My best friend Becky's mom came to help us last week. We were blessed by Arlene's help. she loves babies and couldn't be more encouraging with them. She also did everything else around here, including making sure I ate lunch (it's a big task to make sure I get that meal!!) and changing the messy diapers at any point! I always realize how many diapers I am not changing once someone leaves. Man, do they build up quickly! Arlene was not only good with the babies but she was an overall encourager all week. She would talk with me about anything and lead me to the scripture in the Bible that would really just recenter me. I was so appreciative. I even felt like I could tackle this week which includes three days of managing the three kids by myself. I made it through Monday, and know it's no problem to make it through today and tomorrow! thank you to Arlene who flew in just to help from Florida, and her family who gave her up on Mother's Day, and let me take her for the week. My best friend came down from NY to retrieve her on Saturday and we got a little time too...how fun!
we started a parent co-op preschool at our church and we just completed the first year. It was so much fun to be a part of and Caed loved it too. He especially loved playing with more toys!! We (I had zero production credits) put on a little graduation. The kids were so funny, and us parents were funny to watch too. thankfully we were able to make all of us (Jon, myself and the twins) being there a success because we had our friend Arlene here to visit and help for the week. she was so generous to just fill in where needed.
we are hoping to be there in September but we need to figure out how to make the co-op part work with the twins...what a blessing to make those connections at church more then just on Sundays-we don't want to leave it!
about 3 weeks before the twins were born, Jon's parents came to help us. I needed the help with wrangling Caed and getting things done, and then we were going to need the help with once the babies arrived having the care of Caed when we were in the hospital. Jon's parents prepared and planned meals, dropped off and picked Caed up from school- they kept things moving around here seamlessly. we were blessed by their giving. they got Rado out nearly every day too, he LOVED them.
After Aldan and Theron were born my mom was next to come to spend the first week with us. Man, that first week is always hard because you don't know when they are going to sleep...she was a trooper. Helping with whatever I asked. She helped me with one of our first outings by double stroller (we had to call Jon up at work to ask how to open it!). She worked hard, it was no easy vacation for her. She tried to sleep when I did- and reminded me how precious the early days are. 
My sister Heather and her husband Jerry came down the first weekend they were home- as did Jon's brother (already posted that picture) and wife, Sally (who will come for a week in June). Then Heather returned on her kids spring break to help out one overnight. (tough stuff!!) She had sick Caed last week and she'll be back too once the kids are out of school. She gives invaluable phone support too.
The second week my sister Kristen took a week off of work, and a week away from her husband and life to help us. She was just as hard a worker too. Willing to do whatever I needed. She was patient with me, Caed and Rado (she doesn't like dogs no matter how nice they are!!). She loved on the babies ALL the time and helped me think about how to get through situations. and we got out EVERY morning. One trip to trader joes, and I can't remember where else now!
Auntie April has come over WHENEVER i asked. She (& boyfriend tom) picks up our extra person when we go to church and can't fit everyone in the car. She helps calm some of my darkest feelings (will they EVER sleep? take a bottle?) and just doesn't fret about a single thing. And she intuitively takes care of Aldan and Theron and more so feels challenged when they cry to soothe them with her magic touch. I don't have a picture of her with them yet!! How can that be? (it must be because she's always here, I don't feel compelled to try to catch the picture)
We are so appreciative that our family village has come to us...
I try to do activities with Caed in between the feedings. This one was an idea from my sister Kristen- I finally bought toothpicks and we got to play around with marshmallows- we had two different sizes, and caed made a long train out of them...he's so cute.
This is from today actually- Theron.
From today- Aldan:
From this weekend...what two different babies! I love looking for ways they are similar and different in personality at this point. 
Some tummy time on the ottoman:
Big brother Caed loves to help with bath time.He gets to wash the feet, although he'd rather help with the head!
Tuesday the twins were four weeks. Now I guess they are officially one month. We were at the doctor today- I feel comfortable stretching their feedings a little further apart, and not a bit guilty if they sleep until 5am. (only one night..!)
