Fun

We've had some exciting moments recently. Last night my mother was holding both babies while I finished up my dinner. I was just about finished when I heard a plea for help. She normally is fine with both, so I knew something was up. I came downstairs and as I approached I saw her problem. She had both boys upright on her chest. W. had decided to spit up, and he did so all over his brother's head and my mom and himself. I cleaned off M.'s head and took him, trying not to collapse from laughing. Then I hear a sweet little voice from the back of the room say, "Momma, I pooped in my pants." Then I laughed even harder. Fortunately splitcat was available to take M. while I cleaned up the girl. Then tonight it was time for both boys to eat and I hear a thudding from the big kids room. I hear P. talking to my mom and he has a nosebleed. He had one earlier in the evening, so I kind of expected it. But splitcat is at Open House, so I handed off the baby I was holding to my mom and took care of the nosebleed while she fed one baby while his brother dozed(also in her lap). Thankfully it stopped fairly quickly. But I think I've had enough of bodily fluids for the next few days. I try not to think about how I will handle these situations when I am alone. I know I will figure it out.

We went for our 2 week check up today, W. is now 6 lbs 1 oz, and M. is 7 lbs 14 ozs. They both are growing well and look good.

Well, our first night alone went ok. M. was fussy and W. decided to spit up all over his brother's carseat. So at 3am i was doing laundry. It could have been worse. We did manage to get some sleep.

Just wanted to let everyone know W. is gaining weight now. He gained 3 ozs from Tuesday to Friday. We get to go back Tuesday for their 2 week check up. It's really hard to believe it's been two weeks. My mother leaves on Thursday and real life begins.

The first week or so can be so otherworldly. Your thoughts and time are consumed with baby(or babies). Slowly the world comes back into focus as you try to remember what it's like to not be pregnant. Splitcat and I were able to go out to dinner tonight. My mother is at a ball(yes, a ball) and so splitcat's parents came over to help out and give us some time to ourselves. We didn't stay out too long, but it was nice to get out without children.

It is rapidly becoming apparent how much my body has suffered from this pregnancy. My brain thinks I am normal, but my body knows it hasn't gotten around too well the last few months. I find myself walking really slow. I have no excuses, I will have to start exercising. Now that my child-bearing years are coming to a close, I really must get myself back in shape. I have a lot of kids to keep up with. So far I only have 10 lbs of pregnancy weight left, which is really great. It's the 20-30 lbs I need to lose after that I'm dreading.

It's our first night alone with the boys. Hopefully they will continue to sleep as well as they have been.

Night Shift

I am on my first 6 hr night shift with the boys. I slept from about 7:30-midnight, so I am too awake to go back to sleep right now and I am waiting for W. to wake up to eat. Our return visit to the dr. yesterday was good as far as the jaundice. M. had gained an ounce and W. had lost an ounce, so he goes back for another weigh in on Friday. But he is eating a little more.

M. has decided to go to four hours between feedings. This is certainly ideal from my point of view, so we've got to get his brother chunked up so he can go that long. He's going 3-3.5 hours. So I can't keep them on the exact same schedule, but I am trying to keep them within an hour of one another. They had their first visit to the Walmart today and slept right through it. They are so very sweet. It is a little sad knowing these are my last babies, but it will be fun watching them grow up together. This has been so different than bringing home P. and E. Not necessarily in any bad way. I could keep them in my room with me. But not these guys. We are sleeping in the living room right now, but will probably move up to the nursery once my mother leaves. She brought her aero bed, so I may keep it so I can sleep in the same room. They've slept in their car seats the past 2 nights and that has helped them sleep a little better. I want to try to get M. back in the bed as soon as possible, but little W. is just so little, so he may take a little longer.

E. starts ballet again tomorrow. She is thrilled. She gets tap shoes as well as ballet shoes this time. She has been very sweet this week. But she's decided her new favorite song is Old MacDonald. And she sings it constantly and loudly. At least she can carry a tune.

P. loves kindergarten. His favorite thing is art. For the most part he is adjusting incredibly well.

....an hour or more later....

everyone is fed and asleep again. So it is time for me to try and get some more sleep.

Going to the Doctor

The boys had their first dr. visit yesterday. It went well. The dr. wanted to check their jaundice, and it seems to be on its way out. Baby A(aka W.) is down to 5lb 13 oz, and Baby B(aka M.) is at 7lb 7oz, back up from his lowest weight at the hospital which was about 7lb 3oz. We are going back Tuesday to make sure their jaundice is still disappearing and W. has started gaining weight instead of losing. But she wasn't too worried since he is eating regularly and poops fairly non-stop. We've almost got them on a coordinated schedule, eating every 3 hours. Since my other two started out life eating every 2 hours, that extra hour is really nice.

