4 weeks already?

Our little babies are 4 weeks old today. Can't believe it! We have our 1 month appointment next week, so we will give doctor updates then, but for now, here is some news from the past week:

• The boys have definitely gained some weight and have gotten longer because they now actually fit much better in their newborn clothes. Looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer for the 0-3 month clothes since the newborn clothes are just now fitting like they should. At least we are getting our money's worth!
• The boys are much more active under the activity mat. They just stare at some of the toys hanging and other times they reach their hands out and hit them. They are also following toys with their eyes when we put it in front of them.
• Okay, I don't want to jinx anything, but they have been sleeping WONDERFULLY at night. We have adjusted our "routine" during the day and have noticed that because of it, they are sleeping longer at night. They average about 4.5 hours between feedings at night but last night they went 5 hours 20 minutes! I was floored. I know it could (and will) change, but for now, I'm totally digging the 1 feeding per night.
• Ellis just LOVES to be swaddled. In fact its hard to lay him down for a nap without being swaddled because he moves around so much. Funny though that we often hear him grunting and groaning as he is trying to break out of his swaddle before wearing himself out and falling asleep. Sometimes though he is successful. We noticed that he is using his legs to kick himself out of it from the top. A few nights ago he kicked himself up out of it so much, it looked like his little shirt was off, but it was only pulled down a bit. Unfortunately, we didn't get a picture before rescuing him in his screaming fit of hunger, but I will try to get one next time.
• Our visitor this week was Val. She came with some adorable gifts from her (rattles that the boys just love and some adorable clothes) and her parents (some way cute toys and outfits that will put them over the edge of cuteness this summer). Can't forget the yummy treats she brought too. They were much more alert for her visit than the last time she saw them (in the hospital), so that was fun. Thanks again for visiting Val -- hope to see you again soon!
• The boys and I took a day trip down to see Grandma Frahm yesterday. With the crappy weather, we haven't actually been able to get out of the house for walks or anything, so we decided to get out of the house and go see Grandma. They had lots of fun playing with her and she even read them story time, which Ellis seemed to enjoy a bit more than Logan (maybe the second book was a bit much, huh Grandma?!). Most of the time was spent chatting while cuddling the boys.

• I SWEAR that Logan has already had his first smile. Okay, well, its when he's sleeping so its not like he is smiling as a reaction to anything (except sweet dreams maybe?), but Val saw it on Friday and my mom saw it yesterday. Trying to capture it on camera is a bit hard since its a quick smile, but here is the best picture I've got so far.Ellis is working on his first "smile" still and just sticks to giving little smirks, but I'm sure in the weeks to come we'll have LOTS of cute smiling pictures.
• Today, we're expecting more company -- Grandma and Grandpa Bush. Grandma was here for the delivery but Grandpa hasn't met the boys yet. They have been out west for the winter and just recently in Kentucky for the past month, so now that they are back in the state for a while, they will be visiting us for a few days.
• For now, its nap time -- adios for now!

(Yes, this is a yawn -- not a scream!)

Happy Easter

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

Our agenda today consists of story time -- Knuffle Bunny (I know, its not a real Easter Bunny story, but it was the closest one I had), nap time, activity mat time, nap time, tummy time, and more nap time!

Daddy is cooking us up a ham dinner tonight -- ham, mashed potatoes, salad, and biscuits. Then I'm going to whip up a berry crisp for dessert! Hope everyone has a great day!

The 3rd week updates

• Logan's umbilical cord finally fell off so we could give them their first official "tub" bath. Logan was our "practice" run -- it took us a little longer with him as we tried to figure out the best and quickest way to get it done. Ellis had a much quicker bath since we knew how to get it done more efficiently. Definitely not a "one-man" task though. After the shock of being cold when we undressed them, they didn't do too bad in the actual bath -- until they got out and were instantly cold before being wrapped up. The warmth of the towel must have relaxed them a bit too because they each pooped in their cute little bath towel (which is why I have them wrapped in a blue towel too!).

• Logan mastered holding his own bottle -- well, not really, but the hand positions they have when we feed them makes it look like he is actually feeding himself. That would definitely be an overachieving 3 week old if you ask me!

