Friday Five(ish)

Baby
Little Fishes
Friday Five just became 8 because wow, it's been awhile.  We've been so busy with trips, renovations and fun with friends & family.  Even as I'm typing this I really don't have the time, we move TOMORROW!  Phase 1 of renovations are basically done but there is still so much more we have planned for the space.  I cannot wait to share some glimpses of our dream home soon.

The boys are changing so rapidly, it's hard to keep up.  They have teeth, they're trying solid foods, and they can both sit up unsupported.  Cam was given a clean bill of health by his neurologist and she feels like he's back on track with his peers in terms of hitting milestones.  We have some fun ideas and stories to share with you in the coming weeks but for now, we move.  Enjoy a little peek into what we've been up to these days.
Hey Mom I can hold my own spoon 

No furniture, no problem

Did we just become best friends? 
Victory brew & Longwood

books on books on books

Vegas Vacation

His silly side

Twin Momma Must-Haves: Milk Snob Cover

Baby

We knew when the boys were born early, we needed to offer them as much protection while out as possible.  Every baby has a low immune system but preemies are even more susceptible to dangerous germs.  We spent enough time in the hospital in their early days, I did not want something like RSV to land us back there.  We had also been warned when you have twins, EVERYONE wants to look and touch them. I needed a way to keep the boys safe from germs and strangers.  I hated all the really thick covers I was seeing and I hated the prints they came in even more. 
After many late nights scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled across Milk Snob.  Texas based momma Melanie Disbrow came up with a breathable cover that slips right over your car seat after she couldn't find a cover that worked for her babe.  The cover is made of a lightweight knit so air can circulate but still offers protection against the elements.  The boys stay hidden inside but the hole at the top can be used to peek in.  The covers have deterred many people from going right for the boys with their germy hands and allowing me to control who can look in on them.  The covers come in beautiful patterns, I have my eye on the florals for my future girls.  I kept with the classic black and white stripe but new patterns are being released all the time.  The boys love to stare at the stripes and I get tons of compliments while we're out and about.  Although I don't breastfeed, it does double as a nursing cover.  If you are one of our insta followers, you know I struggle getting the cover on my 4moms MamaRoo but it can be done (I think all my brain cells went to the boys).  The boys love to kick their blankets off while in their 4moms but using the cover keeps the "blanket" in place.  With so much versatility, Milk Snob covers will make a wonderful shower or bringing home baby gift and your momma friends will thank you again and again!

Windy days can't stop our walks
Covers as blankets on 4moms seats

Friday Five

Friday Five
When you hate teething toys, you stick every finger in your mouth
What.a.week.  This past weekend, we FINALLY celebrated our friends Ashlin and Matt getting married!  Mike and I were away from the boys together for the first time and we had an unbelievable time with our friends and with each other.  The best part was coming home to them, their smiles and snuggles were worth being away.  By the way, I'm an avid renter from Rent the Runway but never have I ever been so obsessed with a rented item as I was with the Jay Godrey jumpsuit.  If you've never rented before, you need to do it.  It's a wonderful way to try new designers and styles you wouldn't normally try without totally committing.  Email me if you want a little discount!  Our current house SOLD (hallelujah, this girl couldn't keep it spotless much longer) and our new house is fully dry walled.  Finishes are finally coming together and it's starting to get very real.  2 kids, remodeling our dream home, when did this all happen?  Mike and I sometimes wonder when we became adults. We are looking forward to a very quiet weekend with just the boys.  Enjoy your long weekend, happy birthday AMERICA!
Morning snuggles
Wedding weekend, I took almost no photos
Jay Godrey Jumpsuit from Rent the Runway 
My fur baby, my first baby
To see our daily adventures, follow us on insta at mypeasandourpod and snapchat at skryzzz

What We've Been Reading

Books

As a teacher, I know how critical it is for children to be introduced to reading as early as possible.  As soon as the boys were home, we started reading bedtime stories.  Mike and I have settled into a nice routine at night as a family.  We all head upstairs where we give the boys bathes, change into jammies, eat a small bottle, and I read a story.   We've figured out Luke is an attentive baby who loves to stare at each picture and listen intently as I read.  And then there's Campbell.   He spends most of the time cooing and trying to get his daddy's attention or trying to pull Luke's hair.  I just keep reading, maybe one day he'll pay attention during story time.  Check out a few of our current favorites!

