dining room. What would you do to decorate this room so that it's fun yet still nice enough to be the first room people see when they come over to your house? Do the soft ottomans sound like a good idea or would you just invest in more floor pillows for seating and just put the toys in a basket? Would you hang artwork on the walls? Or do some sort of removable vinyl sticker mural?

Help!

Planning to Plan

2010-09-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Two of my favorite parent-oriented sites, Ohdeedoh and Project Nursery, constantly have beautiful birthday parties featured. It may be 141 days until the girls' first birthday, and I know that at one year old, they aren't going to remember the party at all, but I find myself always thinking about what kind of party I want them to have.

I know for sure that I don't want it to be too themed. I want something simple yet cute. I keep thinking about borrowing this idea and going for a color theme (maybe red or turquoise or purple). It would be very easy to go to the dollar store or Target and buy solid color plates and napkins and tablecloths. I would also be the birthday nazi and ask everyone to show up in the color theme. I could serve foods in the theme color. Granted, I may have to skip that idea if I choose turquoise.

I also know for sure that I want them both to have their own cake. They share so many things, and will be sharing so many things throughout their lives. I think having their own cakes is a good idea. I've thrown around the idea of each getting a cupcake, but then I think that a mini-cake would be better. And when you think cakes, you start thinking flavors. I started out with the idea of giving them carrot cake because I love carrot cake, and it just seems healthier than regular cake. Then I realized that it's a birthday party, not a health food ad, so forget the carrot cake!

I love, love, love this rainbow cake. It's so playful and fun, but I think that might be reserved for their second or third birthday when they can appreciate the silliness more. Right now, I'm leaning towards a white cake with a fruit filling--strawberries or raspberries if I go with a red theme and blueberries or blackberries if I go purple. It's yummy and simple and pretty when you cut into it...or take pictures of it slathered all over Lillie and Dani's faces.

Then there's outfits. Oh yeah, I've even thought about what they might wear. (This is why I'm thinking about planning this far in advance!) I want them to look like the little princesses I know they're going to think they are, so I'd like them to wear dresses or skirts or something like that, but I also have to think about the fact that they will have cake and icing all over them at some point, so I must also think about washable things (or big huge bibs, whichever).

I'm a huge fan of the pettiskirt. What little girl doesn't want a really ruffly skirt they can twirl around in? Plus, after their birthday, they can use it to play dress up. You're picturing my girls in these skirts right now, aren't you? If you're not, I surely am! (I must say the little flower headband is cute too.)

It might be the one day they're dressed nearly alike. It will be like the day they came home--wearing the same outfit with different accessories.

I've also considered birthday hats or tiaras. They've worn hats before and don't seem to mind them, but I don't know how they'll be in a few months. I guess I'll find out this winter after they've gone through some hat wearing.

No matter what I decide about how I decorate, what they eat, or how they dress, I do know that I want the day to be special. I know that they will not remember it, but I'll remember it, and I want it to be something they can look at later on in pictures and think, "Hey, we had a pretty darn cool first birthday."

Seven Month Report

2010-09-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

Dani began scooting forward quite quickly. Lillie started to reach out and pull herself forward. Dani got her first two teeth (the same bottom two as her sister). They both experienced their first colds. That's how the past month went.

They both went into some weird sleeping habits--waking far too early (4 am) and not sleeping much during the day. I'd like to say it was due to being sick, and I'm sticking to that!

The piano room has officially become their playroom (with the piano still in there), and we will soon be installing a gate so they won't escape when Mommy has to run to the bathroom or get something to drink.

I can't believe they're seven months old!! Just four and a half months or so until they (and we) have survived their first year!

Pointless but Cool

2010-09-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of products on the market that are supposed to make a parent's life easier. Some of them definitely accomplish this, but some of them seem to be accomplishing this until you realize the real hassle they can become. I've been perusing Amazon lately, and I've come across a few items that seem really cool, but I can either find a cheaper or just-as-easy way to do the same thing with what I already have.

Wipes Warmers

No one wants to make their child uncomfortable; therefore, I completely understand the reasoning behind a wipes warmer, but are you going to lug that around when you take your kiddos out in public? Probably not. So when they're getting their diapers changed in your local mall restroom or at grandma's house, aren't they going to wonder why all of a sudden mommy or daddy is wiping their bums with that icky cold wipe? Why not just use that cold wipe all the time so they don't actually know the difference? Or they could be like my girls, who seem to relish in the feeling of cold air and cold wipes hitting their little behinds.

The Single Bottle Formula Mixer
This mixer is cool because, as any mamma who's made formula knows, formula gets a little foamy when you mix it. This handy dandy hand mixer will get out the lumps without all that pesky foaming. But really, do I need spend $5 on something I can do just by picking up the bottle and rolling it in my hands for a few seconds? Nope.

Special Diaper Pails
The Diaper Genie, the Diaper Champ, the Diaper Dekor...all those fancy diaper pails that lock away the stench of diapers is a wonderful idea, but I've found that a nice sturdy trashcan with a good lid and some biodegradable bags for the stinky diapers works very well. And when the girls get big enough to no longer need diapers, I still have a pretty darn nice trashcan.

The Steam Sterilizer
These things are pretty nifty. You just put all your bottles, pacifiers and whatever else will go in your children's mouths on a regular basis, pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, and everything is nice and sanitary. I even have one in the cabinet above my microwave. Thankfully, I didn't buy it because I've used it once. A microwavable safe bowl, water, microwave until it's boiling. Plop in your nipples and pacifiers for five minutes. Fill your kitchen sink with hot water; add soap; wash bottles, toys, teethers, and whatnot. There. I just saved you about twenty bucks.

Designer Maternity Wear
Only if you make six figures a year should you even think about paying $150 for a pair of maternity jeans. And take your hands away from that $80 silk top. You will wear them for maybe a year. I do not care how comfortable they are or how into designer clothes you are. You are pregnant. Heidi Klum makes a great line of maternity wear for Motherhood Maternity at reasonable prices. Plus Target, Kohls, and Old Navy carry some great stuff. I know I looked just as cute in my $35 jeans from Old Navy as some hoity toity mom in her way-too-expensive Lucky Jeans.

Designer Baby Wear
This is actually worse than maternity wear. Your children will grow so fast, it's insane to even think about buying them clothes that cost more than yours. They're not going to wear them more than a couple of times. In those couple of times, they could easily spit up, throw up, pee or poop on them as well. I do not care how cute that $130 coat is from Ralph Lauren, your baby does not need it. Heck, I'm having trouble justifying this absolutely adorable $20 coat I saw at Old Navy because I would need to buy two. How long are they actually going to wear those? Don't warm blankets, cute hats, and layers work just as well? I think so.

But that coat is still friggin' adorable.

Got any more? I know there are just tons of things that are cute, useful, and way over-priced that we can add to the list!

Where Shall We Sit?

2010-08-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

It's months away, for sure, but just like nearly everything else I've done involving these children, I've begun researching their next car seats.

Their current car seats didn't take much thought. Their cousin had outgrown his infant seat, so we had a free one at our disposal. To make life easier, we just needed to buy one new car seat. Done and done. But now I have to really think about this. To what kind of car seat are the girls going to graduate? There are a few factors to consider, of course: size, weight and height limits, comfort, size, features, and did I mention size?

You notice how I didn't mention safety ratings? Well, contrary to popular belief, infant and toddler car seats do not have safety ratings. The five-star ratings you see advertised are for ease-of-use as rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A car seat is on a pass/fail system. If it's in stores, it's safe. If it proves not to be safe, it can no longer be sold. End of story. Some companies, just like with cars, go above and beyond the safety standards to allow for even safer seats, but all seats are crash tested and approved by the NHTSA.

Now, on to the seats...

The front-runner right now is the Combi Coccoro. It comes in an array of nice colors, costs just under $168 on Amazon, and is smaller than the average convertible seat. According to the website, the compact size "[a]llows up to 3 seats across the rear seat of most vehicles." With the width being a slim 14.65 inches, I can believe it (especially since our current seats measure 16.5 inches across). Right now, a very skinny person could sit comfortably in the back seat with the girls. I'm sure an average sized person could fit too, but they wouldn't be comfortable or buckled in properly, so we just say that we don't have room for someone back there. If we all of a sudden had another four inches opened up, I'm sure we could get someone in the back seat.

The downside to these seats is that they are compact, which means they have a lower weight and height limit (front-facing 40lbs and 40in). Since both Lillie and Dani have been hovering around the 50th percentile for both height and weight, I would say that they would get a good bit of use out of these seats, and we probably would just graduate to boosters after they outgrew these. But that's not a guarantee, and we may be buying a third seat if either of them decide to have a growth spurt.

Our next choice is on the opposite side of the spectrum. It's the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Seat. It's not compact in the slightest. At 20 inches wide, we can say goodbye to that middle seat in the back. It has tons of features unlike the simple Coccoro. It is also only a forward-facing seat, so it would not be a good choice for us if the girls reach the height limit on their current seats before they hit the weight limit. (I would like to keep them rear-facing as long as possible.) It does, however, come in a nice array of colors.

It's just under $180 on Amazon, so the price difference isn't too bad, especially since it will be the girls' second and last car seat. It works for a child from 20 pounds up to 100. Starting as a regular front-facing seat with "extended 5-point harness for children 20-65 pounds" then it "converts to high-back belt positioning booster for child 30 pounds to 100 pounds." The back can also be removed so it's a simple booster seat. Oh, and check out the cup holders! Plus it has a three-position recliner and storage pockets. It's also been side-impact crash-tested, which is not a requirement for car seats.

Graco also carries the My Ride (TM) 65 Convertible Seat, which is a rear-facing and front-facing convertible seat. It has the same side-impact crash test standards as the Nautilus, plus the girls could stay rear facing an extra five pounds past their current seats.

It has dual cup holders and a removable headrest. It's the same width as the Nautilus, so we still wouldn't get our rear seat back, and it also has a very deep recline, which may make it non-ideal for our car. I mean, we did have to buy a new vehicle so that the car seats and Tim could fit inside at the same time. Alas, it does have one of the lowest price tags at just under $150 on Amazon ($130 for the god-awful purple at Wal-Mart). As with the Coccoro, the girls would probably just graduate to a booster seat when they outgrew this one, but they would be in this seat (height willing) an extra 25 pounds before we would have to move on.

Speaking of price, we've also looked at the Evenflo Titan Elite DLX Convertible. At the low, low price of $94.99 at Sears, it is the best deal I've seen thus far on car seats. (OK, that's not true, but the one I saw for $55 looked like plastic with some cloth thrown over it.) At 18.5 inches, it's slimmer than the Graco set, and it still totes a cup holder!

Its maximum weight is 50 pounds, so it would last longer than the Combi but not longer than either Graco. There are many colors to choose from, but they're all a variation of black, gray and tan. I guess you have to pay extra for those bright colors. I'm sure the other seats have this feature, but this is the first one that says the cover is machine washable, which is a nice, nice feature (and oddly rare on lots of fabric-covered baby items).

I know that not all things can be judged by their price. Sometimes price comes with a name, but sometimes price comes with quality. I've seen the Coccoro and the Nautilus in person. I have yet to see the My Ride or Titan Elite. For pure space reasons, I really like the Coccoro, but if I would like to have a seat that will stay with the girls for a long time, one of the Gracos is probably the better choice.

Please weigh in! If I didn't want your opinion, I wouldn't write this blog.

**UPDATE**

I've now seen all four seats in person, and I believe the Evenflo might be the new front-runner. I still like the idea of regaining another seat in the back by getting the Combi seats, but with the price and the longevity, I might not be able to pass up the Evenflo. I guess we'll see for sure when the time comes.

And 5, 6, 7, 8

2010-08-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

I don't know about moms of singletons, but as a mom of twins, I find myself counting...a lot.

I count the number of tablespoons each girls gets of cereal or fruit or veggies at each meal (two). I count how many bites of cereal each girl gets before it's the other one's turn (10 bites). I count how long one gets to stay in the Jumperoo before they switch (15 minutes at playtime, 10 minutes before dinner). I count how long I rub their backs when they wake up in the middle of the night (2.5 minutes or 180 small circles). I count how many diapers stay in their diaper bag (8 after running out one time when they visited Grandpapa and Nana). I even count how many pictures I take of them each day so I make sure I take an even amount of each girl.

It's an obsession I tell you. Even when I'm not thinking about how long something takes or how much it needs to be, I still find myself counting in my head. It's very weird, and I'm curious if I'll ever stop doing it. Hopefully one day!

Six Month Report

2010-08-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

The girls have made it halfway through their first year. They are both in one piece, and Tim and I still have the majority of our sanity. Woo!

Lillie (top): 16lbs, 2.5oz

Dani: 15lbs, 3.5oz

The big milestone of the month--Lillie sprouted her first tooth (and I see hints of second one in there). She's gnawing on everything she can get her hands on. Her pacifier is starting to get little marks on it, so I know she will soon need a new one.

Speaking of new pacis (pacies? pacys?), Dani has moved on to a Playtex Binky. She still prefers her Soothie when sleeping, but she uses the Binky most of the day. I'm so proud of her! Lillie is a little more particular, but I think she'll eventually take to the new one herself.

Both girls are sitting up better. Neither is fully sitting on her own yet, but I don't think we're too far away from that. Actually, I think they're more interested in crawling the sitting, so who knows. I might have crawlers before I have sitters!

The girls have also expanded their palettes to include green beans, peas, carrots, peaches, yellow & butternut squash. All of these were mostly prepared by me, so I'm quite proud of everyone! They are eating extremely well. Both will open their mouths quite wide for food and clean their bowls every single time. At this point, I cannot imagine they will be picky eaters, but I'm sure the day will come.

They're still off and on with the sleeping. Some days they'll sleep until 7 and some days (lately especially) they're up at 4 and need some help getting back to sleep. Dani is pretty much sleeping through the night. We check on her a couple of times. Lillie is waking up more often, but I think it's due to her little teeth. Who knows. The sleep thing is still the big stress in my life, but I'm getting better at handling it.

Tools for Food

2010-07-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

On June 26, I gave Lillie and Dani cereal for the first time. That did not go well. I tried again on July 8 with far more success. About a week later, per our pediatrician's recommendation, I started adding fruits and veggies to their cereal. We started with apples, then pears and carrots--all store-bought baby food. Then, I made sweet potatoes, butternut squash, peas, peaches and green beans for them.

This is what I learned from making my own baby food: you must, must, must have the right tools. Otherwise it seems so simple until you're pulling pea skins out of your daughters' food bowls.

It doesn't take much. You need fresh or frozen food, a solid food processor, storage containers, a potato masher or fork, and a food mill or mesh strainer. Let me stress that last one. You need a food mill or mesh strainer. If you don't want your hand to fall off from pushing food through small holds, get a food mill.

Though I've only been making food for the girls for about two weeks, I've already decided what tools I need to make this all go much smoother.

Some Good Reading
My sister-in-law Pam pointed me to a wonderful website called Wholesome Baby Food. It has some great recipes, tips and menu plans. I'm of lover of most things Internet, so I always have to recommend a website.

I also must recommend two wonderful books. First, Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby & Toddler. It has wonderful tips on when and how to start your baby on solids. It gives nutritional information, recipes, menu plans and storage information. It also will take your child through her first five years. I've read half of it and love it already! Second, Blender Baby Foods which has tons of recipes for children ages 4 months to whenever. It's broken up by age, and it gave me some great ideas on how to combine fruits and vegetables once the girls start on their second stage of solids.

Mash and Puree
Next up, a good food processor. I'm still working on finding this, but if my food mill works well, then I'll survive with the mediocre food processor I have now. There are some great processors made just for baby food, but I'm not sure they're really worth the extra cost. While browsing at Target, I did find two that meet the standards I'm looking for.

The Kitchen Aid 7-Cup Processor is small, powerful, and under $100. It doesn't have a gazillion settings like my current food processor. (Do I really need 1-12 speeds for baby puree?) It's got a good sharp blade and a wide opening to add food or liquid. I don't know how loud it is, but it's got to be quieter than my current processor which is much like listening to a jet engine in my kitchen.

For foods with skins and stringy pieces (e.g. sweet potatoes, peas, green beans), you will also need a fine mesh strainer or a food mill. As I said before, I recommend a food mill. I bought a fine mesh strainer for the low, low price of $5, and I would've paid someone twice that to push a cup of green beans through it just to get rid of the skin. Ugh. My food mill is arriving today, and I'm already excited about using it! I went with the RSVP International Veg-3 Rotary Mill. It comes with three steel discs (a lot of baby food mills are plastic) and a long handle.

For soft foods like potatoes, avocados, bananas and most melons, you'll simply need a potato masher or a fork--depending on your batch size.

Store Away
As soon as the girls have tried a food and prove to have no allergies, I will be making things in bulk. And when making in bulk, you must have a good storage system. Ice cube trays are a great way to go. (Look for ones that have a lid to keep out freezer smells.) They're about one ounce in size, inexpensive, and freeze baby food in nice convenient cubes. Once the food is frozen, you can transfer it to freezer storage bags. Now, you can go straight from freezer to warmer or microwave and the meal is ready to go. I decided to go a step beyond ice cube trays. Mostly because I hate plastic freezer bags in my freezer. I went with the 2 oz Baby Cubes from Juvenile Solutions. For smaller batches that I plan to serve right away, I just use the smallest storage containers I have. My mom was nice enough to buy me a great set from Rubbermaid with snap locking lids.

The Food

You can't make baby food without the food. Great first foods include peas, carrots*, green beans, peaches, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, bananas and squash. By all means, if you want to buy everything fresh, go right ahead, but I've got two babies to worry about and prepping, cooking, mashing, pureeing and storing all fresh is not exactly my cup of tea, so I choose which to buy fresh and which to buy frozen.

Green beans, squash (especially butternut), peas, and peaches are perfect frozen. There's not cutting, snapping or peeling necessary. Plus, peas are at they're freshest when they're frozen, and butternut squash comes already pureed if you buy the frozen box instead of the bag! Just make sure to read the ingredients. Baby food has the fruit or veggie, water, and sometimes absorbic acid. Your frozen foods should read the same. So far, I've only run into a problem with peas--most of the frozen ones had added salt. Avoid canned because of the extra preservatives. I would only but canned pumpkin since I'm in no mood to seed and roast a pumpkin!

So far, I'm really enjoying giving the girls new foods everyday. They haven't had much that hasn't been mixed into their rice cereal yet because I'm mostly looking for allergic reactions right now, but soon I'll be giving them tiny meals in the morning and evening.

The only difficult part thus far is keeping one occupied while I give the other a few spoonfuls. My girls are definite chow hounds, and they can't stand waiting while the other one gets to munch on the yummy stuff!

*You should use store-bought carrots. The American Pediatrics Association advises against homemade carrots, beets, turnips, spinach and collards due to high levels of nitrates.

It's What?!

2010-07-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

A year ago today, Tim and I found out that we were not having one baby but two.

It was a Tuesday morning, right after the McQuinn family reunion. I'm lying on the exam table. Tim's standing next to me, and Dr. Woodall asks, "Do twins run in your family? I sort of laugh and lose my breath all at the same time. I have no idea what reaction Tim is having because my eyes are glued to monitor showing the two small dots that were my two babies!

My mom went from saying "as long as you're happy" to saying "oh, twins!" with a look of sheer joy on her face. My grandmother claimed she knew all along. Heck, she may have! My friends had various reactions from "seriously?" to "wonderful!" to laughing their asses off (you know who you are).

It took almost a month for me to accept the idea of twins. Who knows if Tim's accepted to this day. :) But now I'm in a state of mind that I can't think of just having one (that is different from sometimes wishing I only had one). Everytime I see a friend's baby registry, I always--even if for only a moment--wonder where the other car seat, high chair, carrier is. I guess when you get used to buying things for two, it's hard to set your mind on one.

Five Month Report

2010-07-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

This past month was a big month. Lillie rolled onto her tummy and learned that sleeping on her tummy is the way to go. Dani learned to roll onto her tummy as well, and now she does it nearly every time we put her on the floor. She recently started sleeping on her tummy as well.

Mom! Is it really necessary for us to be this close?

We went on our first excursion without a second adult. Granted, we went to visit Rachael and Zanon, but still, I survived a car ride to Spring Hill with them in tow.

They went to their first sit-down restaurant for Day-Before-Father's Day brunch. They were complete princesses.

I survived a week of Tim being out of town plus a week of going solo during the day.

We started cereal. Failed. Then tried again two weeks later to great success. Now they're both eating a couple of tablespoons twice a day. Yesterday, I added apples. Dani likes it, but Lillie can't get enough!