• We've had some more visitors -- Caryn, Pam, and Kim from work all stopped by to meet the boys. It was great catching up with them -- although I don't miss work, I do miss the people (well, some of them...) =)
• They both have been doing very well with tummy time. We have counted up to 5 or 6 really good head lifts for each of them during one "play time" before they lose interest.
• We've been reading lots of books, including a new one from Kim - Tickle Monster. What a cute book and even cuter "tickle" mitts to wear. I have a feeling that this one will be one of their favorites when they really understand the books better.
• They are up to 3.5 oz. of milk at each feeding, but looks like we'll be going up to 4 oz. real soon. These boys can eat!
• They are awake much more often now, and although I thought they might be up for a little activity after each feeding before they go back to sleep, it is very clear to me that sometimes they are just toooooo tired. Gotta love the "milk coma" that Ellis fell into after that feeding!
• I can't wait to see what another week brings -- WOAH -- 4 weeks old next week already? I'm still waiting for that spring weather to come so we can get out of the house and go for walks, but it looks like the rain might keep us in the house in the coming days. It's just a matter of time I suppose. Gotta pack my patience..

Pouty baby

I know its not nice to laugh at your crying baby, but I just LOVE the cute little pouty faces the boys make right before they let out a huge wail. Usually its when their diapers are being changed -- they still don't like that. Here, Ellis is being a pouty baby because he thinks we've taken enough pictures of him at the photo shoot yesterday. Don't worry, these pictures won't be the ones on the announcement!

Our not-so-springy weekend

So what's up with this weather? And they say we could get an inch of snow tomorrow??!?! Not happy about that. As I'm dying to go on more walks with the boys and Bella, it looks like that will have to wait a while longer. It's just like Michigan weather to have been practically 80 degrees last weekend and barely 40 today!

Since we were inside this weekend, we took advantage of playing more with the boys. On Friday we had our first story time. Shouldn't have chosen such a long book (The Cat in the Hat) -- Ellis was a bit fussy towards the end, but yesterday and today they did much better. It's funny when I show them the pictures in the book, its almost as if they are actually taking in what they see.

Later on Friday, Nicole, Mark, Parker, and Morgan stopped by. Unfortunately the boys slept the entire time, but Nicole did get in a little snuggling with Logan. It was hilarious how Parker was so interested in what was in the pack-and-play, while Morgan played with the little monkeys like they were babies!

Besides that, we had some fun playing under the activity mat and they have even hit some of the little toys that hang from it (unknowingly, I know). I get so excited, as if they really meant to do it, but hey, thats what moms do, right? We have had more tummy time too, and they are actually lifting their heads more now. I think its so funny when they try to lift their head and their legs come up too, as if they are flying. So cute!

For the rest of the day, just more relaxing, playing, and then they are going to have their first "photo shoot". Dad is going to try to get some good shots with their eyes open, since most of the pictures we have are of them sleeping, so we can get some announcements made up. Let's see how successful we are.

2 weeks

Yet another busy week. I can't believe its already Thursday! Here are some developments over the past week:

• Ellis' umbilical cord fell off on Tuesday. Now he has a cute little belly button!
• The schedule we thought we had was thrown off as of Monday night. They had been sleeping for about 4 hours at a time (I know, that was lucky to begin with), but then they threw it off and started waking up every 3 hours. With Troy going back to work, we developed a schedule for him to feed them the first time they woke up and I would do the second time. Well, with waking up every 3 hours, with feeding and pumping during that time (plus making sure they are back to sleep), I got maybe an hour of sleep before they woke up a 3rd time (which we didn't have to worry about with their 4 hour sleeping pattern), so....
• I have found ways to multi-task. Pumping every 3-4 hours (for 20-30minutes) on top of feeding them with the same frequency (40 minutes for both of them) made it hard to get the sleep I needed, or get anything done during the day. So, I took the advice of another twin mom (shout-out to you Kim!!) and we decided to try feeding them in their bouncer so we could do two at the same time. I was afraid that with them being so small still that they'd try to wiggle right out of it (I didn't want to buckle them in all the time with having to burp them frequently too), but they had no problem with it. Instead of 40 minute feedings, we are now down to roughly 20 minute feedings.
• Although that was good, I still had to worry about pumping. During the day wasn't a big deal, but nighttime pumpings just sucked because I really wanted to get as much sleep as possible. I now understand why people "give up" on the pumping thing so soon (just as an FYI to those wondering why I'm not just breastfeeding, I'm producing more than they are eating right now. I'd still have to pump afterwards to get out the remaining milk or else I'd fill up just that much sooner. Plus, putting breastmilk in a bottle allows Troy to feed them too!). So, after reading a message board that was suggested to me, "Exclusively Pumping" (thanks Nicole), I decided to invest in a hands-free pumping bra. Basically it allows you to pump without having to literally hold it the whole time, which would allow for me to do something else at the same time. So, for the one feeding that I do by myself, I am able to pump and feed both babies in their bouncer at the same time. I tried it for the first time last night and it worked, but took a bit of time to get situated. I'm sure with time it will go even quicker. Anything to save a few minutes!!
• The boys are a bit more alert during the day now, so we decided to pull out the activity mat Nicole gave us and let them play alittle bit.

