Girlie Stuff

In the midst of figuring out life with two babies, I've managed to squeeze in some time to celebrate not being pregnant anymore! Not that they weren't worth it, but I was not a big fan of the pregnancy experience. My memories are mostly things like nausea, looking wistfully at other pregnant women jogging in the park as I drove by, and wondering when I'd have the energy to wash my hair again.

So now that I'm back to my regular self, I'm especially enjoying it. I've been doing some yoga videos at home, some photography, and most fun, I've bought some girlie stuff, just for me! The timing aligned for discovering a new purse, hat, shoes, and sunglasses... I've also been having some fun decorating the new house, but that's a whole other conversation.

More Grandmas and Grandpas!

My dad and stepmom drove out for a visit a couple weeks ago, and got to meet the new additions to our family! It was a fun and full visit. In addition to helping us manage the household, they took an overnight trip to the mountains for a music show. I also got to drive the new convertible! I felt like such a hottie, the Prius' days may be numbered...

Nursery Playlist

I don't know the words to any lullabies. It's true. I'm familiar with them of course, but I couldn't finish the words to one if my life depended upon it. Christmas carols -- maybe.

When I was pregnant I decided to get around this not by (re)learning anything, but by finding a boom box that would play my iPod shuffle, and making a playlist of songs that I could actually sing along to. I have to say, it's worked like magic! I think Ada particularly likes Dave Matthews.

Here are some of the songs my babies are learning:

• Satellite, Gray Street (Dave Matthews)
• Mercy Street (Peter Gabriel)
• Come Away With Me (Nora Jones)
• Charade, You Don't Know Me, Save the Last Dance For Me (Harry Connick Jr.)
• I Wonder (Chris Isaak)
• Coat of Many Colors (Shania Twain)
• Blackbird (Sarah McLachlan)
• Hard Sun (Eddie Vedder)
• Angel Standing By (Jewel)
• Baby Grand, She's Always A Woman, New York State of Mind (Billy Joel)
• The Boxer, America, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (Paul Simon)
• Down in the River to Pray, Don't Leave Nobody But the Baby (O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack)
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole)
• Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley)
• Shelter From the Storm (Bob Dylan)

(Pre) Occupation # 1

Ok, I've omitted a rather large part of my life over the last four months, so it's finally time to come clean. My main preoccupation in life is... wait for it... milk.

When I was pregnant, nursing seemed like a good idea, lots of health benefits, financial benefits, and frankly simpler than bottles and formula. But I was pretty intimidated about nursing twins, and actually read a couple books to get ready. Then I went and had two preemies in the hospital. Suddenly something that seemed like a healthy convenience became the primary way I could contribute to the health and weight gain of these tiny babies, and it took on a very emotional dimension.

So it's been a roller coaster for me. I've pumped milk since mid-May, and carted it back and forth to the hospital. Initially this sucked, although I've done it so many hundreds of times now that I hardly notice. I spent weeks working with both babies on nursing, with varying degrees of success. When Ada came home from the hospital a month ago, she refused to nurse and would just scream in my face. I'm proud to say I've since won her over! And now that they're home from the hospital, every time they do eat from a bottle, they get different additives, so we are actually managing two separate sets of bottles, in addition to the nursing and pumping.

And I was intimidated by JUST NURSING.

It's been a long haul, and has required lots of persistence, but has had some great payoffs too. By some miracle, I've been able to feed both babies for every meal of their first four months of life. They are gaining weight, and I'm losing it. Both babies will nurse, and both will eat from bottles. Nursing is cheap and easy. All in all, I consider the whole situation a success.

Forgive me if my conversational skills have reached a low point -- this is the major thing going on in my life! But I promise to have a new occupation again someday soon...

Family Visits

I keep wanting to write a post about grown up topics, but I really don't have any going on! Well, I'm continuing to read, that's about it. I've been reading Kitchen Confidential, memoirs by a NYC chef, House Lust, about the increasing public interest in real estate, and Sherlock Holmes. Did you know that Robert Downey Jr. will be playing Sherlock Holmes in a movie, in the next year or two? I am still loving him from Iron Man, so I'm very excited to see him as one of my all time favorite characters! If you haven't read Sherlock Holmes mysteries, I definitely recommend them.

My mother-in-law CJ has been staying with us and helping with Logan and Ada for the last couple weeks. I couldn't have lived without her! If I had to do all those 2AM feedings, I'd probably be hitchhiking to Key West by now. Thanks CJ, I love you!

My Dad and stepmom are just arriving in town for the next few days. I'm very excited to see them, it's been too many months...

Cold Weather In August

Friday was a cold, rainy day here in Denver, I loved it! I can't wait for fall already... The house got down to 60 degrees before I finally conceded to turning on the furnace. In August.

I wanted to give the double stroller a trial run before my mother-in-law goes back to Detroit, so we took a little field trip to the mall. It was pouring rain, so fortunately the stroller experiment went smoothly. I felt like such a goofball pushing a giant stroller with two carseats and babies inside. Fortunately it was an absolute stroller convention at the mall.

Here are a couple favorite photos of our cold weather outfits, and a video around lunch time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IJS4imh2cs

Grandmas To The Rescue!

We have had amazing help from our families over the last couple weeks, particularly from our moms. CJ has actually relieved me of the 2am feedings for the last few days, and I'm eternally grateful. I guess those bundles are even better company than I thought! And my mom is gaining a reputation as a masterful chef, she may have a new calling. Or at least a future on some kind of reality show.

It's been a full week of time with Logan, and two with Ada. We are still really enjoying it, and getting into the groove...

First Week Continues...

Thanks for the papasans, Dad and Mary!

Our first week with Logan and Ada continues, and we're still doing well. We have lots of family around to help and support us; my mom and Ray, Dave's parents, and Bert and his family are regulars at the house. I could go back out into the "real world" at any time, although for the most part I've had my fill of the real world for a while.

We saw our pediatrician yesterday, and aside from some more aggressive goals about weight gain, we all got gold stars! It was also my first drive with the babies, and I wasn't as panicked as expected. I even managed to navigate all three of us into the waiting room before Dave arrived.

Updates and More Photos

We had a little photo shoot yesterday, and here are a couple favorites!

Our time with both babies has been fantastic, and easier than we suspected -- certainly easier than our extended hospital stay. I think we lucked out on their personalities, they seem to be very mellow, and doing well with an every- 4 hour feeding routine. I'm amazed to be enjoying my maternity leave, staying in good mental health and not too sleep deprived. So far.

First 24 Hours With Twins

It wasn't really as scary as it sounds. Although there were a couple stretches when they were screaming in chorus, I could have lived without that... But really, very great.

Photos!

Our computers are up and running again! Sufficed to say, we now have a computer "guy."

So without further ado, here are some photos I've been wanting to post -- the nursery, and our babies! Logan still hasn't come home yet, but I just love this picture too much to save it...

Here is Ada on her first day home:

Logan today:

And our nursery: