Survival

Every day in Africa a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
 Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows that it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
 It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better be running.

Abe Gubegna
Ethiopia, circa 1974

I have realized in the last 4 months that I MUST wake up first! 

A van~tasy...if you will.

We have moved to mini van mode. We both tried to resist. We have waited to find a decent Suburban or Yukon XL under 50,000 miles and $30,000. They don't seem to exist. We went and looked at one and it turns out that is not what is best for us. We need a van. A Mini Van....dum dum dum...*followed by more dramatic music....

Our search for the perfect mini van begins! We are going to call this "our mini van years" and embrace it. This is a chapter of our life we are ready to enjoy.
What we need: 

*captains chairs in the second row so Sloane and Lydia will have their own seat that I have access to from outside. 

*a removable middle seat in the second row for access to Blythe.

*the bench on third row to have safety harness locks on the 60 or 40 portion of the seat.

*enough space in the back to fit the MASSIVE double stroller I have

*remote entry

*easy to move seating for quick changes if we have car guests

*dvd player built in

*navigation (not a deal breaker though)

During the each test drive Alan drives and I sit all the way in the back, so we can compare notes at the end. It didn't make sense to switch up because I didn't know how the last one drove and he didn't know what it was like in the back.

First we test drove a VW Rogue. When the VW van was first brought up I thought of the old classic hippie wagon. They lasted a long time back in the day! 

Then I imagined what a futuristic VW van would look like:

However, the VW Rogue did not meet any expectation. Sticker price was $35. There was extra storage on the floor under the second row seating and two dvd players. But benefits ended there. No expectations were met. I was ready to turn around and go back to the dealership before we were were above 20 mph.

The one we test drove actually looked like this:

I am glad we looked at it first. It was junky. Even while having the car on while checking the car out and our short test drive, the AC never got cool in the back. The air intake in the back of the cabin was so loud. I couldn't hear Alan and the salesman talking in the front seats. The seats didn't fold flat into the car and to get them back in the sitting position there were 4 straps labeled 1-4 you had to pull in a certain order....very confusing. Another downfall was there wasn't enough room in the very back for my stroller. 

Expensive and not well built or thought through.

Then we went to the Toyota Dealership. We have been talking about getting a Sienna and researching the different packages, so we were pretty comfortable with them. 

We both have a Toyota and love our cars, so that helps with our confidence in the brand. We decided the XLE was the one closest to our price range. I don't want a sunroof so the dvd player and remote start where our main concerns. 

The chairs are on a sliding track making them much easier to move than the VW. They were a basic Toyota car though. The Limited was (pardon my french but we have to get fired up about something these days!) badass. Wide screen tv, reclining captains chairs in the second row...We didn't even need to get in it, we knew it was out of our price range. 

Then we went to the Honda Dealership. 

*Play Champion music here. 

Turn on fog machine and strobe lights.

As every back door on the car opened as walked to it, I could see a quality difference. And I LOVE the smell of a new Honda. The new car smell stays for long in them! It was intoxicating. 

The Honda was awesome. 

Every feature we need in our new car and so much more. All six seats in the back were well built seats with safety harness locks. 

*Plenty of room for my stroller with all seats being used! *Standard Navigation System that is free built in the dash! This will be awesome for future trips we will be taking when we move. 

*The cd player records your cds. It hold 3,500 songs without you needing to keep up with the disc!! Whaaattt!! That is awesome. I can't keep up with anything these days, this feature impressed me because I could put everyone's favorite songs on the radio at anytime...and not have to keep up with a thing!!

 *The seats fold down and can be returned to the sitting position with ONE hand. I really enjoyed the ride in the back seat. If we hit one bump during our test drive then I didn't feel it. 

*The key had individual buttons for each back door, so I could control what door opens without being at that door. 

However, Honda knows they have the very best van. The sticker price said $38. That is a lot of $$$ for us to spend on a car so we had to keep looking. (I am in love with this van by the way. My heart breaks as we have to continue our search for a more moderately priced van).

