Happy Father's Day and Three Months

Whew! We made it. The three month mark in my mind is a significant one. I had all my "help" completed by now and I feel like I can justifiably work on a routine and schedule with the babies. and looking forward in three month chunks just works for me.

The babies are doing well. we go for their appointment on Friday and I am anxious to see their weight gain. I don't dare say this too loudly, but they have been sleeping through the night for 2+ weeks. This involves an early morning wake up but I'll take it. But as a result of this sleeping through the night I tend to go to bed later since I think I won't have to wake up. That's become a problem because I am tired at 6am still! Not good! But without the middle of the night feedings i want to make sure they are still gaining like they should. They are a good size now, I just want to be assured. Theron has been doing a lot of talking which is adorable- and Aldan is practically ready to turn over (he likes to spin in circles on the floor). Big Brother Caed is doing well too- last night he actually wanted to help carry Theron with me! This is big. We've been reading a new book from Jon's Aunt Betsy called 'I'm A Big Brother' and he loves it. I think it's inspired him to recognize the babies are here. heheehe He still calls them both Theron when you ask who is who, which is really funny. But he knows Aldan's name.

I am afraid I'll need to stop nursing them both at the same time soon. They are getting so long that their legs and feet behind me are pushing me further and further to the edge of he couch. i am just not sure how to manage that- and I was hoping they would be a little quicker on the nursing before I had to change. So here's hoping the three month mark gets them to be a little more efficient. I can't imagine nursing for an hour at every sitting.

The picture above is from Father's day. We had a good day- we went to church in the morning and then went over to April's boyfriends parents house to cook out and swim in their pool. the water was a little cool for me (and I'm not ready for a bathing suit yet). Jon got to sit and glance over the newspaper too! We had Tom and April, auntie Co and myself to all watch the kids. auntie April bought the twins the adorable monkey swim suits, t-shirts and hats. We had a great meal that April and Tom put together for us! The night before I cooked a special father's day meal of crab stuffed fish (trader joes) and baked shrimp- steamed asparagus and baked potatoes. luckily my aunt co arrived just in time from Myrtle beach and helped me finish cooking the delicious meal!! (more on her visit later)

I am trying to get the babies down for naps in their beds, and yesterday I was successful! I need to keep going with it because it frees Caed and I up to do some fun things on the main floor without fear of waking the babies. It takes a lot of energy to get them both down though, so I am just forcing myself to do it.

Here's to the next three months!

caed turned 3!! and Happy Birthday to April!

This past week Caed turned 3! What a big boy he's becoming. We are so blessed with him as the big brother in the family. He's been doing great, and learning what life is about when it's not all about him! It's a new phrase I've been teaching him- he's not the only one that lives in this house. I think it encompasses so much of who he's becoming and learning about. I've been a little worried that he's going to be bitter with his brother's since he doesn't get the same attention. But we have been taking this week to help him feel really special. We went on a Double Decker tour bus ride around DC on Saturday (so much fun and worth the money- in good weather!) Then had a family party on Monday and more to come this weekend. He's been so excited about all the fan fair he's waking up really early every morning this week!

Happy 3rd Birthday Caed!!

And today is Auntie April's birthday!! How fun to have their birthday's so close together! She's a great sister and Auntie and we hope she's had a great day today!!

Happy Birthday April!

today

today I've had both babies napping upstairs twice!! this is a welcome thing for Caed who doesn't have to be quiet as a mouse EVERYWHERE in the house. I still need to work on getting them in the same room for nap time, but I am getting there. these two weeks have really helped to get me in order with these things. It also helps that although I had a week of full activities we've basically had them all fall through, which has had me at home more then I planned- but it's all been good. Tough when in the thick of it, but better once they are put to sleep at night.

Early in the week I had three nights of sleeping through until 6am! yay! Theron woke up the next two nights, the first night I fed them both anyway and last night I decided to let Aldan sleep and he slept through until 6am. This was a tip from a friend of mine who said that I shouldn't always feel compelled to wake the second. I tried that early on, but they only tagged teamed all night, but decided to try it again!