Tuesday -- Ellis was too tired to participate but Logan enjoyed it!

Wednesday -- Logan was too tired, so Ellis got his chance to play.

Bella wanted to play too, but was a good girl and just watched Ellis.

• We tried tummy time. It's amazing how strong their necks are already, so although it might be a little premature, we thought we'd see how they did on their tummies.

Ellis' first attempt

Logan's first attempt

Can't forget Bella -- she's the pro at tummy time!

• We've had some more visitors too! Joe, Bryan, and Sheila (with Lucas) stopped by to meet the boys. Unfortunately they were sleeping the entire time any of them were over, but hey, that's just what they do these days! =) Thanks for stopping by everyone -- we hope to see you again soon!

I'm not sure what's in store for this weekend yet, but with Troy not working again until Monday, hopefully I'll be able to catch up on some sleep. We all love when daddy is home! For now, happy Thursday everyone!

The past few days

Sunday we went for our first walk. It was the most beautiful day so we took a stroll around our neighborhood. Aside from a tad bit of fussiness as we got them in their car seats, they slept through the entire walk. Mom also realized how out of shape she was. Can't wait to go for more walks and not have such an issue breathing! =)

Yesterday was my first completely alone day with the kids. We definitely kept busy in the morning, but the afternoon just got away from us...as I hear often happens with little ones! I gave the boys a sponge bath -- they were not a big fan of being exposed and getting a bit wet, but that didn't surprise me since neither are fond of diaper changes. They did love being cuddled in their towel afterwards though! (Can anyone tell who is who, here? I think its starting to get easier to tell them apart, but maybe its because I'm with them everyday and I was the one to take the picture.)

The afternoon was full of diaper changes, feedings, and naps. Logan is quite the explosive pooper -- foamy yellow poop just shooting out of him, usually in the middle of a diaper change -- gotta love it!

Last night was a bit more tiring. They were up a bit more often, and with me pumping after feedings, it left me with little sleep. Thankfully they are sleeping a bit longer this morning, so I got to go back to bed for a short time. Looks like they might be in for their first growth spurt so its time to add more milk to their feeding and see if that helps. Well, I hear Logan in the background. Time to feed! =)

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Who is who?

Okay, so this isn't the best picture to be able to figure out which one is which, but its kind of hard to get many "awake" pictures since they just soak up the nap time these days. They sleep very well swaddled, so whether swaddled in a blanket, in a swaddler, or in a sleep sack swaddle, they are pretty much swaddled for a majority of the day. Any guess on which one is which in this picture?

Many people have asked lately if they are identical twins because they have such similar traits, but it's just hard to say. They were both in their own sac and own placentas, so most doctors guess that they are fraternal, but they do say that it is possible that they are identical and the egg just split so early on that they still developed in their own sac and placenta. Because they have such similar traits, I'm going to do a bit more research at the actual chances of them being identical still. Really, unless we were to get a DNA test, I'm not sure any other way of finding out for sure. When I asked my doctor about it earlier in the pregnancy, he said it was something to ask the pediatrician. Perhaps at their 1 month appointment, I will inquire.