Then we go to the Nissian dealership. My cousin works there. I ask for him and find out he isn't just a car salesman like I had thought. He is a manager. So he sits at his desk and tells me what price he can get me a Nissian Quest. It appears that all the seats have the safety latches on every seat and that is very important to me. 

They don't have one on the lot so I couldn't look at it but I can't imagine how it is better than the Honda. So I mention that. And who is sitting at the other desk in his office? None of than a Manager at the Honda dealership.... They are buddies. He tells me he will sell the Honda Odessey at invoice price to me since I am cousins with his good friend! yay!! 

So I am still going to test drive the Quest but I love the Honda. 

However. If we have anymore kids we will find ourselves in something more like this....down by the river.

Twins @ 4 months

Some women are dripping with diamonds, Some woman are dripping with pearls....but me I am dripping with Little Girls!"

~Agatha Hannagan (Annie)

We went to Sloane and Lydia's four month check up. They are both doing very well. Lydia weighed 11.14 and Sloane weighed 12.9. They got their 4 month shots. Sloane was very upset about the whole thing. Lydia was very brave. 

They eat 24-28 ounces of formula a day. 

They have both started waking up and eating an additional 6-7 ounces at 10pm. They were sleeping most of then night and we had dropped the 10pm and 1am feedings. I decided they needed a little extra in their belly before bedtime so I introduced Beech Nut single grain oatmeal. Last night (Day 3 of oatmeal) they both ate two TBSP mixed with 2 ounces of formula. They also drank a bottle like usual. They went to bed at 7pm and woke up at 6:30am. 

They have both gotten a little bit of juice a few times. Just when I felt like she was having trouble making a bm. BMs are very hard to keep up with when you have two. I tried writing it down but a pen was too hard to keep up with too!!

Still wake them up during the day to eat every three hours. I put them in the Woombie for their afternoon noon nap. They both sleep until it is time to go get Blythe from school. They smile so much when Blythe gets in the car. You can tell they know she is there and they are very happy to see her.

They are getting to where they want to be entertained. They both think kisses from Blythe is hilarious! They squeal and laugh and Blythe loves it. Blythe is being a great big sister and loves both Sloane and Lydia very much. We have to spend at least 5 minutes every morning telling them how cute they are. 

They like to hear people sing. Any song will do. Blythe's favorite songs to sing to them is the Itsy Bitsy Spider and You are My Sunshine.

When they are laying together and one gets upset, they hold hands. Their toothless grins and sweet giggles are the most precious things ever. Blythe being so sweet makes my heart soar. This couldn't be better.

Sloane is on the left.

Lydia

Sloane's face in this picture makes me laugh! Lydia can't seem to get through a bath without crying. She does not like being cold. Sloane is very laid back compared to Lydia. Overall, they are both very laid back babies. They are both so sweet. They smile and laugh a lot. They are very content. 

Sloane

And me? How am I doing? 

Great! Having twins is so much fun. They are fun to play with and easy to walk away from because they have each other. I keep hearing women tell me they had kids 13 months apart and it was "like having twins". Well I think there is nothing like having twins. Having kids 13 months apart sounds much harder. I get to make two bottles. Same bedtimes. Same everything. 

LML.

Never cry over spilled milk...unless it is breast milk.

This formula dispenser has been one of my favorite baby gadgets! 

Easiest way to make formula: Use Dr. Brown pitcher to mix 1 ounce of water per 1 scoop of formula. Keep concentrated formula refrigerated in pitcher. Then when you need a bottle add exact same amount of very hot (whatever kind you use) water in to a separate bottle. It mixes itself when you pour the water over the formula. Bottle is perfect. Last week my entire kitchen counter was covered in spoons, formula grains, bottle parts, and I knew we need a better solution to this mess! Yesterday I made over 50 ounces ....

I have a water cooler that also has a hot water dispenser. Our bottles are made from the cool water side to go in the pitcher and the hot water side to finish the bottle before serving it. Life just got a LOT easier. 

