Valentines Day Party

Yesterday we had our Valentine Day Party.   13 kids total.   Thats alot of kids.   Now that the kids are older they are loud, running around, Moms have to break up squabbles......its not as laid back as when they were younger and we could all hang out and talk while babies played in the same room.  It was really nice for me to have everyone over because.....I plain don't get out of the house these days.  Too much work.



The newest generation of our playdates - the siblings

My friend Traci holding Emily

Mandy and Julia

Taken before the chaos began (hide and seek, tag, etc...)

The youngest of the group

future bff's?

Preparing to exchange Valentines





Valentine Day Party 2012

Valentine Day Party 2013 ( with 5 new babies added to the group - everyone has siblings now!)

 

Teeth!!

Got a pic of Mandys 2 new pearly whites!!  

Thankgoodness today was a good day for all of us.   Matt fed the girls last night (they both got up once at midnight) and I got a full 7 hours of sleep.  What a difference that makes!    I woke up with way more patience and was not ready to burst into tears at any time.   Yes....I did cry a couple times from pure exhaustion and having duo babies cry.   It truly can be mentally exhausting.  

But because I had sleep, Mandy's teeth were not bothering her and Emily finally pooped everyone was happy today!!  ( we had a few days of constipation with Emily)

A Rough Week

This past week was kinda crazy.  

Wednesday morning Mandy started to "freak out".  She just cried and cried.  Reaching for me, hand in mouth, swatting away her bottle.   I couldn't figure out what was wrong and then the light bulb flipped on.   I ran my finger along her lower gum and felt it....dun dun dun dun!!!   Her first tooth!!   It had popped thru the gum.  I had no clue she was even ready to pop teeth since she never let on until it actually happened.   Then the next day....same thing happened.   I looked, lo and behold was her second tooth.   2 teeth in 2 days!!   Cassie didn't get her first tooth till 9 months.

Sleep - Emily went from getting up once a night to twice a night.   Matt was also getting into the office at 2 am because of having to make phone calls to London.   This left me getting up at least 3 times in the middle of the night.   (once with Mandy and twice with Emily)  TIRED.  I was only getting 3 hours of sleep at a stretch.  This sleep went on for 5 days and I did feel like I was ready to loose it.   Sleep deprivation....uck.   (Thankfully last night she only woke up once)

It wouldn't be so bad if it was one baby and I had to get up twice, its just adding that second baby into the mix.   They are both really good babies its just having 2 that makes it tough.   Naps have been not so good either.   30 mins....whats that??!!    Leaves no break for Mommy. 

 Its during those times when there is teething, no sleep etc...that's its easy to loose perspective.   How blessed I am.   That there are women out there who want this...would give anything to have what I have.  I was once one of those women.   Just sometimes no sleep makes you forget that this is what its all about.   Being  Mommy means, getting up for your sweet little babies and comforting them.  That they are crying because they need me....they want me.    That's the best feeling in the world.   There will come a day when my little babies won't need me to hold and cuddle them.  Won't need me to comfort them like I do now.  

I will have all the sleep I need someday, these days won't last forever and yes....someday I will want these days back. 

Look who is 7 months old!!!

These girls!!  
Really they are 7 months old tomorrow....but I have time today to post, who knows what tomorrow will bring

So hard to believe its been 7 months since this day!   How fast they grow and change.  

Things have gotten easier but also harder in some aspects, although the last couple of days has gotten better.....knock on wood!

Mandy has fed herself 3 puffs.  She started this a couple days ago.   She is still trying to do it but doesn't have the pincher grasp down just yet so most of the time they don't make it into her mouth.   She is shaking her head "no" clapping and says "Da-Da".   I have asked her to say "Ma-Ma" and she will shake her head no.  She is a card.  Super funny and always happy.  

Emily is sitting up unassisted now....not nearly as well as Mandy but is getting better by the day.   She is doing much better in the sleep department.  Last night she went to bed at 5:30....early I know.   She slept 12 hours and got up once for a bottle.   Because she went to bed so early at 5am she was ready to start her day.  I gave her a bottle and she did go back to bed till almost 7.

Its fun to see them both sitting up.   They will sit and play while I fold laundry or quickly do errands.

Any toy that Emily has Mandy WILL take.   Never fails.   Reaches over and pulls it out of Emily's hand and Emily will just look at her.   I wonder how long that will last till she screams in protest. 

Mandy will even try to take the IPad from Cassie.   So funny to see her do this.

Group hug

Cass

I can see Cassie and Mandy really having fun together down the road.   Mandy is very outgoing so I can see her following Cassie and doing everything she does.   If they are sitting next to each other Mandy will scream and try to get at Cassie.  I can see they will be good friends. 