We set up the second crib, and I think I am ready to separate them tonight- although it makes me kind of sentimental. Already passing a milestone of sorts..

always busy!

we've been busy!

our first two weeks on our own, to start off the beginning of month three has been good. The two weeks on my own actually is creating the ability to figure out how these babies want to do things, and how I can help create ways to assist them a little better. So they are tired- I can get them to sleep a couple of different ways, and work to be able to just lay them in their bed for a nap, so I don't have to take so much time all the time to get them to nap. I like the one on one time, but if Caed has a need or the other baby, I want them to be able to fall asleep with little protest in their own bed.

We also changed our nighttime routine. I am trying to get it down so that if I were all alone one night, I'd be able to do it myself (or Jon, or a babysitter (april)). I think it's pretty good and it takes the nursing to sleep out of the equation. Since the babies are so big, I am also looking forward to month three when I'll really wean them from the nighttime feeding. I think that will do a lot for my energy and sanity.

So now they still don't do much, lots of cooing- and tracking. They like the things that dangle in front of them on the bouncy seats now too and it will occupy them for an extra 2 minutes from time to time. I get big smiles from both kids and I have been including caed in some fun with the babies. We take these two rattle giraffes and a soft ball and play a sort of soccer together. It's usually when the babies are on the ground and from time to time they help us and either bat the ball with their hand or kick with their foot (i make them do it) they are quiet when we do this, and it gets caed playing with them. I am trying to be intentional about Caed including them, rather then just being frustrated with their crying (I just have cry-y babies!)

I took our first big outing without Jon or family this past week too. I went to the zoo with all three kids! Of course my good friend pushed caed around with her daughter the whole time- and my other mom friends were willing to hold and cuddle the boys at any point in time as well. So it wasn't really on my own- but it was fun to do, and it went well. I don't know if it would be possible to do it all on our own...Caed wouldn't be able to walk through the whole park.


there are still a couple of things I haven't figured out how to incorporate back into my life, like exercise. I know I don't need to really worry about it at this point, but I miss it. I can't do it in the morning because the babies (and Caed for that matter) aren't reliably sleeping to any normal time. Sometimes they fuss about 6am, sometimes later- and Jon has to get to work. At night I am so dang tired, I am falling asleep at 9:30! (i had an afternoon coffee today so that's why I'm still up now). I just can't seem to figure it in- and i really want to get back to running- the babies are also too small to run with them in the stroller now too..there are some other things I just tell myself I'll have to wait a little longer on too.

okay, now to the pictures:

today as I was about to nurse them they started getting frantic and tried to eat each other. It was hysterical.



I don't know what my camera setting was on, but thought this was funny, albeit blurry.



cheeky babies: (look at thier outfits, cute huh? thanks heather!)

they look like they are dancing- nope only about to throw a fit after all the pictures I was taking

for all the photos of just theron in that other post, here's some of aldan:

he does smile too!

car wash!! poor rado wanted to be involved too!

Caed loves helping his dad wash the cars!!

the sometimes necessary double hold- and jon does it well:

oh, here's the family a couple of weeks ago:

two months

today i took the twins to their two month appointment.

they weigh the same! 13lb 7oz!

Aldan is an inch taller (the measurements aren't exactly scientific so this could be off ) at 24 1/2".

time to try to wean them off the middle of the night feedings! yay! (they started moving their wake up times to 1:30 and 5:30 so this is why i say feedings- plural) it's been rough lately.

Smiles!!

We've been getting smiles from the boys! Theron is a little more predictable, and was the first to smile, so i was able to get pictures of him smiling, but Aldan is doing it too. It's so nice when you have those tough days to get a smile and know you are everything to them at this point, and you've got to trudge through the tough days. (besides, those tough days make us realize the good ones, right?)

Granny Arlene

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!

first year

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!

Early family support

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...

Happy Birthday!

I don't get to blogging all the birthday's I want.

Today would have been my dad's 67th birthday. Missing him today. Aldan, Theron and I took a special trip to his "mailbox" at Arlington on behalf of my mom and sisters.