Friday Five

Friday Five
Learning to love shades at an early age
I survived my first weekend away from the boys and had a blast with my gals.  It's an exciting time for our group of friends as we all start hitting big milestones in our lives.  There's always something to celebrate.  Campbell FINALLY started picking his head back up and even rolled over this week!  We are so ecstatic for him and so is Lukey who has been calling to him to look up for a couple of weeks.  This weekend we will watch my younger sister graduate from college and introduce the boys to the pool for the first time.  Pray for us!     

Guest bathroom inspiration

The most beautiful view on our walk 
Our bride
Hitting milestones like a champ

Twin Momma Must-Haves: Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit

Baby
Sleep deprivation is no joke.  It's no wonder they use it as a form of torture.  As mentioned in a previous post, Mike and I were switching baby duties after 4 hours of sleep but the boys weren't doing well when I arrived back in our room for my "shift".  Around 2 months, the boys no longer liked sleeping.  They managed to wiggle their little arms out of their swaddles leading to a ton of flailing and waking up.  One day I checked on the boys and Luke had gotten his feet out!  Campbell thought it was great that after our 2:30 AM feed, all he had to do was cry a bit and he could snuggle on my chest until 6 AM.  This routine of no naps and a nightly snuggle buddy went on for a few weeks before something had to give.  I can't get into co-sleeping so I needed Cam in his own bassinet.  I needed them to nap so they could play and exercise those little necks when they were awake.  I needed naps because hey a girl needs a minute to load the dishwasher and maybe shower.  I remembered my barre instructor telling me about this suit she was using with her Cam and I did a little investigating.  I was nervous about buying it but then another friend mentioned that it was what she used with her little girl because she was a terrible sleeper.



I was off to Amazon Prime to buy two Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuits.  I wanted cream because I keep telling myself I'll save all of the boys' stuff for the girl we'll definitely be having(yes I'm already thinking about Baby #3).  Amazon Prime couldn't get it to me in two days though so blue it was!  Sorry future baby girl!  Let me tell you, this suit actually has magical powers.  (Warning: you will laugh uncontrollably the first time you see your baby in this suit and this may continue for several minutes.)  Once I finally stopped giggling, my boys spent a full hour napping in their own cribs before I heard the slightest whimper.  The first night was amazing, sleep from 9-4:30.  For the past two weeks, the boys have adjusted to their new bedtime at 8:30 and they sleep until 5:30-6 AM! I only have the boys in a short sleeve and shorts jammie set at night and sometimes just a diaper for naps because I get worried about them overheating.  I also ordered the cotton version of the suit because we'd be using it mainly in the summer.  Both boys are gaining weight so no dream feeds for us, eating and napping wonderfully, and seem to have a lot more energy for playtime during the day.  This suit would be a great shower gift or for any friend you know struggling to get their baby to sleep! Thank you Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit, we are your biggest fans!



Friday Five

Friday Five

Naps in our bed because their cribs apparently are terrible
Between prepping our house to go on the market and the boys not sleeping, we have had a crazy and exhausting week.  I think we may have found a miracle sent from heaven to get them to sleep but I need a little more time testing the product before I divulge.  We settle on our new house in about two weeks and then begins the remodel.  I've been spending any free moment trying to pick, which isn't easy, all of the finishes.  This weekend is my first time being away from the boys for more than a few hours.  But to say I can't wait for one of my best friend's bachelorette party would be an understatement.  I hope you enjoy the little bit of sunshine we are getting!
The best face mask I've found to give my skin a boost
Sundays with girlfriends make Cam happy
All I've been drinking this week.  Find the recipe here
Mimosas after a workout with the girls

3 Pieces of Advice I Didn't Get

Baby
One of the first nights home with Campbell & Luke
Everyone, and I mean everyone, has some piece of advice to give you when they find out you're having a baby.  I didn't meet many twin moms while I was pregnant and the ones I did never prepared me for those first few weeks.  I knew they were going to be hard but I didn't know just how hard.  Advice from my friends was helpful but there is something different about having two newborn babies.  And no one can understand it unless they've been in the trenches with you.  Here are 3 pieces of advice I'd go back and give my pregnant self:

 Get sleep.  Not now while you're pregnant which everyone seems to think is a funny joke.  There is no amount of sleep that will help you with newborn twins.  You will be exhausted in a way you have never felt.  Both you and your husband will want to claw each other's eyes out, you will be so sleep deprived.  We were running on fumes and I think my pediatrician could tell when we visited for a weight check after the boys came home from the NICU.  She demanded I sleep at least 4 hours a night because at some point you can not remain sane without getting a solid 4 hours daily.  So I moved myself to the guest room every night after that from 9:30-1:30.  I turned on a sound machine and shut the door so I wouldn't be tempted to go help Mike if the babies were crying.  At 1:30 in the morning, my alarm would go off and Mike and I switched places.  A few days later, I was a different mom.  I wasn't living in a fog dreading the night. I could drive without being in a daze. If you do nothing else, do this.

 Get some me time. I remember talking with some moms who said they could never leave their baby with the dad.  Yeah that's crazy when you have twins.  Mike is an awesome dad and I never questioned his ability to take care of the boys solo from day one.  You need to leave for an hour every once and awhile.  It does not make you a bad mom, it makes you an even better mom.  I found a nail salon 3 minutes from my house and once a week I would pop out to get a pedicure or manicure.  I would run to Target or the grocery store.  Our families offered to watch the boys so we could get dinner together.  Luckily, Mike was home for awhile even after we were released from the hospital but use your support group to get some time for yourself.