We experimented with a modified cry it out. Failed at that too. Then tried again starting last week with some tweaks. It actually seems to be working. The girls are sleeping more soundly at night, and I think I may be getting nearly seven (yep, that's a number that comes AFTER five) hours of sleep! I even had waffles out on my deck one morning.

The biggest thing of all, though, is that they're really started to interact. When I put them on the floor or in the play yard together, they will turn towards each other holding hands. In fact, a couple of days ago, they played with one of their soft books for nearly 20 minutes while I ate breakfast. That little reprieve brought sweet visions of them keeping each other company when they're a little older. It was a small glimpse of one of the perks to having twins--a built-in playmate!

Finally, if only in small doses, I'm starting to really enjoy being a parent. Up until now, it's really been work, work, work, work. It's still tons of work--I don't think that will ever change--but it is becoming more like work I love.

Month-to-Month

2010-07-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

I realized this morning that I should do a monthly report on the girls who actually brought this blog into being. Since I didn't think about it until their fourth month of life, I'll begin with month five. But just for the heck of it, check out their progression in photos.

Birth

Lillie (right): 5 lbs, 7 oz & 18 in.

Dani: 5 lbs, 12 oz & 19 in.

They arrived a little early--35 weeks, 4 days. They were healthy though and never spent any time in the NICU. When Lillie was born, she didn't cry right away, but when she hit the examining table, she let out a nice wail. Dani started the moment the doctor held her up. I got to hold Dani first since Lillie needed a little warming up before she could visit, but it wasn't too long before I got to hold them both.

One Month

Lillie (left): 8 lbs, 8 oz

Dani: 8 lbs, 7 oz

Two Months

Lillie (left): 9 lbs, 10 oz

Dani: 9 lbs, 14.5 oz

Three Months

Lillie (right): No idea about weights this month.

Dani: I'm sure I wrote it down somewhere!

Four Months

Lillie (right): 14 lbs, 1 oz & 24 3/4 in.

Dani: 13 lbs, 8 oz & 25 1/8 in.

Rice on a Spoon on a Chin on a Bib

2010-07-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

At their four month checkup, Dr. Triggs gave Lillie and Dani the go ahead to try solid foods. Last Saturday, in an effort to "entertain" the girls until bed time, Tim and I decided that it was time to bust out the rice cereal and try it.

Lillie wasn't really having it. She was already a little upset, so I didn't really push it. She definitely ended up with more on her chin than in her mouth. She did tilt her head way back to let some roll into her throat though.

Dani was more than ready to go. As soon as the spoon headed in her direction, she opened her mouth wide. Once the cereal was in though, there was more slurping than swallowing.

Sunday morning, I tried again. Both girls opened their mouths a little bit (after a demonstration from Mommy and a bowl of Kix), but still not much happening. I decided to do a little taste test to see if it was a flavor issue, but they both happily sucked on their pacifiers dipped in soupy cereal, so I just think they may not quite be ready.

We will try again in two weeks or so.

Once they get the hang of cereal for a couple of weeks, we'll move on to fruits and vegetables...of which I plan to do most of the preparing. That's a whole 'nother blog!

No matter what, it was a fun experience. It will definitely be easier once their new high chairs arrive, and when I'm a little more organized with the whole thing.

Squeaky Clean

2010-06-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

So...now that we've discussed organization and general tidiness. Let's talk about the actual cleaning. The let's-not-find-last-week's-can-of-soda-behind-the-nightstand kind of clean. (Unfortunately, I didn't just pull that statement out of thin air.)

With what do you clean?

I believe in keeping my kids toxic free. I've always used fragrance and dye free laundry detergent and dryer sheets. But in saying that, there are a few things that just work better because of the chemicals.

These are my cleaning friends:

Method Products
I've become a big fan of Method. They believe in clean cleaning--no harsh chemicals. Everything is plant-derived and people friendly. We use their all-purpose wipes, hand soaps, wood polish, stainless steel cleaner and home fragrances. I also like their wet dryer sheets, but the cost makes them a luxury rather than a staple.

Vinegar
It's a perfect way to clean drains and laminate flooring. In the drain, you pair it with baking soda, and it's a great way to freshen your garbage disposal and clear out small clogs. On the floor, it gets up gunky residue and doesn't leave a film behind. Hey, it also keeps ants at bay!

OxiClean
Formula stains be damned! OxiClean stain-treater works to get those spots out of bibs, baby clothes, and your clothes too. I also add a cup from my big bucket o' powder to the wash to make everything smell better and get cleaner. Oh, and it's great for spot cleaning carpets (but not so much on our red sofa). My biggest complaint is that it clumps on the cold cycle in the wash. The best way to prevent this is to put it in as the water's running, use a towel or burp cloth to swish it around, and then load the washer. I may try the little Max Packets for convenience when I run out of my big bucket.

Bleach

Never ever turn your nose up at bleach. It should be a parents' staple. You can sterilize toys, bottles, sippy cups, high chairs, bath tubs and even fruit and veggies (if it's super diluted). It will make socks and burp cloths and cloth diapers as white as the day you bought them. I pour some in all the toilet bowls, let it sit and then flush. Voila! Clean! To make the experience more pleasant, I buy the splashless Clorox bleach with a fresh scent. Not that I'm going around sniffing my bleach, but the scent does help cut back on the awful bleachy smell.

Scrubbing Bubbles

I'm lazy. Even though I love to see things sparkling and clean, I hate taking a long time to do it. I would rather my cleaning products work well and not require a lot of extra work from me. Ladies and gentlemen, let me present to you Scrubbing Bubbles. All those cute commercials are true. This stuff is a cleaning powerhouse. I spray in in the shower, in the sink or tub, let it sit for a couple of minutes, and wipe and rinse. It's amazing! While I was pregnant, I discovered that they make a natural cleaner. It works well, but not as well as the original. I use the natural spray on the sinks and counter tops while the original still goes to work on the tub and shower. I've even used it on the bathroom floors. I love it!

BabyGanics
I just discovered this company, and I'm already loving their hand sanitizer. It's alcohol-free, so I don't freak out when I use it and then Lille or Dani decides to grab my finger and chew on it. The smell isn't the best in the world, but it's not icky. They also carry laundry detergent, baby wash and shampoos, as well as all kinds of home cleaners. The company's motto is much like Method's--safe for the environment as well as the family. I did smell their laundry detergent, and I would recommend staying away from that unless the scent dissipates in the wash. I plan on trying their other products if the prices are better than Method.

Well, with all this talk of cleaning. I feel as if I should go clean some bottles. Happy cleaning everyone!

Ten Things You (Probably) Only Do If You're a Parent

2010-06-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

01. Sniff another person's bum to detect poop.
02. Walk around with spit up stains on your shirt.
03. Animatedly monologue about mundane things.
04. Get peed on.
05. Get pooped on.
06. Have a white noise track on your iPod.
07. Talk about yourself in the third person.
08. Know how to do everyday tasks one-handed.
09. Talk in a high-pitched voice to everyone around you.
10. Step on, skirt around, or trip over squeaky, squishy or really painfully hard toys scattered across your house.

Keeping an Organized Home

2010-06-19T02:25:00.000-07:00

Back in pre-twin January, I wrote an entry called I Accept This Mess, and even though I have accepted the mess that my home has become, I don't have to be happy about it. So, in attempt to kick myself in the butt and try to make my home a little more organized and clean, I've decided to blog about it first. Maybe by putting it out there in the Internet universe, somehow I will actually make it all happen.

The biggest question of all is, how do you clean when you're taking care of two four-month old girls who don't especially like to take naps? The answer: a little bit at a time.

At first, I found myself completely overwhelmed by cleaning bottles, loading the dishwasher, vacuuming, laundry, sorting mail, dusting, etc. I would clean bottles as I needed them sometimes, or let the recycling pile up until there was a row of cardboard spilling over into the dining room. Now, I try doing mini-cleans when I can. I'll empty the dishwasher or take out the recycling while the bottles are warming. I'll wash bottles early in the morning if I'm not feeling deliriously tired. I'll do small loads of laundry while entertaining the girls with silly laundry dances. (I have a silly dance for everything.) You get the idea. It's amazing how much better I feel when the carpet is fur free, or I can actually see my kitchen table instead of a mound of junk mail and (oh, this is horrible) unpaid medical bills!

Excuse me while I drool a little bit over this pantry from Real Simple Magazine.

One of these days, I really am going to send the family away and take a day to super clean. I even have a list: clean all sinks, mop, dust, clean mirrors, organize closets and pantry, clean out the refrigerator, unpack summer clothes, store winter clothes, and vacuum. What would make it all perfect? An unlimited shopping spree to Bed, Bath & Beyond, The Container Store, or my new mecca so I could be the envy of all organizational moms out there.

What would I buy there?

First, a wall-mounted mail organizer. My biggest pet peeve right now is the mail. I go get it; I glance at it, and then I throw it on the table, on the bar stool, on the loveseat. I would do a better job if there was a place for it, and I sorted it once a week. (Daily would be ideal, but I don't live ideally.)

Then, decorative boxes/cubbies for the coat closet and laundry room. I'm a person who believes everything should have a place. If I created places for tools, batteries, lint brushes, tape, etc., then things around the house would be easier to find and cleanly out of sight.

Hooks, hooks, and more hooks. Think about how much neater you would be if you had a couple of hooks in every room of your house. I'm serious.

Simple shelves. Adding shelves in the laundry room and the master bathroom would allow for better use of vertical space. With kids, you've got to think about places to put everything.

So many food storage containers, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Nothing would stay in its original box again!

Oooh, Makeover

2010-06-17T04:08:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to show off the blog's new look. Isn't it snazzy?

Also, I would like some topic suggestions. I'm definitely going to do one on cleaning products, but what else would be interesting? Let me know!

Bowls, spoons, cereal, oh my!

2010-06-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

Lillie and Dani will be four months old on Monday. That means that in the next month or so, they will probably be starting on their first solid foods. That also means that I will be starting my research right about...now.

I already know that I'll be getting the Ikea ANTILOP high chair for when they're sitting up on their own, but I'm in search of--I bet you can guess--good bowls, spoons, and cereal for my growing twins.

I've already got my eye on a few things, and I'd love to know what other moms think, so throw your two cents my way.

First off, I know I'll need spoons. I want soft ones that are pretty shallow since the cereal will be mostly formula at first. I'd like to keep the handle long since I've got two grabby girls, and I personally would like to keep feeding time as neat as I possibly can. (Don't worry, I'm not delusional; I know it will be messy.)

The Nuk soft bite spoons seem like a good buy. I also like the Munchkin safety tip spoons. (I should admit that I pretty much like all things from Munchkin.) I also already have this cool dispenser spoon from Boon (thank you Rachael & Sean) that I'm dying to try out. If that works, then I'll buy a few and won't need nearly as many bowls.

On the food side, I'm leaning towards Happy Baby cereal. I've never been one way or the other on organic food, but I like that I can pronounce all the ingredients, they have probiotics and the price is right for us. Oh, and the fact that it comes in a canister instead of a box is a big bonus. I'm definitely not turning my nose up at Gerber, so I'll be trying their cereal out as well.

I have no idea what kind of bowls I'm supposed to get. Is there a special bowl for babies just starting out? I definitely like the idea of something with a suction cup bottom so that the girls (nor me) knock it over accidentally. I saw this snazzy little thing online, but I don't know if it's really worth buying or if a normal bowl will work just as well.

As I said, throw in your two cents or your dollar fifty. I always like to get feedback!

Design Dilemma

2010-05-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

For anyone who's been to my house, you know we have a dining room and piano room as you walk in the front door. I've decided to make the piano room a play area for the girls because, well, there's not much furniture in there and it's far away from Tim's office.

The dining room in case you need a reminder. There are also red chairs that go at the host seats.

The thing it lacks is storage. Right now, there's one black bookcase. I would like to add three more so they line the back wall. Black bookcases are boring, so I need help. What do you do to dress up some plain inexpensive bookcases that will a) work nicely across from a dining room and b) be playful enough to seem kid friendly.

Here's the bookcase from Wal-mart. A steal at $25!!

I've already decided to replace the crappy cardboard backing with plywood. The question is what do I do with the plywood. Should I paint it? If so, what color? Should I use wallpaper? Should I use mirror tiles on the top half and do something different with the lower half that's closer to kid height? I definitely want to get baskets to hold toys and prevent little climbers, but what kind of baskets?

I'm a mommy in a design dilemma. Help!

Web Love

2010-05-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to direct everyone's attention to some great sites.

First up, my friend Mindy. Like me, she was already a furry mama (to some absolutely adorable dogs) but now she's a mom-to-be of the human variety. Check our her words of wisdom at mamaanddog.wordpress.com.

Next, Ohdeedoh. It's a little obsession of mine. You can find everything from nursery design to DIY projects for your kids. I love it there!

Next, Twinstuff. If you're a MoM (mom of multiples), this place has a plethora of information and support. I love all the articles and especially the forum. It's so nice to know that there are other moms in the same boat as you.

And finally, The Bump. This site will take you from TTC through the first year. Fun and informative articles, great pictures, a nice Q&A section and also a very helpful forum.

Sleep is the Answer

2010-05-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

As I type this, I'm sitting at my computer holding Lillie, who is wide awake. Her tummy is full. Her bum is dry, and she is currently quiet. But I can tell by the look on her little face that it's simply the quiet before the storm. Why would now be any different? She's cried a good 75% of the day, and I would like to think I know why.

Yep, sleep is the answer.

As I said in my last entry, I've started on the long road to sleep training. There are many people out there who are convinced that "sleep training" means sticking your child in a crib, walking away, and letting her cry. Granted, that is one type of sleep training, it is not the only one.

The first step in training has been getting the girls acclimated to their cribs. Since we brought them home in February, L & D have been sleeping in a Pack n' Play, our beds, on a Boppy, or in our arms. They never spent the night in their cribs. Last week, we started having them spend nights in their room. We spent lots of time putting that nursery together--making it just so; I think it's a good idea to let the girls sleep there. Plus, it's away from the TV, our talking, and the hustle and bustle that adults do. Maybe, just maybe they will get a better kind of sleep there.

And by better, I don't necessarily mean more (even though they could probably use a little more), I mean longer blocks. My girls sleep, but just like the people who take care of them, they don't get quality sleep. One day I would love for them to be sleeping two, three, (God willing) four hours at a time before they wake up happy and content, not crying and crabby.

The first week of nursery sleeping hasn't gone too badly. It's still a work in progress and takes some sacrifice to have them there, but I do think it is beneficial to them...and eventually to us.

The next step: getting them to sleep on their own. I've read books, articles, blogs, and forums. I've had conversations with myself and with Tim. And even though it's not set in stone just yet, I think our first approach to getting the girls to sleep better is to use Graduated Extinction as described in Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins: A Step-by-Step Program for Sleep-Training Your Multiples by Marc Weissbluth.

For those who don't know, it means I plan to create a bedtime routine for the girls to soothe them, put them in their cribs drowsy yet awake, and then leave the room. If they start crying, I will not go back in the room for x amount of time. After that time has expired, I will go soothe them as I see fit and then leave the room again, allowing for a little more time if they start crying again. I will do this a few times until they fall asleep. I will do a version of the routine for each of their naps during the day as well.

It's going to be hard work. It's going to wear on my nerves like nobody's business, but in the end, I believe it will lead to better sleep for Lillie, for Dani, for me, for Tim, and for the caregivers who stay with us.

As I can't state enough--sleep is the answer.

In the end, I'm hoping they will take three 1.5 to 2 hour naps during the day and sleep at night in 4-5 hour blocks. This means that all of us will be happier, healthier, and far less agitated and sluggish throughout our days.

If you think letting your children cry in their room at night is bad parenting, then I respect that you feel that way. But I believe that being a walking zombie trying to care for two infants is bad parenting, so this is the track for me.

Twins is Not a Unit of Measurement

2010-05-01T02:08:00.000-07:00

I've done it. I have begun the long and winding road of researching sleep training for the girls. I'm currently skimming Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth trying to decide if I'd like to by Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins. L & D will be three months old next week, and I think it's high time we started working on preparing them--as well as ourselves--for some sort of regular sleep routine. Granted, the hard core training probably won't start until they're four months old, but at least getting them used to sleeping in their cribs is a place to start.

Before we can sleep train the girls, though, we must train ourselves. Obviously, one of these days, Tim and I will get a full night of sleep again (Marsha too!), but that's not what I mean. As with most things that come with parenting, it's as much about teaching the parents as it is teaching the child. And in this case, we must all fully realize that Lillie and Dani are not one entity. They are two very individual girls.

They both eat four ounces of formula an average of every four hours a day. They both get cranky in the evening. They both average a dirty diaper once a day, and they both like to scream their heads off when you take the bottle out of their mouths for burping. (Seriously, it's deafening.)

But Dani really enjoys spending time in her bouncy chair while Lillie likes to cuddle. Lillie looks around enthusiastically at everything in the room with wide eyes. Dani likes to focus on one thing at a time, and she does it very intently. Dani has an easier time going to sleep on her own in the Pack n Play while Lillie tends to be extremely restless and whimpers a lot.

Right now, when one of them wakes up to eat, we wake the other within 20-30 minutes so they can stay on schedule. There will come a time when this will be counterproductive. Why keep waking the sleeper just to keep them both on a schedule? As parents of singletons have to train each of their children differently, I must do the same with mine. Unfortunately, I have to do it at the same time! So, if Dani ends up being ready to sleep through the night without a middle-of-the-night bottle before Lillie is ready, I will have to accept that.

There will be many more entries on sleep training. I'm looking forward to blowing off stressful steam on this blog. I'd also love to hear what other parents did to help get their little ones to sleep better.

The Beauty of Wearing Your Baby

2010-04-11T03:46:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of joy to be found in holding your babies. You get to feel their warm little bodies. You get stared down by the most beautiful eyes ever, and you get to investigate every little nook and cranny up close.

There is also a lot of burden in holding your babies. Your back and arms ache. You must learn how to do lots of things one-handed. You sometimes can't move around a lot because you might rouse her awake.

The perfect solution? Wear your baby.

At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole thing. I have a bad back as well as bad shoulders, so I never thought I would really be able to wear the girls for long periods of time. Tim and I both received Baby Bjorns, but I figured those would be mostly for trips to football games or the zoo. I thought about getting a wrap carrier for home use, but decided against it when I thought there was no way a piece of cloth could really keep my girls secure.

Well, I was wrong. After a few weeks of aching arms and a hunched back, as well as maneuvering with one arm as I desperately clutched a baby in the other, I thought it was time to try one of these wrap things. I've fallen completely in love with my Sleepy Wrap. It's comfortable, soft, and the girls are probably more secure in it than they are when I just carry them in my arms. I can eat, wash dishes, prepare bottles and read with both hands!

It took some getting used to. I mean, it's a 10 foot long piece of fabric you have to wrap around yourself. But after getting the hang of it, I love it. The only downside is that you have to take the time to wrap it, and if you wait until your baby is crying, it will get frustrating. My suggestion? If you know you're going to be busy all day, go ahead and put it on. When you're ready for the baby, it's already wrapped and ready to go.

There are many moms who are afraid of having their little bundles of joy all wrapped up in a bundle. The baby won't stretch out enough. She'll get too hot in there. There's lot of worry. But think about this--for nine months or so, your child was inside your body curled up with far less space than you'll have in that piece of cloth you're wearing. These same children can tuck themselves into little balls while they're sleeping. They like being snug as a bug. And when they need to stretch, believe me, they will. Both Lillie and Dani have given me good punches to the chin when they're ready to give those arms some breathing room.

Both of the girls sleep better in the wrap. I feel better because at least one of them is close by. I have yet to try putting them both in the wrap, even though the site says it's possible. I just don't think I could really carry around 20 lbs comfortably, so for now, just one at a time. Maybe when they're older I can wrap one and hold the other. Don't worry, I'll take a picture if that happens!

If you don't think the Sleepy Wrap is your cup of tea, head on over to The Baby Wearer and check out their articles on wraps, carriers, and slings. I'm sure there's one for you because no matter how much you love holding your babies, your arms will start to protest!

Getting Creative with Cash

2010-03-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

Having a baby is expensive. Having two babies is doubly so. We go through at minimum of 16 diapers a day, an economy-sized container of formula every four days, and a pack of wipes once a week, not to mention utility costs of washing bottles and clothes and babies! We also have two bouncers, two double strollers, two car seats, two Baby Bjorns, two cribs and two Pack n Plays.

With that said, believe you me, I'm always looking for a deal. Since I know I'm not the only parent who's looking for ways to keep more cash in the bank, I thought I would share some tips.

