4 UNDER 4: 2011

The other day Cale and I went to Jimmie Cone for the first time.

The new ice cream place as he now calls it. :)

After we ordered, we sat down at the picnic tables to eat.

Cale was devouring his cone as he listened in on a conversation that 4 kids were having about their first day of school.

He shouted to them, introducing himself and asked them how old they were and what they were talking about. (He is social...to a fault sometimes it seems. ;)

And while I tried to buffer his volume and his keep his ice cream from dripping everywhere I got distracted by a car pulling up.

A man stepped out of the driver's seat. He looked to be in his mid-late 50s. He walked around to the side door and opened it for a women in her mid-late 70s (it seemed). She held her hand out and he took it. They walked arm in arm and got in line. She leaned, not on her cane, but on him to steady her balance.

They ordered.

Holding both ice creams in his one hand, he made sure his other hand was free for her to hold.

They sat down at a picnic table next to us.

I could barely contain myself from taking a picture of them...it was just so sweet.

I know it sounds odd, but I welled up a tiny bit...

Because, in that instance all I could do was picture was myself as the old women...and my heart was swelling to know that years and years from now I will have 4 sets of strong arms to hold onto.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Twin FAQs

In honor of the twins now being 6 months old...I'll start off by posting 6 of my favorite (recent) pictures of them. OH, how adorable they are!!!

Hard to believe it's been half a year since these precious little guys came into the world.
Each day I love them more and more.... :)

And since having them I tend to answer a lot of the same questions.
The one I hear the most is - "How do you do it?"
Well, I'm not sure I can answer that any better than..."how can I NOT do it?" I'm not offended and I can see that in an odd way, that person seems to be complimenting me (I think)...less obvious of course than, "better you than me..." but I understand. If you asked 21 year-old, newley-married Katie how she would deal with 4 kids ages 4 and under, I'm sure she wouldn't have anything to say (believing this surely wouldn't happen)...but the older/wiser me has come up with this profound answer:
Its just what we do now.
We've adjusted, adapted and are making it work.
With any addition to a family, the previous members are forced to regroup, reprioritize, and reschedule...until you get accustomed to "the new normal."
But that's just the opening question. The most often asked, but never fully answered to satisfaction....
Here I will address (and answer) others I have heard by my ears or seen with my eyes (Yes, I often feel I can tell what some are thinking when they observe the chaos here......)

In no particular order of importance:
Are your twins on the same schedule?
-Negative. As I mentioned before, my twins are as different as night and day. And in this case, it is a literal statement. Shepherd enjoys sleeping in...much like his momma (smile), but Thad wakes up early. He usually goes longer at night without needing to eat (sometimes a whopping 10-11 hrs), so when he wakes up to eat around 7 or so, he's up. Shepherd enjoys an early morning bottle (usually sometime between 4-6am) but then goes back to sleep. And for the most part, his wake up call for the day is around the 9am hour. ...Once we had to wake him at 11:05a because I was getting concerned! lol.
How much does each baby weigh?
-Good question. They haven't been weighed since they were 4 months old...and boy are they getting to be little chub-chubs! Hang on....I'll go put them on our bathroom scale now.
Shepherd: 16 1/2 lbs
Thaddeus: 17 lbs