Today we had another visitor -- Aunt Nicole. She came over to help out and snuggle with the boys. Ellis couldn't have been any more comfortable in her arms all day -- he just soaked it up! We are still tackling the "how-fast-can-you-change-a-diaper-before-they-pee-all-over-you/themselves/the wall", but I think we have it down. Today's issue was changing them and having them continue pooping after their diaper was off. Poor Nicole was literally in the middle of wiping Ellis' butt and he started pooping in the wipe. Then, I changed Logan and he had a fart/poop in which some of it went spraying out all over the changing table and a little on the floor. TMI? Gross? Yes to both, but it was definitely one of those things you couldn't help but laugh at! Unfortunately it didn't get warm enough for a comfortable walk outside, but hopefully if we don't have a completely rain soaked day tomorrow, daddy and I can take them around the neighborhood then. A HUGE thanks to Nicole also for bringing over dinner tonight -- lasagna rolls, ciabatta bread, carrots and dip. It was absolutely scrumptious!

Tomorrow we don't have anything planned as of yet. Possibly a walk around the neighborhood, maybe sneak in a nap or two while they are napping, who knows. Hopefully all of you are enjoying your weekend!

Busy Friday

Today was quite the busy day. Sadly, daddy had to go back to work. Luckily he'll only have to work for a few more days before having another week off. Gotta love the flexible schedule he has! Thankfully grandma came over last night to help with the nightly feedings and will be with us until tomorrow. Tomorrow Aunt Nicole will be coming over to help out and visit with the boys too.

Today's happenings:

• We tackled our first outing at Babies R Us. We got some extra feeding supplies and other little things that will make life a little easier in the coming weeks.
• Since we were heading out, we just HAD to dress them in a cute little outfit. Onesies and jeans from Val, Erin, and Ann and the cutest little booties from Kim.

• They cooperated the entire time we were gone. They slept from the minute we left the driveway all the way until we got back home and ate lunch. What troopers!
• We had another surprise delivery -- this time from Kelly. She sent the CUTEST little personalized blankets that were accompanied by a matching little monkey. It doesn't get any cuter than this! Thanks again Kelly!!

• Grandma made us an excellent enchilada dinner -- with guacamole, chips and salsa to go with it. YUM-MY!
• I swear that they've already had their first smile. I'm sure its just one of their random silly facial expressions, but it was definitely a very cute, gummy smile. Both of them "smiled" right after being fed, during their little cuddling session. Too cute, regardless of whether it was an official smile or not. Another cute moment was when Troy was blowing into Ellis' neck and it totally sounded like Ellis laughed. So funny to hear all the sounds they make (except their screaming when they are being changed, of course!)
• Now, the boys are sleeping and its time to enjoy some coconut cream pie. Good night!

Priceless Moments -- Week 1

Everyone always says how fast time flies after you have kids and to enjoy every moment. Well, I can't believe that it has already been a week since they were born -- I now get what everyone was saying.

Some priceless moments this past week:

• Watching these boys sleep (and sleep well -- 3 to 4 hours at a time most of the time) and all the different facial expressions they have while they sleep. They've taken quite a liking to their swing when they are just a bit fussy and mom and dad are in the middle of something.

• Cuddling with them -- good thing they can't be "spoiled" from holding them all the time until after they are 3 months or so. They are such snuggle-bunnies. I even caught Ellis wanting to cuddle Logan during their nap today. Not sure how Logan felt about that =)

• Experiencing the "I-pee-anytime-my-penis-is-exposed-to-cold-air". We've had a few of these already. Yes, I was aware that it happened, but it just sneaks right up on you -- and a few times there was so much pressure behind it that it hit the wall behind the changing table. HILARIOUS!
• Seeing their lips in anticipation of a bottle coming their way. Logan will even get his neck into it. He sticks his neck way out and purses his lips up a little before relaxing once the bottle is in his mouth. He definitely enjoys every minute of feeding time. Ellis, he takes his good ole' time eating -- savoring every moment of it.
• Seeing them in all their cute little outfits. We've had a few changes each day -- from little spit-ups they've had (although they are few and far between now that they are being fed breast milk) to wet clothes from their crazy peeing incidents.
• It is amazing to see them head-butt us already. I didn't realize they would have such strong neck muscles already and move their head on and off of our chest when we are burping them.
• Receiving a most delicious snack. The one thing I craved during my entire pregnancy, which to this day I still LOVE, is fruit. Much to our surprise, we got a little delivery on Tuesday from my parents from Edible Arrangements. YUM-MY!