A Porcupine Named Fluffy 
The Day the Crayons Quit
Giraffes Can't Dance

Twin Momma Must-Haves: Wooden Play Gym

Baby Gear

If you've ever been to our house, you know I'm a very neutral person.  I like calm colors and I'm obsessive about not having a lot of little things sitting out.  I don't know when that started, it's probably Mike's fault.  He's a neat freak.  When we found out we were having the boys, I started looking at play gyms. My worst nightmare, these big colorful play mats that didn't go with my decor (I can hear the eye rolls now).  I also could not find a play gym where the boys could play together and I wanted them to have as many opportunities to interact as possible.  After months of searching, I found Melanie Rae Wood Design on Etsy.  I contacted her and she made us the most beautiful custom double wooden play gym!  It came so quickly and the boys LOVE it.  We use it everyday during play time.  The gym came with three toys that are great for teething babies.  You can easily take them on and off to clean and add on your own toys.  Even if you don't need a double play gym, her original design is perfect for any baby. 



Friday Five

Friday Five
Campbell
Lucas
So my little teeny babies somehow became 4 month olds and by the way, I'm a whole week late on that one.  They turned 4 months on June 9th but it's a little busy here at the ranch.  As Mike's first Father's Day approaches, I can't help but to think how lucky we are to have him.  He's a wonderful hands-on dad who makes sure me and the boys always feel loved and have anything we need.  The boys light up when they see him and Daddy coming home from work is one of their favorite times of day(aside from meal time, obviously Cam loves to eat).  Happy first Father's Day bubbie, we love you!

The sweetest gift from our realtor for our new pool
Longwood Lilies
Visiting with Susie and Steph at school

Friday Five

Friday Five
Visiting our new house
This week has been CRAZY busy.  We closed on our new house last week so demo began and it's basically down to the studs.  We are still in the process of selling our current house so I have learned how to keep the place spotless at all times which is not an easy task when you have 4 month old twins.  The week was also full of celebrations.  Over the weekend, we went out to dinner and a bar for dancing for one of my best friend's and Mike's birthdays.  We ended up at the bar where Mike and I met almost 7 years ago!  The school year is drawing to a close and even though I only taught for half of it, I ventured to our end of the year happy hour with the boys to see all of my friends and toast to another year in the books.  I'm already starting to wrap my head around going back in August and everything I need to get done to have a successful year with my new group of kiddos.  Campbell had a hearing screening that, thankfully, he passed.  And not to toot my horn but I managed to go to the doctor with both boys solo for the first time. And we did great.  Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy this beautiful weather!
Early riser from nap, first to play with the new toys
The birthday girl
Another day, another test
DIY mani/pedi: Gel Top Coat. Funny Bunny. Sunday Funday
To get a peek into our daily adventures, follow us on Instagram @mypeasandourpod

Friday Five

Friday Five
Sunday Brunch
You know when something happens that makes you feel SUPER old?  Yeah that happened as we watched my little baby sister graduate from college this past weekend.  I still remember when we met her at the hospital and the time I accidentally dropped her in her Pack and Play when she was just a few months old.  Good thing that fall didn't kill too many brain cells.  She wants to be an Occupational Therapist and still has a year left of graduate school.  She is going to do amazing things, she's so great at what she does already and has such a passion for her work.  Cheers to you Becca and to your bright future!
The graduate 

We love our high chairs, I swear

The cutest pineapple keychain on the keys to our new house

Obsessed with white tulips these days

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

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!

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