I'm feeling mostly well. My back and stomach muscles haven't figured out their old jobs yet. We've been taking turns getting 5-6 hours of consecutive sleep, and that has been helpful. P. still thinks his brothers are great and loves to touch them. E. likes them, but just goes about her daily business.

That's pretty much all that's going on here. Mostly it's all about eating, sleeping, and changing diapers.

Home at last

We are home!! Things are going as well as they ever do when you bring a baby home. They actually slept 4 hours last night. They are eating well and sometimes sleeping well. And they have very distinct personalities.

We had a very quiet hospital stay. It helped us to get to know the boys pretty well. P. and E. were very excited to meet their brothers, and have done well so far. P. is loving Kindergarten. He seemed so much more grown up suddenly. The girl asked me if I had to push at the hospital to have the babies. I guess we watched too much discovery health channel while I was pregnant.

It is weird not to be so very huge. I can't believe they weighed a combined 14.6 lbs. Yet they seem so very very tiny.

It's feeding time! I gotta go. check out splitcat's blog for pictures.

They're here!!!!!

The babies arrived safe and sound early yesterday afternoon. Everyone had stayed where they belonged, so no c- section. I was able to see them last night and they are very cute. Look for all of the more interesting details later in the week when everyone comes home.( If she can find the time to write.)

Baby A---Born at 1:05p.m.
6lbs6ozs 21in


Baby B---Born breech at 1:09p.m.
8lbs 21 in

Mom and Dad are a little tired, but all are doing very well. Big brother and sister are very excited. We are all very proud.

Because I Said So

It Begins

Well, the boys are off to school. I didn't cry. But a bowl of Edy's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough at 7:20am may constitute some sort of inner wailing.

Life

There is so much to write about, I'm not sure what to say. I could get all mushy and mothery and write about the Boy going off to kindergarten, but I think splitcat said it all pretty good over at his blog. I know how much he will love school once he understands the routine. He's pretty nervous right now. He likes his classroom, but didn't have much to say about his teacher. His class only has 13 kids in it, so that is good. Kindergarten and school in general has gotten so much more complicated since I was a child. I had the world's best kindergarten teacher, so I really hope P. likes his. I have found my worries to be more about him taking care of himself than learning or making friends. What am I going to feed him for lunch, the boy who doesn't eat. He has so many little quirks, perhaps I am just afraid of them being lost as he is mainstreamed into the society of school.

Then, of course, I will be giving birth to twins in the next couple of days. I'll have my sister post for me after they are born so you can get all the details. We've almost got names. I'm beyond ready to have this over with. I need to see little hands and feet to make this a reality. So many hands and feet.

I will miss my quiet family of four, but I know in a few months we will hardly remember life without the twins.

Okay, this is totally off topic, but I am watching the Sleuth Channel and Miami Vice is coming on. I remember what a cool show it was. But that was the hokiest opening I've seen in a long time. Maybe tv has just gotten too violent. And here's a question. Does anyone remember a tv mystery show about two young brothers/friends that lived on a boat-it's not Simon and Simon or The Hardy Boys, but I think one of the Hardy Boys was in it.

Sorry about the randomness, but I think I am too tired to be sentimental. I have learned that life goes on regardless of my feelings about it.

It's not the heat, it's the humidity.

Good News

I don't have to have a c-section!!! The dr.'s office confirmed that baby "B" is indeed head down and in place. I will be going in on Monday night for an induction, unless I go into labor before that. So thank you to everyone who prayed for turning babies. I asked the nurse to tell me how big I was measuring today. She said 47 weeks(normal pregnancies last 40-42).

I had a very lovely baby shower last night. I had a very good time. Ate lots of chocolate. Received lots of really nice gifts.

I guess that is all. We take the boy to open house tomorrow and meet his new teacher. I am going to miss him. Life is about to change really drastically.

Strange Things

I went to the hospital today because I was swelling and seeing spots. Everything turned out fine, I was just slightly dehydrated. However, in the course of events, the midwife thought that there was a baby head down and in the correct position. So she brought in an ultrasound machine. She looked over Baby A several times, but he was still breech, so she thought she was wrong. But she looked over at Baby B, and it was him!. Which pretty much changes things to make him become Baby A. And means I might not have to have a c-section. She said his head was far enough down that it would be difficult for him to turn. So my dr.'s appointment on wednesday should be interesting.

So that's all that's happening here. The front door installation continues, and is looking really good. It will make our house look so much better from the outside.

We have a date!

Unless I go into labor early, I will be having a c-section on August 15. It's so nice to finally have a date. I was a little worried she might make me go an extra week.

Splitcat has been finishing up the little projects around the house, and he and his father pressure washed the house yesterday. We are also getting a new front door this week. I've been making progress and filling up garbage bags with trash and stuff to donate to the thrift store. I can't believe how much stuff I've gotten rid of this past year.

That's the only news today.