Comparison shop like nobody's business

Just because one place says they have the lowest price doesn't mean they really do. When I was looking for the cheapest diapers, I looked at Walmart, Target, K-Mart, Costco, Amazon, and Diapers.com. With shipping costs and diaper pack sizes taken into account, Amazon looked to have the cheapest price with their awesome Subscribe and Save program. You set up an account to have items automatically delivered to you. There's free shipping and you save 15% using the program. Then I did the math, with the 15%, Pampers Swaddlers were $0.21/diaper. At Diapers.com, I could get a larger case for $0.18/diaper. What's three cents, you ask? A savings of nearly $15 a month.

Sign up for everything

Pampers, Similac, Enfamil, and Huggies all have programs. You get coupons, free samples, and points towards free stuff. It's great. Publix has a Baby Club where you receive coupons for the first two years of life. There's also MyPoints.com where you can earn points for online purchases. Just last month, I used my points to get a $50 iTunes giftcard. (If you need a referral, let me know!) Bank of America has a cashback program. Babies r Us has an awards program. And if you give Carters your information, you'll get wonderful coupons in the mail nearly every month. I don't think I've paid full price for clothes at Carters ever.

DO NOT, though, sign up for things at Motherhood Maternity. They're evil and will send you subscriptions that are not free.

Brand names aren't all that

We are feeding the girls Similac Sensitive formula. It's right around $1/oz. Target's brand Up & Up is $0.60/oz and has the same ingredients. We're trying it this coming week to see if it works. If it does, that's a savings of $80 a month! Store brand diapers are also less expensive and sometimes work just as well. We're about to try out Luvs since I discovered they're made by the same company as Pampers but run about $0.16/diaper. Granted, Luvs are name brand, but they're discount.

Research, research, research

What's the difference between Good Start, Enfamil, and Similac? Is baby oil necessary? Where's the best place to get a baby gear? Do I need this or that? I didn't know the answer to any of these questions, so I started asking. I asked friends who are parents, I asked my mom and MIL. I signed up on forums (Twinstuff and The Bump being my favorites). I read a gazillion reviews online. (Always take the time to read the reviews on products, it's worth your time.) Do not be afraid to ask a million questions. You'll find lots of good advice (and some bad), but all of it will help you spend money more wisely.

For example, Tim & I bought our cribs at Walmart. We found the same cribs at other places for twice as much. It turns out the company who makes them distributes them to different places under different names--all the same quality and construction just with different price tags.

Coupons are wonderful

As I've already mentioned, sign up for stuff to get coupons. But you can also find all kinds of online coupons as well as coupons in your Sunday paper. Clip, clip, clip away!

Substitute where possible

Do you really need a diaper pail or will a nice sturdy trash can do the trick? Do you a need a white noise machine when you can get speakers for your iPod? Is separate baby detergent necessary when All Free & Clear is much cheaper and has no scent? Is there stuff you would like to buy that you (or a friend or family member) can make on your own? Always weigh the pros and cons of getting specific products versus general items that will do the same job. Sometimes it's worth it and will save you in the end.

Do not shun hand-me-downs
If it's clean, in good shape and safe, by all means, let people give or sell you their old stuff. Only trust a good friend or family member if you take a used car seat, though. You never know if it's been in an accident. Cribs older than five years should be carefully inspected and researched. Safety regulations have changed, and old cribs aren't always worth the money saved.

Definitely look for consignment shops and special sales in your area. There are tons of mommy groups that have huge sales once a year.

Sometimes the investment is worth it
I didn't spend money on diaper pails, mobiles, fancy sheets and such. But I wouldn't compromise on a very comfy rocker recliner for the nursery. Granted, I didn't pay for it (thank you, Walt & Marsha), but I would have willingly laid down the money for it. Having a quality piece like that will last long after the girls are out of their rocking years and will work in our family room where Tim will lounge and play video games. The same goes for convertible cribs. We did save by purchasing from Walmart, but we paid a little more so the beds would stay with Lillie & Dani through teen years (hopefully).

Save Money on Diapers!

2010-03-26T03:45:00.000-07:00

This isn't really a blog entry as much as one more way for me to save money on diapers (and for you to do the same).

Parents, if you haven't discovered it yet, Diapers.com is a wonderful place to buy diapers and other baby products. I've searched everywhere (and I do mean everywhere) for the best deal on diapers, and it's on this website. What's also great is that they have fast delivery, a great return policy, and a plethora of choices. When the girls are running low on diapers, all I have to do is sit down in front of my computer and place an order, and since I'm always spending more than $49, I get free shipping. They carry everything from diapers to pacifiers to clothes.

Check it out by using the link over there to the right. If you order (and you really, really should), then use my referral code. You get $10 off and I do too!!

Life, Three Hours at a Time

2010-03-17T02:29:00.000-07:00

I've had the title of this blog floating around for a little bit, but I had no idea what to write exactly. The title is clever, albeit broad. It describes how I live right now--in three-hour chunks--on Lillie and Dani's eating schedule.

There are a lot of things that can be done in three hours. You can watch a good movie, catch up on some tv, take a nap, take a shower, wash dishes, clean a room, run a load of laundry. I know these are all things I can do, but do I do them? Sometimes. Should I do them? Always.

Eventually I will realize that the time between feedings should be used constructively. I used to be a person of schedule. I used to plan out a day so that I would use it to its best potential. Heck, I even planned in downtime so my normal procrastination tendencies could have a buffer. I now, though, must turn off the procrastination. I must learn how to be unfrazzled again and control my routine. If I've learned anything from the multiple books on multiples I've read, I will always hold on to this gem:

You control the routine. Do not let the routine control you.

Right now, I'm letting the routine control me. After feeding, burping, changing, and rocking back to sleep (except when they want to have awake time), I should do one of three things--sit and relax, stretch out and nap, or get up a do a chore. Most of the time, I sit and think about all the things that need to get done and when the hell am I going to do them while I listen for small noises coming from the Pack n Play, ready to jump on it before either daughter gets past a whimper, as I watch some pointless television. (Food Network and HGTV seem to be my staples when there isn't a SVU marathon on, but that's a different blog entry all together.)

Here's another gem I plan to keep in my head: The clock shouldn't be part of your routine.

Babies can't tell time. They have internal clocks, yes, but they don't know it's 4am from 4pm. You have to start basically ignoring the clock too. A routine should involve doing things in a certain order, not at a certain time. This is how babies learn to expect things. This is how parents cope. If you decide that you will always bathe your children at 6pm, fix dinner by 7pm, and watch your favorite shows until 10:30, you will always consider yourself a failure. Children are the great unpredictability. Things happen. You must always account for this.

What will make you feel successful is that the bath happened before bedtime. That dinner was eaten, and it covered more than one food group. That DVR was the best invention of the decade, and that you have made time for the important things and let other things (like taking the stacks of diaper boxes to the garage) wait for another day.

All of this I say as if I'm some seasoned pro. I am not. I've only been a parent for five weeks, three days. I can't even consider myself successful by my own standards since I'm not in control of my routine. But I am an overachiever. I will work very hard to become the parent of my own advice.

My First Failure

2010-03-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

Let's get this straight. I do not think I'm a failure. I make lists. I make plans. If I don't achieve everything in my plans, I have failed at my plan. That doesn't mean that I have failed at the overall goal. It doesn't mean that I haven't found another route to success. What it means is that I was thrown a curve ball. Infant twin girls is quite possibly the biggest curve ball of my life.

So what's my first failure is this plan I had for parenthood? Breastfeeding. The great debate of mothers everywhere. We all know that breast is best, but some women take it a bit further than others. And those women make other women feel like--yep, you guessed it--failures.

The morning Lillie and Dani were born, a nurse came to tell me that they both had low blood sugar and needed formula to help them stay healthy. I didn't even think twice about it. I was still recovering from the surgery, and I wanted my girls to be strong and not spend one night in the NICU, so I said formula was fine. In the back of my head, I knew that I would be able to start breastfeeding later in the day.

Later in the day arrives, and Robin, the LC, comes to visit my room. She shows and tells me how to massage my breast and get the babies in a football hold so I could tandem feed. They both have a little trouble--Lillie more than Dani--but they both eventually latch on and start sucking. Success! Not only are my girls nursing, they're doing it at the same time!!!

Every day in the hospital, we practiced. Robin was encouraging and very helpful. Sometimes there was success; sometimes there was just crying (from all three of us). I repeated over and over again that the three of us were going to be breastfeeding rock stars, and I diligently tried at least three times a day to get them to nurse. (See, with preemies, you have to worry about tiring them out. We don't want to burn excessive calories trying to get them to eat just so they have to turn around and eat more because you burned too many calories getting them to eat.) When we checked out on Wednesday, I promised myself I would pump and keep trying to get them to nurse at home.

Oh, how home is different from the hospital! There aren't nurses there to take your babies to the nursery so you can rest. All the planning you've done to set up the house for the new arrivals doesn't prepare you for the onslaught of things you need at hand right away. (It probably also doesn't help that they arrived a little early so we were completely prepared.) Babies, no matter how hard you try to keep them on a schedule, do not believe in schedules. They will wake, cry, wail, scream whenever they feel it necessary. So getting away to pump or trying to struggle through a nursing session doesn't wear well on the nerves.

So, after being home for nearly a month, I've been mostly pumping--giving them about two ounces each of express milk a day and then supplementing with formula. Well, I guess I should say they get mostly formula, and I'm supplementing with expressed milk. Eh, semantics.

We try nursing every now and again, but it still doesn't go very well. And every day I think about it, it does hurt me a little inside that I can't give my girls full nutrition on my own. I know there are ways to increase my milk production--supplements (which I'm taking) and pumping more often (again, let's go back to that babies don't believe in schedules thing). But I'm starting to come to terms with formula, breast milk, and the pump.

If the nursing doesn't work this coming week, then we're done. I'll pump until six weeks, and then they'll be formula babies. There's nothing wrong with that, no matter how many people want to tell me differently. I would rather sit and hold my babies while they drink from a bottle than struggle with them as they kick and cry as I'm trying to nurse them. I would rather be there, in the moment, with Lillie and Dani rather than be stressed because one won't go to sleep or lie quietly while I go pump.

So, even though I've had my first failure in my plan of parenting, I know that there are many more failures ahead of me. In the end, I will not be a failure at anything because I'll always find a different route to success.

This is Definitely Not College

2010-02-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

I have had times in my life where I haven't slept. As a teenager, I remember a trip to Florida where I stayed up for 36 plus hours and ran on pure adrenaline and sugar. In college, I burned the midnight oil a lot while trying to finish projects or study for a test. I did the same in grad school nearing the end of the year when I was editing various projects.