We used Dr. Brown bottles with Blythe and the twins. 

I did breast feed for 3 months with the twins. 

I had to use a nipple shield. I had trouble getting them to latch on so the nipple shield was my solution. I continued to use shields the whole time because I couldn't seem to find time to get them to latch on naturally. It wasn't broke....so I didn't see the need to fix it. I kept two shields in my bra. They fold very easily. I went to the hospital everyday Sloane was in the NICU and worked with a lactation consultant to learn how to feed the babies at the same time. Sloane was a natural. She ate off of me so easily. If she was the only baby I had ever tried to breast feed, I wouldn't understand why people quit. Lydia need a little more work but was doing great in no time! The lactation consultant helped me so much. I was embarrassed at first but got over it quickly. 

Breast feeding the babies will be a highlight of my life. I enjoyed being needed. I loved getting to spend time with them every three hours. I looked forward to feeding. I appreciate that I got to know them and start to build a relationship with them as individuals. It was an amazing experience. I have to give my mom 100% credit for all of her help while I learned to breast fed. Her encouragement while it hurt. And for helping me with Blythe every three hours for an hour for TWO months.  

At 4 months and 3 days we started a single grain oatmeal. I chose oatmeal because it had more Iron and the brand I chose was all natural ingredients. I started rice cereal with Blythe at 11 weeks. The babies eat one TBSP at night after their last bottle. They are doing a great job learning to eat. They can both sit up in their high chair for these feedings. 

This Medela breast pump is what I used with Blythe for the 6 weeks she got breast milk. I also used it to get milk the first 5 weeks with the twins. It hurt bad for the babies to eat off of me at first. At first I thought it was because of them eating off of both sides and I was not getting a break. But as time went on, I decided it was because the way the pump pulls milk out.

and Thank goodness my sisters introduced me to Udder Cream. It is amazing. It helped so much while breast feeding I wouldn't couldn't leave home without it.

LML.

Newborn Twins in Public

When I announced I was having twins I promised to give updates on what it is like to have twins... Here is the first of many:
Having newborn twins in public...

On the the bright side: I am enjoying the twins. I love them and Blythe is getting used to having two sisters. I needed the double stroller. I use it a lot. If I have all three, Blythe sits in the first seat, one baby stays in the car seat clicked into the stroller and one baby is in a carrier on my chest. People have been really nice holding doors open for me. I really appreciate that they are paying attention and being helpful. I appreciate all the compliments I get regarding how great I look for just having had twins. I feel like I look very old and tired, so I genuinely appreciate the compliments. So many people say how precious all the girls are and I love that! Lot's of people offer to help me carry the babies when I am holding both car seats. I don't let them but I am glad they offer. It is refreshing to see so many people offer to help someone.

People let me get in front of them in lines (I take their offers!!). And lots of kids places give you a discount if you have twins. So many people have come over to tell me how lucky I am that I have twins. How they wish they had twins. Even though I never thought about having twins or would have had the nerve to pray for it, I am so happy with it. I love having two babies. It is so much fun, even when we go places.

When I was pregnant I was so worried I would never leave the house again. I literally stocked up on canned goods, toothpaste and paper products. But it was silly of me to worry. They are a joy and very cooperative and easy to take places. It is the people we encounter that are the trouble with going out. Which brings me to the not so bright side.

And then there at least two people EVERY time I go somewhere with this side of having newborn twins in public: The not so bright people make this possible.

*YES, they are twins.

*YES, I can tell them apart.

*YES, they are both mine....(Really???) YES, they are both girls (pink and purple is confusing?).

*YES, they are identical (so it isn't "weird" that they looks so much alike...they are i-d-e-n-t-i-c-a-l!).

*Twins do not run in my family or my husbands (this is when I get the long story about some woman who has twins in her husbands family and she wishes they would have had twins. fyi Twins don't run on the mans side. Just the female side. Either she hyper ovulates (fraternal) which can be hereditary or her eggs have a tendency to split -identical).