(This is of course, me just standing on the scale alone, then adding them and subtracting the difference. Not exactly doctor's office worthy...plus, they had clothes on...but at least it's an estimate.)
Do the babies like their older brothers?
-Yes. For the most part. Cale can really make them laugh by doing the simplest things...like saying "boo, boo, boo!" He can usually get Thad giggling pretty hard. The babies like watching Megersa run around too. It's interesting that when Megersa talks to the babies, it's always in this high pitched little voice. "Hiiiiiiiii Baby!!" Not sure where that comes from...
Does either baby have a favorite parent?
-Yes. Me. Hahaha. Honestly though, perhaps one could say that Shepherd has a slight preference for Mommy (only for care purposes), but as far as love goes...I'd say there is a mutual feeling all around. :)
How do the babies react to others (not in the family)?
-I'll admit that these 2 sometimes seem to live in a bubble. The bubble that is our house. Meaning, they don't get out much. Sad, but true. There isn't anywhere I need to go badly enough to bring all 4 with me, and there really isn't much time during the day where I can even get out - seems like there is always someone napping. They go to church and doctors appointments. At church it seems to be hit and miss. Last week I intended to leave them (or just one even) in the nursery for the first time...but both babies went beserk (even before I got them to the nursery door). We spent the church service in the lobby with Daddy and some friends. :) When people come here to spend time with me (bless you, friends!), the babies seem fine. But they seem most comfortable with me holding them while they interact with the new face.
Do the babies sleep in the same room together?
-Nope. Back to #1 again. Different schedules. When they were tiny we split them up so each of us could take care of one at night. (My husband is a wonderful man for doing that!) Their cribs are in different rooms and to be honest, I'm not sure if they'd both fit in the same room! Of course when they get older the goal will be to put them together, but for now with how different they sleep for both nap and bed...they will remain apart.
Are they eating solids yet?
-A few weeks ago we introduced oatmeal. Thad seems to like it, and Shepherd will take a few mouthfuls. Somedays they are very interested, and others, not-so-much...but I guess they're still "young" (4 months corrected). We aren't pushing it. Once they really start gobbling it, I'll add another feeding in there, and who knows, maybe even some mushed bananas! :)
You say "corrected age" - are they behind?
-Well, yes and no. Because all babies are different, I'm sure there are some babies who hit certain milestones at 4 months, where ours were closer to 5 or 6 months. Sleeping through the night took longer than some term babies I know (but even with that, they still slept better than both Cale and Megersa at this age). And while Cale could roll over around 4 months, I'm sure there are still some term 6 month olds who can't. We think they're doing really well considering their start. They can both roll from belly to back, and Thad is getting close going the other way. Shepherd doesn't seem interested in moving around too much. Thad has always had a stronger trunk. Cale was like that - "standing" as soon as he got strength in his legs.
Do your twins have favorite activities?
-Thaddeus gets a big kick out of being in the exersaucer. Honestly, from the first time we put him in it, he fixated on the spinning toys and could get them going. At first Tim and I thought it was a fluke...but he locks eyes, and will take his hand and spin them away! I'd say that's one of his favorite places. He likes to be on the floor mat too and grab at (and try to yank down) his toys. Shepherd likes the floor mat too, but isn't as interested in the exersaucer (though he'll "stand" there happily). He likes the swing more than Thad does, especially since we hung a link of toys from the top so he can get them in his mouth.
What size clothes are they in?
-Though they are both getting pretty chunky (we think anyway)...they are still in 3-6 month clothes. Considering their slim start at 4 lbs, they're doing well. Tim and I are both very sure they will outgrow Megersa. ;)
Do either of them have any teeth yet?
-No. You might think it the way T drools, but no chompers seem to be coming just yet. Cale was 9 months before he got a tooth, and Megersa was 10 months.
What makes them laugh the most?
-Good question. Of course I told you about Cale. :) Tim can usually get them going pretty good... Both of them LOVE to see Daddy when he comes home. Instant fun, he is. Each baby have pretty good tickle spots in the crease of their legs...and up by their shoulders. Both babies get tickled pink when we change their clothes. It's quite funny to watch.
Do they have differences in personality?
Absolutely. Shepherd is our snuggler. Perhaps it's because he's not as physically strong, he tends to mold into your body, just laying his head up against you. Thaddeus will sometimes push out from the tight holds...apparently fearful he may 'miss something.' Thad is a great eater...he enjoys his bottles and is really getting the hang of baby food. Shepherd is very distracted during feeding times. He coos and smiles at you as the food drools out of his mouth. Sometimes I wonder how he's gained so much weight! :) Shepherd is generally much more "chill" during the day. He's pretty content to stay where you've placed him. Thad likes interaction. He notices faces on everything - the computer screen, our refrigerator door, the television. He demands that SOMEONE look and smile at him! T has another funny quirk. He has recently started fake coughing to get attention. He will also 'growl' when he wakes up, or when he's interacting with his toys. It's so funny. Shepherd has been more of a "talker." One time I was outside reading a chapter of Psalms to them and when I was done, Shepherd continued to talk to me for what seemed like minutes without stopping. It was adorable. They are both quite peaceful when outside, even when they're tired, and are getting better at car rides (where once it was a scream fest). Overall, they're wonderfully happy babies and their little personalities are excellent additions to our family's craziness!

Do you ever get them mixed up?
-I will admit that only once, as teeny tiny babies did I think that one was the other. I'm pretty sure Tim mixed them up once or twice as well...but we attribute it to lack of sleep, and the fact that we had to keep them super bundled (usually only their faces were showing) all day long. Otherwise, no. Their looks, preferences, cries and quirks are just so different...
What is the most challenging thing about having twins?
Hm. I guess just trying to juggle them, their needs, and the needs of the older 2 boys. Add on household chores and trying to spend time with my husband, and well, it's hard to get it accomplished. Each day feels an aweful lot like the day before... So the challenge would be to make each day a little bit special. :)
What is the most rewarding thing about having twins?-Well, it's 2 people to love. Two people who light up when they see your face - two babies who, essentially, would prefer you to anyone else in the world. These babies are a blessing. They are GOOD and healthy babies. God is so wonderful! Multiples stretch a lot of things - your wallet, your patience, your time...but also...your heart, your reliance on God, your love for your spouse.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

'Less than Stellar' Mom Award

Okay Moms (and Dads), we've all done a few things as a parent that may be frowned upon... We've put Blues Clues on to entertain our youngsters so we could take a cat nap, let them eat food off the floor (10 second rule, right? :) bribed them with candy so they'd behave at the doctors office...or gave them that extra scoop of ice cream because they flashed us their biggest and brightest smile.
It happens.
Well, I know I won't be winning the "World's Best Mom" award anytime soon...
And I'll bet you'll get a kick out of the things that go on in a house with 4 boys ages 4 and under:

It's possible I've done a few of these things....
But how about you?
Have YOU ever:
- Left your child in his crib much longer than you normally would because you were tired and he was happily entertaining himself?
- Given your baby a bottle of formula that is way past the 1 hr mark?
- Let your 4-year-old wipe your (almost) 2-year-olds bum after he poops in the potty?
- Allowed your children to play unsupervised in the bathtub (but with the door open, of course ;) because this seems to be the only time you have time to put everyone's clothes away?
- Told the child who comes to wake you up in the morning to let you sleep and ask Daddy for whatever he asked you for?
- Allowed your child to eat only bread and peas for dinner because he refused to eat what you made?
- Put makeup on your son because...he was interested, you thought it was funny, and hey - you don't have a daughter to dress up!?
- Purposely cleaned out the garage so there was another place for your children to play which would be far away from sleeping babies?
- Used your babes as an excuse as to why you were still no where near the weight you wanted to be? (...only for the first 5 months of course ;)
- Kept your child's hair short because it was easier than putting product in it every day to keep it looking nice even though you'd prefer it to be longer?
- Told your child not to talk with his mouth full with food in YOUR mouth?
- Used the play pen as a homemade "prison" for wild children?
- Put the timeout chair in the bathroom and closed the door so you didn't have to hear the complaining?
- Threatened that certain family members or friends wouldn't come to visit if your child didn't: put his clothes on...go pee-pee in the potty...wash his hands...brush his teeth...obey....listen (etc) even when said person was already on the way?
- Ate some of your child's Easter, Christmas, Halloween or Birthday candy without him knowing?
- Put your children in their Sunday clothes on Saturday night so they're ready for church and it'd be one less thing you have to do before you leave for church?
- Disciplined both rowdy boys because you found something broken and neither would confess (or stop blaming the other?)
-"Helped" your child finish his snack because he was taking his sweet time and bedtime was fast approaching?
- Let your child eat: breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack while sitting on the potty?
- Gave your baby a wipes "bath" and declared them clean?
- Allowed your children to stay in the bathroom having a "poop party" (even after they've already gone) - complete with toys, food and books because they'll entertain each other for awhile?
- Requested that your child read YOU a bedtime story this time. :)

Perhaps you've done some of these yourself?? I like to think I'm not the only one.

Oddities

I saw this at Walmart:

Clearly, this is not just odd...it's incorrect. But I thought it was funny. ;)
Today I felt inspired to jot down the oddities that occur most days in the lives of my 4 young men

1. Thaddeus. Since he's sitting here next to me, he gets to go first.

I think I'd be correct in saying that about 75% of Thad's awake time is spent with at least one finger in his mouth. Usually 2 or 3. Sometimes it looks like his whole fist. But, I'm constantly changing his outfit because he's always a slobbery mess. Is he teething? Well, we have yet to see the evidence of that... Not too odd, I understand. But I do think with all that finger sucking, he'd enjoy that sensation when he's falling asleep. Nope. Each nap consists of holding him tightly, bouncing a little, and a binky. It doesn't take him very long to zonk out, but don't you find it strange that he doesn't wanna suck his hand/fingers/arm (anything!) when he's tired? I do.

2. Cale. He's up next because even though he's suppose to be in "quiet time" - he's rarely ever quiet.... But no, the fact that he's loud isn't his oddity. That doesn't surprise me (or anyone else for that matter). He's large...and he's a boy. Enough said.

Cale is social. Very social. He thinks everyone who walks through our door is there to play with him. His friends come in all shapes and sizes and he doesn't mind one bit.
He is persistent in saying hello to everyone and anyone...almost to a fault. He's been known to yell out car windows at the trucker driving by, or ask the early morning jogger her name as she whizzes by. He often takes offense to to people who don't respond with as much enthusiasum as he has and can't understand why people wouldn't want to tell him their life story. We're trying to teach him that some people like to be quiet, or are kinda shy...but that's unknown territory for him so it's a work-in-progress.

3. Shepherd next, because I'm certain he will wake up soon. And while this it's not necessarily "odd" - Tim and I have discussed how interesting it is that he looks SO different from when he's not smiling and when he is. Honestly, we think he looks like a different baby.
Observe Shepper - not smiling -

And then smiling: (super cute, right?) ;)

4. And last, but not least...Megersa. His odd behavior will, I'm sure give both Tim and I gray hairs before we want them (though hubby has already found some.... HA!) :). M is apprehensive of almost anything new...but not fearful. While this doesn't seem too bad, it is worrisome in certain situations. For instance, he is apprehensive of new people - especially when friends of mine offer to take the boys to play, but he will not cry. He has only cried a handful of times when dropping him off anywhere. This is good...but when we are in a crowded place, Megersa doesn't show fear of the unknown people. He doesn't stay close by as Cale does (fearing he will get lost). I can't say why this is, but Tim and I are working hard to get him to listen, obey and stay close when we are in a crowded place. And it's also why, when we fly to Florida this December, Megersa will be in a stroller with the twins. ...plus, he's clearly small enough!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Another year.

I'm 28 years old.
I feel old. ;)
It seems that each day goes by ever-so-slowly, only to be replaced by another day with the exact same events happening.
But when I turn around, another year has gone by.
Since last year I posted 27 things you may or may not know about me, this year, I thought I'd have to top myself with 28 things.

28 new things:
1. Up until just recently I had been spelling these two words incorrectly - deoterant and marshmellow.
2. I drank my first cup of coffee a few days before I turned 28.
3. I'm currently on a diet. I can only remember one other time in my life going on a serious diet - when I was 13 my doctor told me I was "a big girl" so all during 7th grade, I tried not to eat anything. (Somehow I survived... ;)

4. I'm a terribly light sleeper. Even with sleeping pills, ear plugs, and a blanket covering my ears - I can still hear Cale walking up the steps, Tim snoring softly, or one of my babies sighing contentedly in his sleep. It's a curse I swear.
5. I've been known to sleep on TOP of a comforter/duvet sheet and use another blanket to cover me so that my bed always looks made... ;)
6. When I get an idea in my head - ie: moving furniture, reorganizing, packing, unpacking - I am like white lightning. Last year I unpacked this entire house in 3 days!
7. I dont consider myself a "crier" but I can well up on the spot just looking at my children.
8. I do not argue well. I tend to go round and round in circles with my point because it makes sense to me. Then, when I am finished fighting, I'm over the subject. The latter has been known to infuriate Tim at times. :)
9. If I were only allowed 2 beauty products for the rest of my life I would choose concealor and an eyelash curler. WOW, they make a difference! It's like going from 5am to 10am...instantly awake and much more pleasant to look at.
10. Since we're on the subject of makeup - to Tim's dismay, I'd say that 90% of the time I put on makeup is in the drivers seat of a car (I even have an extra makeup bags in there)...
11. I'm nerotic about nap schedules for my kids. I wish I could be the type to let them sleep on the go...but for whatever reason, this aspect of my mothering has never been laid back.
12. At this point in time Tim would say he doesn't want anymore children. I'd still say I want one or two more.
13. I often have very close friends who are way older than I am...like ones that could be my mother. It's loads of fun (and useful information at times!).
14. Not to be prideful, but I'm probably one of the best 'Ticket to Ride' players you'll ever see. ;)
15. Tim was not my first kiss. (I've been watching a lot of the Duggars on TV, so I thought I'd make a confession.)
16. I get a little un-nerved with the way teenage girls dress. Sure, I came from a very conservative background...but the amount of leg I see on girls 11 and up (even past my age) is unsettling - church girls too!
17. I once had a nose ring for four days. I intend to get another as a celebration when I get back my pre-twin body back. :)
18. I think people who refer to themselves as their animals "mommy" or "daddy" are kinda nutty. I'm literally watching 'A Baby Story' and there is a women telling her DOGS that their baby brother is coming home soon.... :/ I mean, I'm sure she's a lovely person outside of that detail...but come on, it's a LITTLE crazy...
19. I didn't care much for planning my own wedding (I personally wanted to get married at the beach with a few people and come back for a party), but I quite enjoy helping others plan theirs.
20. I have, on more than one occasion been careless with candles... Once, while I was cutting a friends hair a candle burned a whole through the top of our 27" television. Still works though! :)
21. I am NOT a morning person...in fact, I don't mind that our twins stay up until about 10pm because they usually sleep in until 9am. (What about the other 2? We leave breakfast out for Cale and he knows how to put in a Blues Clues tape...and M plays in his crib.)
22. My favorite time of the day is naptime. Some days when the sun is bright and the clouds are formed in a smiley face I can get all my kids down at the same time (Cale just in quiet time). It's glorious and sometimes even I get to doze.
23. I can name all of our US Presidents in order. I have been able to since the 4th grade. I probably learned more that year than any other. :)

24. Though our favorite restaurant is Red Robin. Both Tim and I LOVE their Royal Red Robin burger and their fries dipped in ranch, (You have no idea how difficult it is to even type that while dieting - oh the longing!!) we often get gift cards to Macaroni Grill, and Olive Garden. There's only so much fettucini alfredo I can eat! lol.
25. I only watch the news when forced. Even then I could sit there for 1/2 hour and still have no idea what's going on in the real world. My world is full of marshmallows. :)
26. I want to adopt a baby girl from China...and name her Poppy.

27. I could probably sing more songs from the 80's than I could post 2000 .
28. I'm still in love with my best friend.

Anyone know all those things about me?

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

4-5 months

Shepherd and Thaddeus @ 4 months

I started writing this post when the twins turned 4 months old.
Now they're 5 months old.
Honestly, it's hard to believe.... Time is flying by so fast and even though I'm here in the grit and grind of it, I'm not able to record it because I have NO TIME!!
Here are some of the things that the twins can both do (some they've been doing for awhile, while others are new tricks!):

SMILE!!

Coo!

Giggle :)

Bat at, and grab their bouncer toys.

SLEEP FROM 10p-5a!!!!! (and sometimes longer)

drink 4oz at a sitting

recognize us by our voices alone

AND then some differences:

While Thaddeus is super strong - he's been able to bear weight on his legs for 3 months, Shepherd is now kinda just attempting it... Thad's whole body sometimes feels as stiff as a board (particularly when he's mad), Shepherd still curls into your body like a newborn does (which is alot easier when you're trying to calm him.

Thad sleeps like a rock when he does fall asleep, but Shepherd still wakes. Naps are harder for him. I usually say "he's got one good nap in him" - the rest are mainly cat naps it seems.

When T is upset there are immediate tears. His lower lip pooches out and his nose, eyebrows and eyes get super red. He WAILS! S turns his little face into a frown without the lower lip. He looks around for comfort, almost as if he's trying to be brave...but when he gets going his cry is more pitiful.

T prefers to face out, looking at the world. Recently both babies have experienced "stranger danger" where the fear of the unknown person takes over and they flip out when being held by others. It's getting better where they'll be okay as long as they can see Tim or I. Shep will face out, but because he's not as physically strong, it doesn't seem as comfortable. He loves to lay in the bend of your knee (when it's propped over the other). He'll just sit there contentedly and watch the world unfold.

Thaddeus sleeps best on his back, laying on the right side of his head. Shepherd sleeps best on his belly...but that's when he's laying on my chest. I haven't put him to sleep on his belly alone because he can't roll over yet - and I think that it's safer not to do so - again, he's not the strongest lil guy yet.