But this isn't college. This is a whole new league of sleep deprivation. For all the parents out there. I didn't fully understand. Now I do. And I applaud all of you.

I don't know what deep sleep is anymore. I haven't had a dream in two weeks. I'm resting as much as I can when Lillie and Dani rest, but telling someone to "rest when the babies sleep" is soooo much easier said than done. At night, they're on a close schedule, but it still works out to about 45 minutes of power napping between three hour feedings. During the day, I relish in the quiet times. I may doze off on the couch, but I never take a real nap because I like the idea of just being awake and quiet.

In the book Twin Set, a poll was taken among parents of multiples asking when they finally got five solid hours of sleep. The highest percentage said after six months. The second highest said after one year. God, let my girls be overachievers. :)

I love these girls. I absolutely adore them. I've never felt this kind of overwhelming joy and pride and fear for another human being EVER. But right now, I want to sleep. Just one night. Please?

I Accept This Mess

2010-01-31T13:35:00.000-08:00

Hello, my name is Faith, and I am an organizational freak. I cannot claim to be a neat freak. Just one look at my office will tell you I'm not quite that, but I do like for everything to have its place and be in that place. I do not like seeing piles of mail or dishes or clothes where they do not belong. I am a firm believer in The Container Store, all organizational articles written in Real Simple magazine, and Martha Stewart's pantry would probably make me cry.

With that said, I am learning to accept the mess my house has currently become. We've been receiving boxes from Internet orders as well as trying to get the nursery together, all topped with my inability to stay on my feet for long bouts and working my tail off to get projects finished. In the wake of all this mini-chaos, the house has become a little less than perfect.

The girls will be arriving soon, and I know that I will not have the time to load and unload the dishwasher, put away everything I use, or generally tidy up at the end of the day. So I'm looking at this current pre-baby mess as practice for the sure-to-be-bigger baby mess. I am trying to clean a little bit at a time, but it's not the kind of organized I like. And I must learn to get used to it.

I also have to get used to letting someone else do it. Oh, I'm that too--a control freak. I've been very good (I think) lately about letting Tim do more stuff without making comment. My mom and my brother came over and folded clothes and vacuumed. I kept my mouth shut except for the big thanks I gave them as they were leaving.

So, as I prepare for parenthood by reading baby books, buying baby things, and putting together the nursery, I'm also learning what messy is. And how it's OK...sometimes.

Coming Down to the Wire

2010-01-28T07:12:00.000-08:00

Today, I am 34 weeks and one day. If I go full term, I have six weeks left. If I go twin full term, I have three weeks left. Either way, the girls aren't far away from being in my arms instead of protruding from my belly.

I must say that I have been blessed with a very easy pregnancy--no morning sickness, not too much discomfort and only a week of bed rest. In fact, the worst of it has come in the last couple of weeks with the increased swelling (even my jeans are tight below the knee) and the increased leg/back pain. (I long to lie flat on the floor and swing my legs to one side as my back readjusts itself.)

Thinking about how blessed I've been with this easy pregnancy has started to make me worry about my parenting of newborns. Is Karma going to find me? Am I going to end up ripping my hair out and having a complete meltdown the first few months of their lives because I had it so easy for nine months? I know it sounds a little silly, but it's starting to manifest as a real fear in my brain.

I've got tons of support from family and friends, but I can't help but think that about the overwhelming responsibility to two newborns! Part of me says, "You'll just take it one day at a time and will be just fine." Another part of me says, "You'll never sleep, the house will be a mess, and you will have a breakdown over the whole thing." Both sides of me are probably correct to an extent. I can't stand disorganization--either in physical messes or in situations--so I'm sure I will lose my mind from time to time because I just can't grasp control. I'm just hoping that every time I look at Mac and Cheese's little faces, it will all melt away. Dirty dishes, stacks of mail, unkempt hair...I just won't care, right? Because a little chaos is worth it just to have them look at me as if I'm the greatest person on the planet.

Mac and Cheese Perform!

2010-01-18T13:30:00.000-08:00

The lighting and quality is not the best. The music is a little over-dramatic, but I still think this is a good representation of what the girls do around bedtime...or when I'm sitting at my desk working...or when I'm on the sofa watching TV or...

Is That Necessary?

2010-01-12T06:36:00.000-08:00

When Tim and I registered for baby items, we used multiple sites to put together a list of the necessities--pajamas, diapers, onesies, car seats, strollers...the list goes on. But after the shower, when we started looking at the stuff we needed to buy, our list miraculously got shorter! There are a few things, though, that I would like to ask veteran Moms if I really need.

Crib Mobile

If you have yet to figure it out, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm a bit of decor junkie. I want everything to look a certain way and not be overly babyish for the nursery. Crib mobiles are the biggest culprit of babyish things. I have yet to find one that clips on the crib that I like. I would really prefer one that hangs from the ceiling if I get one at all (much like the one there to the left from Liv's Lullaby Shop). Lately, every time I see one I like, the price tag blows my mind, and I instantly think, "I could definitely make that myself for much less."

Do I really even need it though? And if the answer is yes, do I need two of them?

Baby Towels
We received some baby washcloths as shower gifts, so we bought a couple of hooded towels to finish the set. But how necessary are these little cute towels? Would a cotton adult towel not serve the same purpose? Plus, I could really swaddle a naked little one in an adult towel while a baby towel would just loosely be wrapped around her.

Baby Swings

We didn't register for any. We haven't even thought about purchasing any. My nephew has two that he's outgrown. I also have a couple of friends who no longer use theirs, so maybe we'll give them a try that way. We opted for bouncers instead. They're smaller, more portable, and would seem to do sort of the same job. I understand that some babies absolutely love swings, but the idea of having two of those in the house makes my clutter alarm go off big time. Is that selfish?

Crib Bumpers

This is a controversial topic. There are two camps on the crib bumper topic. Some parents swear by them because they don't want their little ones banging their heads against the crib rails or getting little limbs stuck between the bars. Some parents think they're extremely dangerous and can lead to SIDS because babies can roll over into them and suffocate. My argument is much simpler. Crib bumpers costs a whole lot of money. We bought our crib sheets and skirts from Carousel Designs. The sheets were $16 a piece, the skirts were $49 a piece. The bumpers were $69. Granted, that's only $20 more than the skirt, but remember--I'm buying two of each. Saving myself $140 was nice. Also, Carousel's prices are very good; most bumpers start at $100. If it turns out these girls like to roll and kick a lot and need some cushioning, I will lay down the money for the bumpers, but right now, the cribs are bumper free.

Diaper Pail

After looking at the pros and cons of so many diaper pails, I decided to just buy a nice trash can. The trash can ended up costing $65, which is more than the leading contender in diaper pails for me (the $39 Diaper Dekor). Alas, the Dekor, just like the Diaper Genie and the new Munkins Arm & Hammer pail (the runner up on my list), requires special cartridges. I decided, in the long run, paying a little more for a simple trash can and these lovely bags would be cheaper. On top of all that, the trash can's dimensions work for the room and its stainless steel exterior is nice to look at.

Convertible High Chairs

This decision has pretty much been made, but I wanted to share it anyway.

I looked at A LOT of high chairs. I wanted one that would grow with my girls, store easily and be easy to clean. First was the the Chicco Hero Highchair. It met all my criteria, so I didn't mind the $120 price tag. Next was the Graco Blossom 4-in-1. It was a little more versatile than the Chicco (it has a toddler seat and a booster!), so I didn't mind the $180 price tag so much. I even checked out a bunch of hook on seats to save room. (These were quickly nixed since so many parents complained about them ruining tables or not detaching at restaurants.)

Finally, I realized that saving some money now might be better than investing in their feeding ritual futures. Tim and I decided to register for two Ikea ANTILOP chairs. With the tray, they are $25. That's $50 for two easy to clean, easy to move, easy to set up high chairs. No, they don't recline or turn into booster seats, but they're durable and inexpensive and perfect for what we need. I would like to thank Pam for recommending these little gems. Thank you, Pam!

So these are the items I'm either up in the air about or just plain said no to. What do you think? What did you do? Will I change my mind in the future? Are there other items that should be included?

I know that all babies and parents are different, but this is a forum for advice and discussion, so please, pass on the advise and discuss!

Now It's Uncomfortable

2010-01-07T06:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I hit the 31 week mark. This week, according to StrongMoms.com...

Mac and Cheese weigh more than 3 pounds and are 11 inches long from crown to rump, about the length of a bunch of bok choy.
Their reproductive systems continue to develop.
Their lungs are now more developed but are not completely mature.
As trillions of brain connections develop, they are already using all five senses.

They're the size of bok choy! This is particularly funny because Mom was saying how nice the bok choy looked at Publix yesterday, so I have a perfect picture of bok choy in my head. :D

If I actually make it to 40, I have nine weeks left. NINE! If I make it to my goal of 37 weeks (ha! I know. Goals in pregnancy!), I have a month and a half left. It's so close...

In my OB rotation, Dr. Dykes told me that I'm about the size of a full term singleton mom, so I'm sure people look at me and probably wonder how I can possibly be out and about when I could burst any day. But walking around for short periods of time actually makes me feel better.

I also regularly get "are you ready for them to be here now?" My answer is usually no. Mostly because I still feel like there's a lot to do to prepare for their arrival, plus I want them to stay inside as long as possible to insure they don't have to stay in the NICU for very long (or at all).

Give me another day or two, and ask that question again. I think my answer might change.

Sleeping hasn't always been the best, but now it feels as if there's a bowling ball on my pelvis every time I try to turn over. If I sleep on my left side, my lower back hurts a lot. If I sleep on my right side, I somehow always tuck my hand under and wake up with big fat puffy hands and no circulation in the right one. Plus, sleeping on the right means I must turn over to get out of the bed--and there's that damn bowling ball again. (The upside is I've added an extra pillow to my routine, and the pain in my hips is all but gone.)

I've tried taking a nap in the recliner which is by far more comfy than the bed right now, but I can't recline completely since it creates this interesting sensation that my daughters are rolling into my ribs. For some, I'm sure this sounds fun, but it's really not.

I'm also experiencing this new pain that feels like I just rode a horse far, far too long. It only happens after I've been in one position for long periods of time--especially after sleeping. I've been searching online for answers, and I think it could be Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. I, of course, will ask the doctor when I have my next appointment (on my birthday), but all those symptoms feel right. Hopefully, some of my physical therapy exercises from the days of bad knees might help relieve some of the pain.

