8 weeks

I cannot believe the babies are 8 weeks already. During this month the babies moved into their own room. This happened around week 6. They still share a crib. Cooing started around week 6 for Grady and 7 for Gwen. Gwen likes to be swaddled, bounced and lay on her activity mat in her spare time. Grady likes to lay on the activity mat with Gwen, look to the right, make faces and chill out in his spare time. Both babies spend a lot of their day trying to catch their hands or thumbs in their mouths. Grady is weighing in at 10.8 pounds and Gwen is weighing in at 9.6 pounds. Both babies seem to be gaining weight quickly. Grady is outgrowing his clothes faster than I can buy them. Both babies are drinking about 4 ounces a feeding. Gwen occassionally sleeps 6+ hours straight at night. Grady starts out with a 4 hour stretch, then they get shorter as the night goes on. I am looking forward to enjoying night time feedings since I no longer have to pump.



From the looks of this picture, they also like to spit up in their spare time!





Gwen sucking her thumb.


Yes, I was able to squeez myself onto the mat with Gwen.


Surfin'


I am beginning to think his shirt is true. During the night he just lays in his crib and makes soft noises.

This weekend we are headed north to my dads. This will be our first road trip with the babies. I already forsee myself squeezing my large rear end between their car seats as someone is bound to get hungry in two and a half hours.

Nanny

So things are going so well for me and the babies because we have a nanny. She started 2 weeks ago and we could not be happier. Her name is Grandma. She says it is her best job ever. I could not imagine doing it without her. Anyone that has twins, I would highly suggest a nanny. Having someone come to your house every morning is wonderful!

Breastfeeding

No one told me breast feeding would be the hardest thing about having kids. It is hard to do, it is exhausting, it hurts, it is difficult to decide to stop. I did it for 8 weeks. I give credit to any woman who does it longer. After having blocked ducts twice in one week and mastitis, I decided I was done. It was painful. It also killed the supply I had worked so hard and lost sleep over building. I was also so stressed about my milk supply and lack there of, I became obsessed with pumping. Constanly trying to pump around the clock to increase my supply. All this resulted in was less sleep and a very crabby mother. My supply never increased. I barely fed the babies three bottles a day of breast milk. I got off to a bad start being sick in the hospital. Week three my house caught on fire. I just did not have a fair chance. Even if I had a fair chance, I am not sure I would last, it is just so hard. Harder than passing the CPA exam. Harder than giving birth. Harder than being pregnant. Ok, maybe I am overreacting. If you have never done it, you will never understand. This coming from a woman who has been a tear factory the last few days. I never used to be a cry baby. Damn breast feeding. Honestly, I do not think I would do it again and do not blame any woman for skipping the experience. The decision to stop was almost as hard as breastfeeding itself. You feel so selfish and guilty. This to shall pass. If only you could see me now... I am typing this on a rental couch with a smile with frozen corn stuffed in my bra (in the bag of course) to dry up the supply I worked so hard to build. I plan to have a beer later tonight.

Here are a couple of pictures. Gwen spent most of the week trying to get her hand in her mouth. She would start with her fist up at her forehead and slowly bring it down. Her mouth was wide open and trying to bite at her hand. By the weekend, she was much more successful. She likes to suck her thumb when she can get it in her mouth.

Is it all I thought and more?

Some things are harder than I thought and some things are much easier. The babies are very good, so that makes a lot of things easier. Thankfully some friends let us borrow their bouncy seats. These things work miracles on the babies. Gwen especially likes to bounce.

I am not quite as exhausted as I thought I would be. Now if I was not out shopping everyday to replace all of the contents of my house, I would actually have a lot of energy. The nights are much better than I thought. I am up about an hour for a feeding and both babies tend to wake up together.

I thought I would address my first list of holy crap thoughts.

1) Twins?! Two?! Of everything?!
Actually the fire has changed all of this. I realize I barely need anything to take care of two beautiful babies.

2) How do you even pick UP two babies??
Somehow Neal does this every night when he takes the babies to bed. I have to get a picture of this. I have only done it once, the day I was told my house was on fire.

3) Crying: In stereo
Very rarely does this happen. Gwen has some lungs on her, but usually only cries when she needs something. Occasionally she has her drama moments. Grady whimpers and tries to man up before crying. It takes a lot to upset that kid.

4) How will we afford diapers
We were lucky to get a lot of gift cards and right now all of the diapers are on the insurance company. We will have to face this issue in the future though. Grady can go to the bathroom three times after a feeding. He either has three kidneys or a bladder the size of a pea.

5) How do you nurse two???
Has not been an issue as I have not been that successful in nursing. I had a hard time getting Grady to latch at all. Gwen latched like a champ then we both got thrush and the house caught on fire. Given all of the stress I have had, I cannot even believe I am still producing milk.

6) Worse, how do you afford formula for two???
Up until this week I was feeding them almost all of their daytime meals with breast milk. Also, insurance is paying for a lot of formula right now. We also got a steal on formula from Dawn and she is going to continue to hook us up. Sad the margins Companies are making on this stuff.

7) I'm going to be HUGE
Looking back, I now realize I was HUGE but somehow not as miserable as I thought I would be. I would do it again.

8) Am I even equipped for this?
So far, most of the time I get by ok. I have a lot of help too. I function very well on little sleep.

9) Will we ever sleep again?
I get by ok. About twice a week I need a nap. My bedtime is 7pm. If I go to bed after 8 I am a hot mess the next day.

10) How can I fit two humans in my belly?
I look at my babies everyday and ask myself this question.

11) I need two carseats, how are they going to fit in the car? Maybe we should have bought a minivan
The CRV works fine. Another thing I realize from the fire, we have plenty and it all works.

12) Do I have the patience in me for this?
Sometimes yes and sometimes no.

Clothes

We got our clothes, rugs, bedding and towels delivered today. 25 boxes and 15 feet of things on hangers. Disgusting! We have a lot of donating to do.