*If I don't know you: The way I delivered the twins is NONE of your business.

*YES, I can carry both car seats at the same time and I am not worried I am going to hurt myself doing it. What am I supposed to do? Leave one of the babies in the car?

*YES, my hands are FULL! But they are full of very, very good things and my 3 year old can hear you!

*YES, I know where babies come from....(And you are a jerk).

*Saying "better you than me" is rude. Again, my 3 year old can hear you. But my answer to that is..."Yes, I am so blessed. I have 3 beautiful, healthy girls and I am so thankful for it all! Better me than you!"

*AND...Please keep horror stories about one twin having something wrong with it, to yourself.

*Finally - Don't touch peoples babies or their stuff. This is a rule in general but it seems like people think because I have two, the rules are different. I had to get covers to go over their car seats because SO many people have touched them, their car seat or the stroller. I guess people think they are being helpful but I don't need anyone I don't know digging in their car seat and sticking a pacifier in their mouth.

I have not taken them grocery shopping by myself. If one baby is in the top of the buggy and the other is in the buggy, I don't really have a place to put the groceries. Alan has been really good at stopping at the store or Blythe and I go when he gets home. So this hasn't been a problem.

They have been to the mall several times. There are no automatic doors at the closest mall which is very hard for me, I have to stand there until someone opens the door. It is impossible to do it alone.

69 days until May 3rd, 2011 - 28 weeks

I am getting nervous about the 28 week ultra sound I will have this Thursday. This is the sonogram that is the longest in order for the doctor to examine everything about the babies. We will look at their spinal cords, kidneys, brains and other important organs that can be examined. I am excited to see the babies again. I will also take a glucose test.

I have been craving fresh spinach and pine nuts. I have not have any spinach in two days. I am actually losing sleep over it. I will have to go get some in the morning. Amazingly, I have managed to convince myself that fresh cooked spinach can go with any meal even it is peanut butter and jelly. This craving has been going on for about two months. I like this craving much better than spicy chicken sandwiches from Chick-Fil-A.

We are working on the babies room slowly but things are starting to come together. I am having curtains, blankets, sheets and diaper hangers made for their room. I am very excited to get exactly what I want. Alan has built one baby bed. It is absolutely beautiful. I have insisted that he wait until the girls arrive to build the second one. He will be off work for a week and will need something to do. Alan has also built a changing table. Blythe has been climbing on it to get her diaper changed. (Speaking of Blythe in a diaper - she will be getting a diaper only when she sleeps when she gets back from Grammie and Pops' house).

I have been having some pain in my pelvic area. I have to sit down to put my pants, socks or shoes on. I can't sweep (FINALLY, I have an excuse!!). I have to keep my legs together to turn over in bed or to get out of the car. If I do too much I can tell a difference in how much I have to waddle to get around. This past Friday I hurt myself and it felt like my whole pelvic area was being ripped apart. I could barely walk and when I did I had to take tiny steps. Grammie came and got Blythe so I have been able to rest. I feel much better now! Refreshed and ready to start potty training Blythe when she gets home!

Lately, I have learned to truly appreciate people feeling compelled to tell me how big I look. Not really. I can't imagine saying telling someone they are "huge", look like they could be "due any day" or look like they are "expecting twins". No one wants to hear any of those things even if they are true! I am actually thankful for people who don't talk to strangers. It is a rule that adults should also follow.

I am still having a lot of trouble imagining the future. I can't imagine what it will be like to have Blythe and two infants. I am glad that my mom and sister are going to come help me. I know their support will help me deal with this huge change. I can't imagine going to the grocery store with them or anywhere actually. I have looked at double strollers but I can't even imagine going on a walk with three kids. It is very overwhelming to dream about for me. I hope dealing with it when it happens is easier.

Twin A and Twin B's clothes are folded and hung. Now we just have to decide on names so the monogramming can begin.