They are taking about 3 naps a day, and one late late cat nap in your arms (about 20 minutes). They go to sleep around 10-11pm at night and wake up to eat between 4-6am for a feeding. Then, they usually go back to sleep between 8-9. Sometimes T will wake up earlier. Once he slept until 7:30a and then woke up for the day. Shepper generally eats earlier, so he zonks back out.

Currently they're on a switch-shift for naps.

Could be a variety of things - T waking earlier, S generally only having one good nap in him, T sleeping solid....

Thad still HATES to be bathed. I was kinda hoping over time it'd get a little better, but I swear he understands the word bath, and will start crying just thinking about it. Shepherd is a little braver, but still doesn't really dig bath time.

Shepherd, though smaller, will stuff himself anytime food is offered. But if Thad is tired, he will NOT be happy with a bottle. He almost demands that someone hold him, standing up while bouncing with his binky

Tim and I have enjoyed getting to know them and their little personalities so much.

I think people expect twins to be identical (even when they're fraternal)...

Sure they developed at the same time and were born the same day...but I'd say that was just coincidence. Same parents, but so, so different in every other way.

Shepherd and Thaddeus @ 5 months old.

Monday, June 13, 2011

19 kids.

A wonderful young 14-year-old girl named Megan comes to our house almost every Thursday to help me with my children. She is darling. Recently we've struck up some conversations as we sat watching TLC. Megan would like a big family - like 8 kids she says.
((Must be why she keeps coming back to this madhouse each week!)) :)
We both have the large family mindset...
But, NO, I'm not planning to have 19 kids.
My "big" is probably more like 6 kids.
No where near Duggar-size....
Why mention it?
Well, since we've had the twins, Tim and I have spent a lot of time feeding babies.
And as a result, we've been forced to try out some new shows. ;)
And while Tim takes up interest in Swamp Brothers, Whale Wars and River Monsters, I have to give into my girly side (since everything ELSE here is male)...with Say Yes to the Dress, Spouse vs. House, Four Weddings, and you guessed it - 19 Kids and Counting.
Daddy = Animal Planet
Mommy = TLC
So while most of my blog posts are directly related to my children, I thought I'd follow that yellow brick road, but walk on the edge and have a little fun. :)

Miss Megan and I were chatting and it came ever-so-naturally *(as the name-obsessed person I am) to ask her what her favorite names are.
Note: I have come to find that MOST females fantasize about their future families (ie: children) and what they wanna name them. After all, I can still remember 3 names I liked when I was 14: Sterling (after my best friend), Mason & Owen.
Sure times have changed, but it's still a fun conversation to have...
We tossed around your popular ones - the names that are cute, but heard far too much: your Emmas and Ellies, Bradens and Jacks...discussed the trendiness of names that go either way: Peyton (come on really...is it for a male or female?), Tristan, and Ryan (I know I think boy)...and swore we'd never do what the Duggars did:
Use the same first letter for all your children.
In their case: J.
But I guess if you're gonna do that, J has to be the easiest one to use...
A challenge would be W or P. I'm not even sure I could think of 19 W names!
Anyway...back to the fun part.
Lets pretend I had to name 19 kids to name. What would they be?
I already have 4 names:
1. Cale
2. Megersa
3. Thaddeus
4. Shepherd
...so all I need to do is come up with 15 more! :)
And to add to the fun, I'm going to enlist the help of my husband to flip a coin 15 times and use that as the scientific method that chooses my imaginary childrens' gender.
Heads: GIRL
Tails: BOY
Here we go....Wow. A lot of girls. I do SO much better with boy names.....
#5 - heads - GIRL - Wubeski (Kiki) - ((assuming we adopt from Ethiopia again.))
6. - heads - GIRL - Ophelia (Poppy) ((LOVE!!!))
7. tails - BOY - Cashus (Cash) ((LOVE!!!))
8. tails - BOY - Rafe
9. GIRL - Gemma
10. BOY -Marshall
11. GIRL -Clementine
12. BOY -Shannon (Look it up - Shannon was originally a boys name.)
13. GIRL - Agatha (Aggie)
14. GIRL - Farrah
15. BOY - Tate (one main reason I love this name - because I could call him Tater) :)
16. GIRL - Willow
17. GIRL - Edith (can you tell I dig old-style names?)
18. GIRL - Eleanor (to be called her full name, or Nora if she NEEDS a nickname. :)
19. BOY - Ike

You may or may not have noticed...this blog post was suppose to go up a few days ago, but because it took me so. incredibly. long. to find more girls names I like, I had to wait until today. I'm confident that given some time I'll look back and think some of these names would be a no-go. But today, here's what I have. :)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

one handed.

One handed/one armed..whichever way you like to say it.
Wanna hear the list of things I can and HAVE done because I'm holding a baby in the other?

You do?

Good.

Let's start with the easy things, like:<

Writing an email or sharing a facebook status update.

Texting.

"Picking up"...this is a general statement because it emcompasses SO. MANY. THINGS.

Feeding Megersa something messy (he still refuses to feed himself anything sticky or slimy).

Sweeping the kitchen floor.

Eating.

Now on to the more challenging-

Loading/unloading the laundry.

Unloading/reloading the dishwasher.

Dusting.

Cooking.

Vaccuuming. (Sounds like my house is super clean, doesn't it? I wish!)

Shaving my legs. (Honestly, I've done it!)

Changed a diaper (not of the child I was holding)

Lifting Megersa in and out of his high chair and crib. (25 lbs doesn't seem like much UNLESS it's being lifted with one arm.)

Gave a haircut.

This sounds graffic, but in theory, if I could chop off my arm and leave it next to the babies so they feel the same comfort as they do when I'm holding them, I would at times (so long as it could be reattached - I quite like both arms).

I mean, yeah, by everyone's standards Thad and Shep are tiny...but Tim and I can feel them gaining.... I swear my left arm is gonna have noticeably bigger muscles than my right pretty soon. :) These guys just LOVED being held.

I should put them down from time to time?

I do.

But then there's another one....

Again, I said, it's Triage here.

I once asked Tim why babies like to be held while the adult is standing....to which he joked:<

They must like the feeling of a muscle that's in spasm from sheer exhaustion. ;)

I believe it.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

tis the season...

With the most awesome weathered days afoot, my boys have been spending a wonderful amount of time entertaining themselves (and getting into trouble) outside. They both obviously have no problems getting dirty or making a mess of our tiny fenced-in backyard... I do however, find it much more exhausting to be cleaning dirt out of their long(er) locks.
So.....voila:
Megersa got his new do first:

And because Cale always wants things the same...(his is harder to see, and was harder to cut!)

AND...just for fun...my tiny tots got pictured in their mohawks last month:

Thaddeus:

Shepherd says: "Who me?"

Hard to believe next summer I may be lining up 4 boys doing this... (of course, pending on how fast the twins' hair grows:)

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mom x 4

This post was meant to go up around Mother's Day.
It was started on Mother's Day.
So, what happened?
Life happened.
Running up and down the stairs about 85 times a day...
Changing 50+ diapers...
Feeding, and feeding, and feeding, and FEEDING children....
It never ends.

ANYWAY, hopefully I can continue this post and get it up before next Mother's Day. ;)