I'm sorry to be such a downer these past two entries, but it's just been the way. Most of this pregnancy has been great. No serious pain, no morning sickness, no complications. I think it happens to most women, though--when the end is near, it's get a little tougher.

The wonderful thing, as it has been the whole time, is feeling little Mac and Cheese move. I can really just watch them now. I'll sit on the sofa and just stare at my belly. Most of the time is just a big thump here and there, but when they really get moving, it's like a dance party! I keep saying I'm going to get my camera and just have it ready so everyone can see, but I'm sure it's only fascinating to about five people other than Tim and me.

ISO: The Perfect Light

2010-01-03T06:36:00.000-08:00

You would think, as you sit down to plan out your children's nursery, that you might have trouble deciding on colors or bedding or something like that. You would never think it would be too hard to find a ceiling fixture that would be fun and interesting for them, right?

Sooooo wrong.

Well, wrong in the sense that I don't have $200 - $300 lying around to spend on a light in a nursery...or a light in any other part of my house for that matter.

I thought my criteria were pretty simple: inexpensive (under $50), at least two bulbs, and appropriately cute for a baby's room. Here's some of the lights that I would've loved for the room.

From Lamps Plus, we have the Galaxy Chrome Ceiling Light...at the low, low price of $300.

This whole plethora of giclee shade lights that come in amazing colors and prints that start at $120.

I found a lot of pendants and mini-chandeliers, but when your husband has risk of hitting his head every time he goes in the room, I think those are out. Plus, the majority of them were very girly...like this one from Pottery Barn. I mean, I like it, but it wouldn't match the decor we decided to go with. Plus, the chandelier is $99 while each shade is $12. Yep...moving on.

So I decided to go with good ol' standby of Ikea. They have nice lighting that's usually far under the $50 range. I found two that were cute. The SKOJIG cloud light and the SMILA SOL sun light.

Such a joy! Both fell into the price range as well as meeting my other two criteria. Plus they both went with the theme of the room. We have hills and birds on the wall, why not have a sun or clouds on the ceiling? Perfect! So I put in my order for the Skojig with the always trusty guys at ModerNash. (If you live in Nashville, and you love Ikea, it is worth it to look up these guys. They are wonderful!)

The order comes back with all of my items...except for the light. It was out of stock. Nick sends me an email and says they'll pick it up on their next run to Atlanta. I go online to check the availability--it's out of stock and no date is set for restocking. Wonderful. Brilliant. The light I want is not even available at trusty Ikea, so I make a decision. The Smila Sol is still quite cute, so I tell them to pick that one up if the other light isn't available. A couple of weeks later, I get my Smila Sol...with missing parts. Ugh.

I send it back, get the new light, and voila! Tim installs it, and it looks soooooo cute. But then we turn it on.

It looks cute, right? Well, you weren't in the room. Since we'd chosen neutral colors for the walls, it gave the entire room this odd yellowish glow. The yellow birds and flowers painted on the wall turned neon and all the non-black furniture looked a little off. The light is meant for a room with cooler colors. The blues and purples and blacks looked great against the light, but sadly, that's just doesn't work for us.

So the search continued... And, once again, I kept finding nice lights outside of our price range or low-end lights that just didn't fit the bill. Finally, I decided that I wanted a cute light and I would stretch the budget a little. Turns out, it really does help! Tim and I finally agreed on a very cute light that we purchased from CSN Lighting yesterday for $75.

Oh...you thought I was going to show you? Sorry. You can see it once it's installed. :)

When Mother Nature Takes Your Sleep Away

2009-12-28T16:27:00.000-08:00

So...on top of having Asthma as well as having babies snuggling up to my diaphragm and squishing my lungs, I have a sinus infection. I cannot use my nose for any purpose besides making my face look complete and filling every trashcan in the house with hundreds of tissues.

This has made sleep nearly impossible.

For the past three or so nights I have been in a light sleep or fully awake the entire night. This mouth breathing thing is just awful. I'm pretty sure my lips and throat are drier than the Sahara.

I have taken Sudafed. (That's funny how it doesn't work at all.) I've taken Tylenol (which actually helped a bit with the inflammation and 100 degree fever from yesterday). I've taken Robitussin for my dry throat cough. (That was also funny in the not-working department.) I've used heat packs, a warm bath, hot tea, saline rinses and Popsicles. Thus far, the saline rinses, warm bath and yummy Popsicles are the best. Granted, all of these remedies are only temporary. I would just prefer for someone to put me in a coma for the next few days until this thing blows over, and then I'll be good to go.

It's amazing how my sleep hasn't been terribly affected by the extra weight. I do find myself going from cold to hot very easily and turning over is also one heck of a chore. But other than that, I can usually find a decent position for a couple of hours until I have to get up and pee. Right now, though, I'm sure the girls are like, "Mom, seriously, all this up and down and loud honking noises are getting old." And I agree, little ones, I want it all to stop too.

In the hopes to make this blog entry seem just the tiniest bit lively. Here's a picture from my baby shower of my brother helping me put on a bracelet...even though it looks like he's tapping my belly to introduce himself to his nieces. I thought it was funny. He probably won't.

What I Learned from Childbirth Class, Part 2

2009-12-14T05:41:00.000-08:00

I'm not against epidurals, but I would like to avoid one if I can.

Once you're medicated from an epidural, you'll be immobilized and stuck in bed. If you read the first blog on class, you'll know why that's not my favorite option. Not that pain is a favorite of mine either, but I'm a bit of a control freak.

I can have two external fetal monitors if all goes well.

I may not have to have an internal monitor!! Unless, for some reason, they can't find one of the heartbeats, I'll have both on the outside. This week's instructor said that they would just be doing more chasing to find the heartbeats. Woo!

There's more than one kind of breech baby.

There are different kinds of breech babies: butt first Indian-style which is traditional; feet first which is called feetling or something like that; or butt first pike position. The pike position is a Frank Breech. None of these babies are normally delivered vaginally because a baby's foot or behind is not weighty enough to get through the cervix properly. The Frank Breech baby is the funniest looking after birth. (Funny in a very, very adorable way of course!) When they are delivered, they cannot put their little legs down, so they have their legs basically straight up in the air. It's cute and silly looking, but could you imagine dressing and diapering one of those little ones?!

You can save a baby's life with a couple of fingers in the right place.

On of our instructors told us a story about a baby who was umbilical cord first. This is bad since the cord supplies necessary life support. The baby's head was crushing the cord, so the doctor just stuck his hand up there as if doing an exam and held the baby's head off the cord. Imagine, a woman being rushed to the OR as her doctor sits on the gurney with his hand holding up a baby! When they get to the OR, a nurse takes over, and holds the little head until the doctor has a grasp on the body.

I will probably have two cheesy, hairy babies.

When babies are born, they are covered in vernix. Vernix is a cheesy-like substance that protects them in utero. The earlier they arrive, the more vernix they will have. At a point in gestation, babies are also covered in a fine hair called lanugo. They lose this hair around 33 weeks or so and replace it with a much lighter finer hair that's far less noticeable. Hence, if my girls arrive early, they will be both hairy and cheesy.

Swaddling isn't so hard.

It's definitely not rocket science, and I'm very good at wrapping presents. It's like wrapping a wiggling burrito very tightly. I think I can do that!

Don't shake your newborn, your growing infant...or your toddler.

Shaken Baby Syndrome is possible up until age four! People are usually very aware of not shaking a baby, but people play rougher with older children. It's not going to stop me from having fun with my kids, but I will be very aware of the possibility.

The stinkiest part of a baby is her neck.

Babies have squishy little necks and breast milk, formula, spit up and whatever else likes to settle in the creases. Be sure to clean there. If you don't, you'll nuzzle your baby and she'll smell like sour milk instead of baby goodness.

The Nursery, Part 1

2009-12-10T09:57:00.000-08:00

It's time. Someone bought the futon a couple of weeks ago. The big dresser was moved into the closet, and we bought all the paint. Starting this past weekend, we began working on the nursery. I know there are far more important things to do when preparing for babies, but putting the nursery together is fun as well as useful. It's also one of the many things new parents can do to feel a real sense of accomplishment before the little ones arrive.

I don't know how many parts I will be sharing since I may have the patience to wait for the rest of the furniture. If that happens, then there will only be one sequel. But since we all know patience isn't really one of my attributes, this is probably part one of a trilogy.

We are not sharing the names with everyone just yet, so I've blocked out the name art on the wall. Also, if you would like to see any of the pictures bigger, you should be able to just click on them.

A money-saving tip for everyone out there--if you plan to do a mural or just highlight with some color, buy the sample paint. It costs just around $2 and you get high quality wall paint!

Since I'm not supposed to do a lot of painting (even though we bought no VOC Olympic paint from Lowes), Tim did most of the painting. I did some cutting in around the door as well as the details on the mural.

All the walls are in Vanilla Brandy. The bottom half of the mural wall (the hills of the mural) are in Hot Chocolate. We definitely went for yummy colors. Plus I think the neutrals make all the bright colors pop more.

Here's the finished base--chocolatey hills with a vanilla sky.

Here's the beginning of the flowers. Without any buds, they look like corn stalks, don't they?

Cali was very wary of the tape ball Tim put on the closet door. As soon as it started to fall, she bolted!

The entire mural.

Showing Baby A her crib. :)

I really love the black crib against the wall colors.

Some mural details... plus the little red bird by the light switch.

Next post will hopefully have more decorations and maybe some bedding (ooooh, aaaaaah). My only concern at the moment is how well our big recliner is going to fit in the room. We may have to do a little re-thinking on the set-up, but we didn't go into this without a plan. We made sure all the pieces we have will fit, and we'll make them work!

What I Learned from Childbirth Class, Part 1

2009-12-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

I do not get enough calcium or protein.

I need 5 servings a day of calcium for my twinkies. Five! I need to work on that one. I was drinking a lot of milk, but it kinda tapered off. Is that why I've been craving pizza? I usually get enough protein but we haven't bought groceries in awhile, and if we eat out, I tend to get vegetarian dishes. Must eat more meat (and peanut butter and beans and eggs)!

Even other pregnant women are amazed at twins.

I'm pretty sure I already knew this one, but it is very fascinating to be in a room full of pregnant women who still think I'm the interesting one.

I actually would like to wait on getting an epidural as long as possible.

Epidurals can slow the labor process. If you wait until your five centimeters or more, then it might not effect your labor as much.