They are gaining weight beautifully, which I was a little worried about since no one has given me any guidelines about the nursing only of twins, I've just tried to 'go' with it.
Among all the good things from the visit, Aldan had to be taken for jaundice testing, again. and last night's sleep was horrible. another good night is bound to come 'round again, right? please? and if you've done or given to us something that I intend to write a thank you for, I'll get to it. This week has involved very little simultaneous sleeping by anyone, so I haven't been able to go back to my list and write more. We are so VERY thankful though for everything that has been done for us. We're in need of all the generosity and it's been so great.
last night the babies slept until 3. What a blessing. The cleaning people are here right now so I've showered already too. These things have to happen when they can. I can't plan or think about what the afternoon looks like, I can only deal with an even shorter forecast. That helps me cope a lot. I take the opportunities I have and try to get what I can from the immediate.
Wednesday I want to go to our little playgroup. That's at 10:30. All I will think about is how to feed the babies right before I want to go. I also have an appointment at 10:30 on Friday for them at the pediatrician. I'll do the same thing.
We made it to church yesterday too.
I still have some things I need to work on- with caed, I was a big supporter of the routine eat, play and sleep. I used a loosely based Baby Wise approach. It worked great for us. I haven' t been all that concerned this time around but I'm working on going back to that. It all takes a little more motivation with two babies. If they happen to fall asleep while feeding them I haven't wanted to wake them. So after their appointment on Friday and I find out their weight gains I'll feel better about a routine. I also need to set myself up with a better plan of what to do with Caed while I nurse (for when I'm on my own) and how we'll get out of the house during the summer.
tomorrow they are one month old. whew.
it went straight from late winter to summer around here this weekend. I am so thankful for the warm weather, and although some of the 70 degree weather would have been a nice transition- we'll take 90 as opposed to 50 and raining.
I wanted to get out earlier today, but it didn't happen. Jon and his dad did a bunch of yard work, and caed played outside to his heart's content. I was what felt like nailed to the couch today. I started the morning nursing the twins separately, and that always makes the sitting so much longer, but really it is nice not to have two babies on your lap fo 40+ minutes.
When Caed woke up from his nap we got the kids in the car and went for some ice cream. I had wanted to walk there, but it was still a tad hot out. so we drove to the ice cream place and walked around the corner to the playground. we had jon's dad with us- so you know where that put one of us? Me, in the way back. I was up for it, instead of leaving Jon's dad back or taking two cars. We also had the double stroller in the back, so I really felt like I was 7. It was so funny. Only fitting our family into the car is strange, but coming from a family of 6, that was all we had growing up. Not sure what else I expect....I do want to carpool and think about carting Caed's friends around with us, but that isn't practical either- I do have twin babies now. And kids Caed's age need carseats, the big super padded ones, that take up half the back seat. We do have an extra seat for our other car which I was using for the occasional friend- not every family does have one, and hooking and un hooking another seat...i probably won't do it that often. I'll now leave that task to Caed's friends'. Miss Katrina, you are really the most patient one with all the car seat moving we've done!
Also last night a part of our wedding aired on TLC Wild Weddings! I forgot it was going to happen (new babies, toddler, lack of sleep, etc..) or else i would have posted something about it. We (Jon) did DVR it so we got to see it this morning, and it was really fun. Wish I had remembered to tell other people. Maybe it will run again, it was practically right in the middle of the show. It wasn't wild, just funny.
Well now it's time to go to bed. the babies gave us a good night last night, so I am not expecting much tonight. It usually goes that way with them (at this point)....here's to hoping we get to church tomorrow..really want that happen.....
i just looked at our Easter photo, and well, it's not good. There might be one salvageable picture, but if someone knows how to make a husband smile in every photo that would help us a lot. Mad looking dad in Easter photos are not ones to post! But here are some others...just random ones, not pictures of all our guests by any means...
Theron
Aldan
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