To be honest, this past Mother's Day I reflected more on MY life as a Mother, instead of my own mother. Is that bad? :/ Oopsie!
I guess, what with this year me having 4 children that will eventually call me Mom, it hit me harder than last year...when it was just 2.
It's kinda odd to think that I'm a Mommy x 4.
Not that I've just realized it...but that by sheer quantity alone, I currently have more children than MY mom...my sis, and all my cousins. On Tim's side of the family we are currently tied with his brother who also has 4 kids. But, I guess twins will do that to ya!
At any rate, in the small amount of time I have before any of my boys wake up...I'd like to talk about my 4.
Biggest first -
Cale:
We currently had a height/weight check on each fella, so naturally Cale stands at the tippy top of the charts - 46 lbs, 43 inches.
He's always been a "manster." (now, there's a reference to my mom - she loves to call him that.)
I think I'll probably have the most to say about him. - And rightly so...he has enriched and challenged my life for four years now. The other night we pretended for over an hour. We went on a bus trip to the zoo (complete with stops for gas), the dollar store (for red, yellow and green soup?), to Walmart (for mac & cheese) and a careful drive through the rain back home. We took a raft over to the beach and found sand crabs (which we collected in a bucket), then topped off our trip with a little camping and fishing by the lake (which he later drained into our air conditioning vent). :) Yesterday both he and Megersa helped me make pancakes for lunch, and clean up the kitchen afterwards (nicely taking turns with the big and little broom, might I add!). Today we made a "House Rules" list - and he helped come up with several of the rules: No pushing Mommy. Don't pee-pee on the floor. ((good ones, right?)) He's 4. It's hard to believe it until I can see what he does. His behavior morphs correspondingly to each type of person he in in contact with. When playing with Megersa, unfortunately he reverts to baby mode. He mimics the way Megersa says his words: "wa-wa" "luhyou" "paypen" - he pretends to do things a toddler would do, in the pretend size a toddler would be. I mean, an almost 4-foot-tall child shouldn't be trying to fight any of his brothers for the front seat of the grocery cart...but it happens.
However, when playing with our neighbors grandsons (who are 11), he acts like a big kid. It's almost unrecognizable how grown up he acts - wanting to try all the things they do.
Am I sure??
Must be, they are the ones who knocked on our door asking for Cale to play with them! A 4-year-old! Similarly, when given an adult-ish task to accomplish, he will perform it almost as good as I could. For instance, the other day I was washing out bottles...many, many bottles...and I put them in the other side of the sink. Cale asked to help, and he was able to rinse out each bottle like a champ! Might not seem like much, but his willingness and commitment is impressive to me!
Still, he isn't the typical "man's man" (or "boys boy") - he prefers to collect 'treasure' - cards, peices of plastic, tiny flashlights - anything that means something to him....than he does playing with balls or pretending to be Superman. In fact, if we didn't have Megersa in his footsteps, who is the complete opposite in that regard, those many many toys would sit around collecting dust!
I probably could go on and on about Cale. He's my first born. My 2nd love (Tim - you're first darling!). I haven't been away from him for more than 5 days (while in Ethiopia).... I honestly have a hard time remembering life before him. He drives me crazy and melts my heart at the same time. I'm sure I'll cry the day he steps on the school bus for Kindergarden...
But, I need to switch gears. ((After all, I have 3 more to talk about, and I don't want this to be a novel...))
Megersa.
Oh, Megersa.
Besides his hilarious need to dress up (hats, sunglasses, costumes); he is all things boy. Airplanes...Cars...Bikes....balls...bats...swords... He was poured right into the boy mold. It's actually quite adorable to see his personality emerge.
He talks. and talks. and talks. WAY earlier than Cale started...but I think that's because he's the second born. Listening to Cale and Megersa talk to each other is very amusing. He is also quite obedient as far as toddlers go. We started disciplining him early on, so that may have helped (make all the mistakes with the first one, huh?). He cried-it-out earlier. He pooped on the potty earlier (though that is still a hit and miss situation - Tim and I haven't decided to commit yet). Other things about M? Well, with all his talking he has yet to say his name. For a short period of time he referred to himself as "Sussa" but now he just doesn't say it at all. Or the name Cale either. Not sure why he can't say Cale. He can say cupcake, and "cancake" and candy....but not Cale. Interesting. At any rate, Megersa's place in this family came with alot of transition. But he's endeared himself to each of us in his own special way. I, myself melt when he says "luhyouMommy" - all in one word. And he says it about 8000 times a day. :) His food issues are starting to subside and he's really showing his love for his favorites. For instance, he uses his key phrase "luhyou" when he has his eye on a particular treat like a b-bar or a cupcake. Though he eats sometimes more than I do at lunch, he's a slender thing. Tim and I are betting he'll be tall and thin, even as a man. 25 lbs, 33 inches. Lucky little guy will probably not have to battle his weight like the rest of his family!! ;)
He's very curious and really likes to help. Sometimes to a fault - especially with the babies, but I give him credit. They entered his life after a year at home, and I see no trace of jealousy. Very cool.
Speaking of the twins....lets start with Big T.
Thaddeus:
Oh Thad. He is a piggy. He got the nickname "Piggy Thad" while still in the NICU, when all he did was wake up to eat, and then go right back to sleep. And though now he'll stay awake for longer periods...the nickname still stands. At 3 months old, he is 10 lbs, 1 oz...22 inches long. Over a pound bigger than his twin, but only 15 lbs smaller than Megersa (who's 18 months older). He is STRONG. He can already sit in a bumbo chair. He's been holding his head up by himself for quite some time... And his smiles are TO. DIE. FOR. Seriously, he's so dang cute. I'm not just saying this because he looks so similar to the way I looked as a baby, but because it's true. He is adorable. I think his dark hair is here to stay, and like both of his biological brothers, it seems as though his eyes will remain blue. His chub rolls are starting to emerge all over the place...he even has wrist folds! Thaddeus works up to a cry, unlike Shepherd...letting us know he's awake first by squirming and then snorting. The snorts get interrupted with a low kinda howl, all-the-while scrunching up his face. (It's kinda funny to watch him when he gets upset.) His cues for being tired and hungry are more obvious than Shepper's too. When hungry, he will chomp on his binky like there is no tomorrow...but when tired, and offered the binky, Thad acts as if it is poison and will gag himself on it. Odd, I know! He's officially out of newborn diapers, and the newborn clothes are more than snug. Though still so young, he is trying to make memories. He stares intently in your eyes when you feed him. He fixates on the oddities of his environment - like the black bar that holds his car seat, and the light fixture next to the changing table. He's a gem.
And last but not least, my Shepherd.
At least in the case of my twins, I will disagree with the statement that Twins soothe each other. It's simply untrue. There is no cuddly warmth that allows the other to be soothed into waiting for their pants to be changed, or warm milk.... False.
Shepherd holds a special place in my heart. Out of all my boys, I'd go out on a limb and bet that Shepper will be my biggest Momma's boy. He is a needy baby. If I could read his thoughts I'd say that he one and only wish is to be held....all. day. long. His light brown hair is falling out with the lightest of light blonde underneath. Cale says he's "really awake" when he's awake, because his eyes look so big with blonde hair encompassing them in his eyebrows and eyelashes. He looks similar to the way Cale looked as a baby, but JUST like Tim did. I once told Tim it was like falling in love with him all over again. :) Shepherd loves to cuddle and more often than not, he spends more hours asleep on my chest than next to my side the nights I have him. ((Tim and I each keep a twin at night.)) Shepherd weighs in at 8 lbs, 11 oz. 20 3/4 inches long. He definitely does not have the Dudick build. I think he'll be a lightweight (which will probably feed into him being granted the opportunity to be held all day long. :) Shepherd's cry. Let's talk about it. Actually, it's more of a yell. His eyes will be shut..mouth WIDE open as he lets out these bursts of what seem like a sad, sad cry. But don't be fooled - they usually aren't accompanied by real tears.... Poor 'lil fella seems to have a Nester belly. He is filled with air bubbles all day long. His burps rock the house and there are many of them to be heard! He's also gone almost 6 days without pooping, so he got the priveledge of getting an emena! :/ Truth be told, I'm glad he's a peanut, and if he wasn't a twin, I'm sure I'd be much less frazzled to sit and hold him or sling him all day long. But, because there are 2...and then the other 2. It's a triage situation. Besides his eyes, his features are so tiny...he has a little nose (so much different looking than Thad's) and lips. His cheeks are super soft and he hasn't been cursed by any baby acne or alot of cradle "crap." Each night I spend with one twin (though hardly restful) wakes me up missing the other twin....
They all are so special to me, and I still can't believe in just a matter of years I'll have 4 teenage boys (who hopefully think I'm cool)...
God has blessed me with boys. 4 of them. Never thought growing up that I'd have 4 boys...but here we sit.
Are we done having kids?
For awhile. But the answer is no.
One way or another I'll have a daughter.......... ;)

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

...