I'm still not scared of labor.

After watching the birthing video and seeing those women in so much distress, I'm still good to go. I know it's going to hurt, but I also know that beautiful little wrinkly girls will come out of all that pain and distress. Check back with me when the actual labor starts, and then we'll discuss the fear.

Tim is a little scared of the labor.

All this time, we were thinking Tim might pass out from the upsurge of bodily fluids, but during the video, the actual birth didn't bother him so much. It was the last stage of labor that got him. So Tim and I both will have to work on deep breathing, focused relaxation, and partner encouragement. :)

I'm possibly going to look like a science experiment.

With twins, I'm going to have two fetal monitors. And since it's hard to keep up with who is who, I'm probably going to have one internal and one external monitor. Let's hope that I can still get up out of the bed with all that because...

I do not want to lie down for my entire labor.

Bed rest sucked. I am an active person. I want to walk, lean on Tim, pop a squat on a birthing ball--that kind of thing. Anything to keep gravity working in my favor for as long as I can before the girls arrive. Our instructors preached distraction from pain is the best way to get through the pain. Well, it's way harder to be distracted when you're lying down staring at the crappy tiled-ceiling above your hospital bed.

Tandem Feeding!

2009-11-28T06:22:00.000-08:00

So I've started reading two books: Mothering Multiples and Unbuttoned. So far, Unbuttoned is the more entertaining and informative book, but there's definitely some worthwhile information in the other as well. The most interesting thing to me right now is tandem feeding. Since sleep and time is so precious to new moms, I'm very much on board about trying to tandem feed my girls. If I don't get the hang of it right away, that's okay. I will keep trying. The idea of being able to feed them both at once sounds so, so, so much nicer than feeding one and then feeding the other. On top of the time saved so Mommy can get a little more rest, they also get to be close to one another while being close to me!

Today, after reading about tandem feeding. I decided to do a search online about the subject. As with most searches, I came up with some helpful pages and a whole lot of not helpful pages. I came across three pictures that were inspiring, and one that made me make a decision that I will most likely stick to, no matter how my breastfeeding experience goes.

First, let's check out ultimate multi-task mom. She's not only tandem breastfeeding, she's chatting up someone on the phone, having a meal, AND she's still in the hospital. Nice work...but what is she telling the person on the other line exactly? How important a phone call could that possibly be? "Oh, I'm just breastfeeding twins and eating dinner, but I can take this call from Aunt Marge."

Though I have no intention of trying to multitask in my room at Williamson Medical, I am definitely sold on that nursing pillow she's using. I was going back and forth about getting a twin nursing pillow, but just from this picture, I realize how helpful it can be!

I snagged this picture from the wonderful twin website Twin Pregnancy and Beyond, but this woman is inspiring not because she's gone hands-free; it's because of the huge smile on her face! I've heard stories of women really enjoying breastfeeding while others see it as a chore and some just see it as the best miracle on earth. To me, this woman is smiling not only because her little ones are being fed, but because she successfully has two little ones latched on and that pillow is so awesome that she doesn't have to hold them! Again...totally getting that pillow.

Lastly, the one that's not inspiring. I can't post it on my site since it's got copyright blocks, but you can go see it here. I'm happy this woman looks like she's enjoying herself. I'm happy it looks like her children are getting their fill. But both of those children look a bit out of the breastfeeding stage. The one of the left is probably still good to go--just crawling or walking, so that's cool with me. There are plenty of women who breastfeed up until 12 months if not 18 months. The one on the right, though? How old is that kid? 3? 4? I'm pretty sure that if my child can run around and play on a swingset that my breast is no longer a source of food. Sorry if I've offended anyone, but I'm pretty much going to be done with the breastfeeding when they can talk to me (if not before that).

So that's my little schpeel on tandem feeding and the lovely pictures on the Internet. What are your thoughts?

Let's Talk Nipples

2009-11-21T07:02:00.000-08:00

So, since I've pretty much decided what I want the nursery to look like, I have found a new baby obsession: breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding.

I understand the benefits of breastfeeding. You get to have an ultimate bond with your baby (or babies in my case). You're giving them the best food they can get. Breastfeeding also causes your uterus to contract which helps it get back in shape faster.

But, for all the articles and whatnot I've read on breastfeeding, there are very few on feeding multiples. Every book advises letting your baby feed on one breast until it's empty, burp, and then switch to the other breast. Unless I'm going to let one of my girls starve, I don't think I have that luxury. So I'm preparing myself to supplement with a bottle. I hope I won't have to, but I'm not going to be disappointed if it needs to happen. Babies need to eat, and I will feed them as needed.

So, with this idea in my head that I will have to supplement with a bottle, I've been thinking about "nipple confusion." Supposedly, some babies have trouble going back and forth between breastfeeding and bottle-feeding because the nipples are different. The way a baby suckles a breast is different than the action it takes to suckle an artificial nipple. So I've gone on a search for the most natural nipple out there. Hey, the girls might hate them, but I can try them out, right?

First up, the First Years Breastflow Nipples. This nipple requires baby to use the same sucking technique required for breastfeeding. Most of the reviews on Babies R Us are quite positive, and then there are a handful of "I hate them" posts as well. But since the positive outweigh the negative, they are on our registry.

The biggest disadvantage I've noticed is the fact that this nipple is in two parts--the clear outside and that less clear inside mechanism. More parts equals more cleaning, and trying to make life easier as a new mom usually doesn't involve more cleaning.

Next up, the Adiri Natural Nurser. This one doesn't have the cool compression and sucking motion of the Breastflow nipple, but the shape and feel plus the slow flow is "breast-like." They also, I must say, look kinda cool. I know that shouldn't have anything to do with feeding your children, but hey, aesthetically pleasing is a nice (unnecessary) bonus.

Besides the cool look, they are definitely designed for easier cleaning than the Breastflow. The downside? They fill from the bottom! How odd is that? You have to put a cap on it, turn the bottle over it, fill it and then put the nipple on. I'm not exactly excited about that idea, but if the girls don't like the Breastflow nipples, I might try these.

Lastly, the Very Hungry by mimijumi which is made right here in Nashville! It's not on the market just yet, but it's coming in December. And since it's out of Nashville, I'm sure I'll be able to find it at baby stores in the area. The Very Hungry, like the Adiri, mimics the shape and feel of the breast. It's got venting that's supposed to help prevent colic, and it's a one-piece nipple (less cleaning, hello!).

My number one complaint at the moment is the color. Now the site boasts that the nipples come in "natural colors," at the moment, their natural color is Caucasian. Last time I checked, I'm not of the Caucasian persuasion. I really do hope that, when they come out, they've got more natural colors. Granted, this isn't a deal-breaker, it's just slightly annoying. It's kind of like bandages. I know the Band-Aid brand has different tones, but they're hard to find and probably cost more, so I'm hoping that mimjumi will have various colors that are all the same price.

I've fortunately found two books (a whole two!) on breastfeeding multiples. I'm going to read through those, but I also won't forget about bottles. There are women who think that it's just awful to bottle-feed, and there are women who think it's taboo to breastfeed. I again, think it's all about the babies. They need to eat, and they will.

Report from the Sofa

2009-11-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

Even though I was very nervous last night/early this morning about my ultrasound today, it turns out everything is okay. The girls are doing great. In fact, they showed off for their grandmothers a little bit today. And, the best news of all, I'm off bed rest!!!! *Happy dance*

I'm still on limited activity, but I can go teach the rest of the quarter and get my own lunch and get off the sofa whenever I want. That's quite nice. I'm going in for another cervical measurement next week, so let's hope that my limited activity and no meds works just as well as bed rest and meds so that I can just take it easy until February instead of being absolutely miserable on the sofa or in the bed until February.

So, to celebrate my liberation from the sofa, I started painting the letters for the nursery. One girl's name is nearly done, and I'll probably work on the other tomorrow. I would love to post a picture, but since we're not sharing the names right now, that would be quite difficult.

Because Free Stuff is Fun

2009-11-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

Over at Spearmint Baby (a great blog that everyone should check out), there's a contest going on to win a chenille blanket from Little Giraffe. The blankets retail for $58 to $62, and, if you're like me, this is probably one of the only ways you'll be getting one.

They are quite adorable and look über soft. You know, that kind of soft that you want to keep touching all the time?

So, everyone go over to Spearmint Baby and enter the contest for your chance to win!

A Report from Bed

2009-11-14T06:42:00.000-08:00

Actually, it's more a report from the couch. Either way, I'm stuck. I've been put on modified bed rest for a week. It seems that my cervix is shortening due to the weight of the babies. This is not good because it could lead to second-trimester miscarriages or early preterm labor. We don't want anything like that happening, so I will diligently take my medicine and stay parked in bed or on the couch for my required seven days (only to get up for showers and sandwich-making and bathroom runs as my doctor said).

Alas, if I were really content with my situation, this would be a very, very short blog.

I cannot stand being still for long periods of time. (Even now, I get up every three or four hours to run to the bathroom.) It's even worse when you're forced to stay still. My daily activities involve showering, watching TV, watching DVDs, watching the cat, crocheting, and napping. My body feels awful. I have leg cramps and neck cricks...and this is day 2.5! I hope when I go back to the doctor that everything is a-okay, and I can return to moderate activity. I'll promise over and over again to take it easy, but I just need to be moving around. It's one thing to sit on the couch all day and watch Buffy, Angel, and Eureka marathons voluntarily, but when you have no choice? No thanks, I'd rather be preparing the nursery for painting or grocery shopping.

Yep. I said it. I'd rather be grocery shopping.

Taking the Plunge

2009-11-11T14:54:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you know that I'm not new to this blogging thing, but I've been toying around with the idea of blogging about pregnancy for awhile. I really don't know what to talk about, so I'm sure I'll just talk about everything from decorating the nursery (a task I'm very, very, very excited about) to reading books on twins to doctor visits. But here I am, writing the first entry, and actually putting it out there for people to see.

I'll try to be entertaining. Some days, I'm sure I won't be.

I will never promise to post daily because I just don't have that kind of dedication, but I will try to post often.

Today, I'm 23 weeks (that pic is from 21 weeks). Very close to the six month mark, and I'm feeling that the birth is close yet still very far away. I can't believe Thanksgiving is at the end of the month and then Christmas! Holy hell, Christmas is right around the corner. Then my birthday and then the girls will be coming along after that. I guess it really is closer than it feels.

This post was short, but there's more to follow. Some exciting things are happening this week, so come back soon.