• On my end, some priceless moments for me include having my ankles back. I would say that 95% of my pregnancy symptoms are gone -- those that remain are my tingly fingers from the carpal tunnel and the itchiness from the PUPPPS rash that started a week before they arrived. I did have it confirmed when I got to the hospital and they gave me some cream for it, but I've heard that it can remain for a little bit after delivery from breast feeding and my hormones still being a little out of whack. Gotta love the breast-feeding too. I was told I shouldn't step on the scale right away, and I'd have to say that was the least of my concerns right after. Well, I couldn't resist yesterday and of the 42 lbs I gained during my entire pregnancy, I have already lost 27 lbs of it! I was floored, but I owe it all to breast-feeding -- well, and the help of 11-12 lbs of baby being taken out last week too (in addition to the placenta, fluids, extra blood, etc). Not too shabby I'd say!

Other notable news:

• Our first pediatrician appointment was yesterday and they both checked out well.
• They are both close to their birth weight -- only 1.5 oz off for both of them, so no worries with their eating anymore (I think the filling formula they were getting until my milk supply came in was helpful in that).
• Logan has a touch of jaundice so we were just told to watch that, but even today it looks better, so no worries.
• Troy will be going back to work tomorrow. I can't believe how soon that came up, but thankfully my mom will be joining us tomorrow and Nicole will be coming over on Saturday to visit and help out. We are very lucky that Troy's schedule is very flexible where he doesn't have to work 9-5 every day, so he'll be able to be home a lot with us over the next month or so, but it will be sad to see him drive off tomorrow to go to work.

In the next week or so, I hope this sun continues. I stepped outside today and couldn't believe how nice it was. Yeah, I know its only in the low 50's, but I've got that itch to go for a walk with the boys already. Hey moms out there -- what temperature should it be before heading out for a walk? Otherwise, it'll be more sleeping, feeding, and changing diapers.

The past 5 days

Wow.. there just aren't words to express how I've felt the past five days, so I'll just start from the beginning. Thursday was quite surreal. From not being able to sleep much the night before from the big belly, the itchy skin, and just thinking about everything that was going to happen/change in the next 24 hours, I was quite ready to get on with the day. We got to the hospital right at 12:30 and seriously within 5 minutes of being in triage, I started going into labor. I was having some full out contractions, very regularly, and couldn't believe the pain it caused all of a sudden. Luckily I didn't have to wait long before my c-section.

The c-section went perfectly. The anesthesiologist (and of course my OB) just rocked. I kept being told that I would feel all this pressure as they pulled the baby out (of a minimal 5-6 inch incision) and I didn't feel a thing. I was quite alert during the delivery, but as soon as the babies were out, I felt out of it. Troy was so excited to hold the babies and I could barely keep my eyes open. Soon in recovery, when my legs got some of their feeling back to them, I felt a little bit better but still quite groggy, as is expected. Our families got to come back to see the little ones and the new mom and dad, before we were wheeled into a postpartum room. Apparently, labor and delivery was quite busy for the past few days so we were lucky we even got a room from the sounds of it.

That night it was suggested that the babies go to the nursery since I was still a bit groggy, so we could both get some sleep, but they were brought back when they woke up, for feedings. Unfortunately, I wasn't producing enough within those first few days to keep up with both of them, so they started supplementing with formula until my supply came in better, since they noticed quite a drop in their weight. By the time we left the hospital though, they already started to gain some of that weight back.

I'd have to say that we got VERY lucky. Maybe it's too soon to tell (and again, we don't know any different since these are our first babies, so we can't compare it to only have 1), but we have had a fairly easy time with both of them. They are pretty easy to get to sleep (just laying them down swaddled in their crib is enough), they are only fussy when its time to eat, if they are gassy, or if they need to be changed, but otherwise they are very happy, content babies. They also LOVE cuddling on mommy and daddy's chest, and who can't resist having that bonding time with such ADORABLE babies (I know, I might be biased, but they are the cutest things ever!)