 Pump when the babies are eating. I had to pump all.the.time.  It never stopped.  I could only breastfeed twice out of 8 feedings a day because the boys required extra calories from formula to gain weight and help with brain and bone development.  But I was stupidly feeding them and then pumping.  It took an hour ad half every feeding.  Then my wonderful pediatrician helped me out, again, when I called run down from my schedule.  Her advice makes perfect sense now.  Buy a pumping bra and pump while you feed the twins bottles. Duh!  Maybe this isn't ground breaking advice but I never thought of it.  I made more milk because I was with the boys and I was killing two birds with one stone.  It was life changing. 

 Take all or none of my advice.  Remember that everyone will weigh in on your pregnancy and on your babies once they are here.  They mean well but find what makes your day go just a little smoother with your newborn twins.   

Twin Momma Must-Haves: Baby Brezza Formula Pro

Baby Gear
Picture this, two babies screaming so violently their little faces turn bright red and you have to remind them to breath.  Mike and I didn't have to picture this, it was happening and it was happening often.  As the amount of ounces the boys were eating went up, the amount of time spent listening to screaming also rose.  We would stand by waiting for the bottle warmers for 5 minutes! 5 minutes! An eternity when you hear your little nuggets so upset and you only can pick one up at a time to soothe.  My mom guilt would kick in and I would wonder, "The neighbors probably think I'm terrible.  I'm letting my newborns cry it out like this".  Any time one of our family members would watch the boys, I would have to make sure bottles were made just in case and explain how the bottle warmers worked.

As soon as I was done pumping, I knew I needed a different solution to feeding time.  Enter the Baby Brezza Formula Pro.  Holy life saver.  I had heard rumors of an amazing "Keurig for babies" but it seemed too good to be true.  But we were desperate and the reviews seemed positive so I invested.  And I want to be clear, it is an investment.  At $159, this is not a cheap solution to screaming babies but I couldn't take it any longer.  If you are a twin momma using formula, the Baby Brezza is for you.   If you are a momma of one, the Baby Brezza is for you too! Feeding time is so much more pleasant now and within 1 minute of the first whimper, I have two bottles mixed and the boys set up.  Listen, babies cry.  It doesn't stop the crying but it eliminates the absolute melt downs that come along with last minute realizations my boys seem to have that they are starving. So let's recap some pros and cons.
Pros:
  • You can adjust the amount of ounces you need to 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10
  • The bottle comes out a perfectly warm temperature for the babes
  • No loss of formula or a mess to clean up
  • A bottle made in under 30 seconds
  • Middle of the night feeds can be made with your eyes closed
  • Helpful for anyone who babysits the boys
Cons:
  • You're looking at spending between $159-$179 depending on where you buy (Bed Bath & Beyond always has coupons available!)  
  • You can't make odd numbered ounces
  • You MUST stay on top of filling the water tank or else you'll be waiting around for warm water....which defeats the purpose
  • There are a few parts that need to be cleaned daily
For us the pros outweigh the cons and the Baby Brezza has been a lifesaver!  I bought mine at Target but you can find it almost anywhere!

Double Rainbow

Baby
I found myself sitting in the ER trying not to cry too loudly, waiting for my husband to arrive.  My friend Susie had offered to stay with me but I just wanted to be alone.  I knew what the doctor was going to tell us and I was beyond devastated that my body wasn’t cooperating again.  When I saw Mike walking towards me, I fell apart.  We wanted to start our family so badly and, subconsciously, we both knew this wouldn’t be it.  We sat quietly, me trying to keep my sobs to a minimum, until we were taken back.  3 hours later, we were sent home to wait.  Wait for a miscarriage but no one used those words.  This felt all too familiar and I think we both had flashbacks to the few months prior when we lost our first baby at 10 weeks. 

We spent the next week laying in bed together, watching movies.  The process started in the early morning hours of a normal Tuesday.  I crawled into the shower and cried for awhile before I finally called Mike in.  He got on the phone with my OB/GYN and by the look on his face it seemed everyone had known the fate of this little baby long before we had come to terms with the idea. 

You become a shell of yourself for a time when you lose a baby but eventually you feel like you’ll get another shot at it.  When you miscarry two times in a row, it feels hopeless.  Like you’re letting everyone down.  The discussion turns to the best fertility doctors and if adoption is the right option for you and your husband.  Having a baby becomes a process, one that is exhausting and comes with many “crying in the car by yourself” sessions.  But I wanted a baby, I wanted a family with my husband.  I endured a litany of tests and multiple tubes of blood being drawn to see if I was “defective”.  I heeded advice from anyone who offered a suggestion or knew someone who had been through our situation.  The thought crossed my mind that maybe Mike and I weren’t a match.  Google told me many different underlying disorders that either one of us possibly had.

And then a year after starting this process (short by infertility standards), I felt funny.  I took a pregnancy test way too early to know for sure but it screamed “PREGNANT” before the timer had gone off.  Mike and I were elated but cautious.  Then it was week 6 and the technician saw two sacks.  “Wow that’s cool technology, a double image of the baby!” I say to the tech, “No that’s twins Steph”. And then I’m surprising Mike and I’m sick for weeks on end with a little tiny scare.  The babies are fine, a lot of women bleed just a bit in the first 12 weeks.   We’re announcing to friends and family and co-workers at 16 weeks just to be safe.  We find out the twins are boys at 20 weeks and then it’s a whirlwind and the boys are born at 35. It was over before it began.


They say the first baby that comes after a miscarriage is called a rainbow baby and here I was holding the new loves of my life.  My saddest and hardest time was over.  At the end of a devastating storm, we had a double rainbow.  A rare double rainbow we named Campbell and Lucas.


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