Some days I am surviving by the hour but other days are easy.    I wish they would take better naps....that would help.  The days they only take 30 min naps is a killer.  The nights Matt does not get home till late and I do bedtime by myself is a killer.  Those are the days I need a nice glass of wine at the end of the day.

I know I've said this before, its definitely hard work but its also the biggest blessing to raise 2 babies.  Life is such a miracle and to be given two lives to mold and raise is an amazing blessing.  Some days I have to remind myself of this fact when I'm ready to bang my head against a wall!  Ha

6 Month Check Up

This morning all 3 girls had an appointment at the pediatrician.   I have always gone by my self....to prove that I can do it but this time I brought back up, my Mom.  Because the twins are older it is harder.  They  need alot more comfort after shots and I need an extra set of hands.

Emily and Mandy were very good babies.  They let the doctor do his exams and thru it all smiled and jibber jabbered.   The crying came when they were given 3 shots....poor girls.  Breaks my hear to see those big fat tears and they screams.   Cassie also got 3 shots and that big girl didn't shed a tear.

All three also got the flu shot.  

Now the stats:

Mandy
Weighs  17 lbs 7 oz   64%
Length   27 Inches     80%
Head      43.5 cm        75 %


Emily
Weighs   12 lbs 9 oz    Not even on the charts yet (below 3%)
Length    26 inches     42%
Head        41 cm          13 %


We have started to add 3 tsps of cereal to Emily's 6 ounce bottle at night and she is sleeping SO MUCH BETTER.  The past 4 days she has only gotten up once at night instead of 2 times.   Last night she slept 8 hours straight before waking for a feeding. (She used to wake every 3-4 hours before cereal)   I am just thrilled we have her down to 1 feeding a night.   That is progress.   I told the pedi that they were both waking up once at night to eat and if that was OK.  He said that is great and normal and that I am lucky I have 2 very good sleepers.  He said "God doesn't give you more that you can handle, he gave you two babies but made them good sleepers."   So true!  

We are the Party House.....

NOT.    Before we had kids we used to rent hotel rooms and have partys, way, way back when we were dating.  Boy, how times have changed.  For the better!!!!

Our New Years was spent at home, like it has been the past 4 years.  
Matts Mom came over for dinner.  I made sirloin, twice baked potatoes, corn and cherry mini cheesecakes. 

Trying to grab her foot while sitting

Tiiiipping backwards

We did have a dance party in our kitchen. After that wild and crazy time  I fell asleep on the couch around 8:30 and was in bed by 10:00.  

Dancing in progress

 

Shaking her hips to Selena Gomez!

 

We did all enjoy the dance party....it was alot of fun.   Grandma had a good time also, she likes to dance.

Happy New Year!!!!!

Twins are 6 months old

 The girls turned 6 months old on Christmas Day.   It is easier than when they were newborns, but I also feel its a bit harder.  Harder in the aspect because they want to be entertained, they are trying to sit, they are just developing and need help in getting toys they want and doing things.   It is more exhausting....at least to me.


Mandy

There is one word I have to describe this girl.  JOYFUL.   She is just happy 99.9% of the time.   She always has a big wide open grin on her face....no matter what.  I carry her down the stairs after a nap and she has that goofy grin.   She sees the back of Daddies head and she has that grin.   I have told her "Mandy, you are such a dork".   Dork is used very lovingly and I use it because she just always has this grin.  I love it. 

She is still between 16-17 pounds...since I weighed her a week ago.  She is our awesome eater and awesome sleeper.   She sucks down a 6 ounce bottle in min.   She eats her whole tub of food.  She sleeps all night....from 6-6.  Once in a great while she gets up in the middle of the night to eat but more often than not she sleeps all night.

She is sitting, still needs some support but is doing well.  She is also starting to really babble. We hear Da-Da among other things.

Emily

Emily.....Not even 12 lbs yet at 6 months old.   At least since I weighed her a week ago.   Still gets up twice a night to eat.   She has definitely gotten better at stretching her sleep, the other night she did a 6 hour stretch but last night,  Sigh...She went to bed at 6:00, was up at 9:00, 11:30 and 4:00.   This is NOT normal.   She drank her whole bottle each time so I'm thinking 6 month growth spurt?     It darn well better be!!

She takes her time drinking her bottle....lah-de-da is her attitude towards drinking a bottle.   She eats some solid food but does not have the enthusiasm as her sister.  

She is a smiley thing.   Not the wide open grin her sister does but an ear to ear grin.

When she cries we have heard her say "ma-ma".  Now, I am sure she is not knowingly calling me, but we have heard it. 

This week are the girls 6 month check up and all 3 girls are getting shots.  This time I am bringing my Mom to help me.   All others times I have gone by myself but now that they are older I just feel like I need someone there to hold one....especially after shots.