We stayed in the hospital until Monday. I really didn't want to be there another day, but when I found out my blood pressure had been higher than normal, I didn't really have a choice. We had quite a few visitors on Friday and Saturday, Troy's mom, my parents, Nicole, Mark, Morgan, and Parker, Val, Derek, and Sky, and although I wouldn't consider that "stressful" at all, they said my high blood pressure could just be from not sleeping/resting enough. So thats what we did on Sunday. Thankfully it went back to normal and Monday was time to go home. I heard that going home is a bit stressful just because you don't have the nurses to do everything for you, but really the only stressful thing was the timing. We tried to plan it were we would go home in between feedings so we wouldn't mess up their 3 hour feeding schedule, but things were delayed and it didn't work that way. So, after we got home, in the midst of trying to unpack, things were a bit hectic until we got them to eat and fall back asleep. It probably took until dinner time before things were back to how they were before coming home.

Last night was that "ever-feared" first night home, but all went reasonably well then too. They had been napping in the pack and play during the day so we wouldn't have to climb the stairs so much, so after their 11pm feeding, Troy took them to their crib. Much to my surprise, I woke up at 3am to pump and was SHOCKED to find that they were still sleeping...4 hours straight!?!? Of course I was a bit freaked out so I immediately went to check on them, but all was well and by the time I was done pumping, they were starting to wake up, so Troy took Logan and I took Ellis and fed them. Within 30 minutes we were back to bed. The next feeding (around 5am) happened a little bit sooner, but we figured it was because the first one was so late. Even better is that I was already up for the day by the time they woke up at 8am to be fed again. Not too shabby! Today, just a bit of the same -- feed, change diaper, sleep, repeat! =)

So, now I have 3 major shout-outs to give --

1) To Troy's mom and my parents -- thanks a TON for staying at our house to take care of Bella while we were in the hospital. It was a major weight off our shoulders to not have to worry about who was going to feed her and let her out in the morning and before bed.

2) Bella -- I am just floored by how well she has taken to the boys already. When we got home she was a little crazy, but she came up to the boys and just sniffed them to death. She hasn't been very "needy" like I thought she would be, but she is very responsive and isn't being a big pain in the butt. She'll lay by the boys, will try licking them (before Troy or I stop her), but she's pretty gentle around them. I thought it was funny that Troy told me that when he came home on Sunday, he said "where are the babies?" Apparently she ran around the main floor before running upstairs and sitting outside their room, like she already knew what was going on. Looks like she'll be the protective older sister to the babies.

3) Finally, this last shout-out goes to Troy (and no he didn't pay me to say all this!). He has been AMAZING through all of this. When my legs were still numb and I was in too much pain on Thursday night to change diapers or respond to the babies, he didn't hesitate -- he just did it. He has been very adamant on me resting so he took care of the boys on much of Friday as well. And, as funny as it is (I'll spare the full story right now -- but it would have been a sight to see!), I was a bit of a mess for the first diaper changing that I did on Saturday morning, so he totally showed me up that time. The way he talks to the boys is just hilarious -- calling them "sir" and calming them down especially after a diaper change. I don't know if its the cold air on them or what, but getting their diaper change is never a quiet process -- everyone and their brother can hear them from a mile away until we are able to get the new diaper back on. Coming home, Troy has also been wonderful. He's done his fair share of feedings while I pump, changes diapers (which is nice that he'll still do that despite the fact that I'm fully able to at this point), he made dinner last night (yes, a real dinner!), and even told me to go to bed early, knowing I'd have to be up soon to pump and he put the boys to bed. Today after the morning feedings, he went and picked up groceries and even made lunch for both of us. Although I never doubted that he would be helpful, I can't get over how lucky I am that he is SOOOO helpful both with the babies, in letting me rest, and with things around the house. I fully appreciate all the help he has done so far. They always say that the mother has instincts on taking care of babies that just kicks in after they are born, but Troy definitely has them too and I am forever grateful that he is willing to do so much without me even asking.

Well, I think this post is long enough, so I'll end here, with just a few more pictures...

Logan is on the bottom in the first picture and on the left in all the other ones. Ellis is on the top in the first picture and on the right in all the other ones.