Have you ever felt defeated?
Cale likes to "race" up and down the stairs. As I mentioned once before he loves to learn new words. So when he learned the word WIN, he's taken every opportunity to put it into practice.

Today he actually pushed me to the side to get up the stairs before me. Ordinarily this wouldn't be an issue, but when I'm carrying one of his infant brothers and a giant basket of laundry it becomes a severe NO-NO!

Losing a race to my son can be a fun defeat.

Losing my mind is not-so-fun.

Sounds a little funny though, huh?

Perhaps one day it will be, but for now - it's not.

When I can't read a bedtime story to my sons because the babies take turns screaming (not being held), it's not funny.

When I'm trying to nurse both babies while the other guys are in the downstairs shower slamming the door in each others faces (clearly trying to break it AND my sanity), it's not funny.

.....

Are you thinking that we should reach out for help? I have.

Tim has taken off so much work to stay home with me. He allows me to sleep with only one baby at night while he takes the other. Friends and family have been so gracious with their time, especially helping out with the bigger boys. But the twins are 9 1/2 weeks old. Of course there'd be a point where we need to take care of our family on our own... ;)

There has been encouragement. There has been joy.

Loads of moments where I look at each of my children and think my heart will explode from overflowing love...

But there has also been tears....pain (both physical and mental)....and anger.

Anger in the fact that my temper is extraordinarily high. Anger that I can't seem to accomplish what I want to get accomplished - and by that I mean basically soothe everyone at the same time.

Severe lack of sleep does not help. Running off 4-5 hours of broken sleep is a terrible form of torture.

I can't be the person I need to be to all the people I need to be it to without energy.

I cling to God's promises each day as I try and make the choice to do a craft instead of loaf on the couch closing my eyes. And very late at night when I would rather sleep in the bathroom on the floor then get up and nurse a baby.

But some trying days, such as today, the devil creeps in. I'm not sure if he has a control on my babies - encouraging them to cry and cry when they aren't being held.

(And folks, remember, I have twins. It's almost completley impossible to both hold and soothe two babies. And it IS impossible to accomplish that while trying to do anything else - because believe me, I've tried.)

Are you wondering if it's all bad?

Of course not.

If you are a facebook friend of mine (and you can be - just ask) you'll see the hundreds of pictures I have of my children. Pictures are happy times. Times of love and pride in my day (at least part of it), my children, and sometimes myself. ;)

It definitely is not all bad. Not at all.

But I can tell you, it IS all challenging.

Each day feels equally like I'm treading water (about to drown), AND an enormous accomplishment just for getting through it.

........

So, what do I need?
I need time to fast forward:

To a time where the babies sleep longer at night To where their demands aren't sucking the life out of me (literally... ;). To the days where we have this figured out.

Ha. ha.

Really though, I need PRAYER.

Honestly I would covet it....
And even though I started off this post in tears, I'd like to end it with a smile.

Because these 4 are true (albeit trying) gifts from God:

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

GUESS WHAT?

THADDEUS:

AND SHEPHERD:

ARE 2 MONTHS OLD!! :)

Sunday, April 17, 2011

7 weeks

Honestly hard to believe the twins are 7 weeks old today.

Time has crawled and at the same time moved super quickly. I'm sure you understand... ;)

So, what have we been up to?

Well, our time is spent doing alot of feeding...and changing...and burping...and cuddling.

That's just the little guys.

The big guys get fed and changed and cuddled as well, but not always around the clock!

The nights are certainly hard.

Coming off an "alright" night of sleep I can say on a more positive note that things are better than they were at first.

BUT, talk to me several nights before last and I probably would have told you that I was gonna lose my mind.

We've had lots of help. Grammie, Nana and Pop-Pop have all been here at various times to shoulder some of the weight (espeically with the older two)...and we've had meals and help with babysitting from church members. God is truly blessing us where we need it.

Currently Nana will be here for 1 more full day (Tim and I are already nervous about life after her departure.) I honestly think an extra set of hands is a requirement for anyone raising twins. - this is of course an addition to the hands needed to run after/discipline anyone ages 1-4.

I'm nursing both of them. Not always at the same time, but either way it's a time-consuming thing. Rewarding yes, but certainly a lengthy process.

Of course it seems to take the most time at night too.

Like training for a marathon: You're prepared - diapers out, cream, boppy, burp cloths, extra clothes and blankets... You get a hungry baby. You settle in and feed him. You burp him. Sometimes you get away without a spit up shower...sometimes not. Either way he's fed and you're ready to cuddle him to sleep or get him positioned so that he drifts off alone.

You feel exhausted but accomplished. Ready to go back to sleep yourself. But wait. You're not done.

Run that marathon again, why don't you?.........
((I've never "ran" an actual marathon, but this is as close to it as I wanna get.))

Anyway, an excellent friend challenged me to not let Satan discourage me. She helped me to remember that God will give us strength for the day...remember how the Israelites were instructed to collect only enough manna for each day? They were being taught to rely on God for the same thing every time they needed it.

I will admit that I cannot do this alone.

My husband has been an awesome help. He's cradled me into a good place with a routine at night. I'll try and go to bed early (after one last feed for both babies) and then he will bottle feed them and bring them to me sometime in the very early morning. I keep them for 2 feeds and then give them back to him (or whoever else is here helping). This allows us to get at least a few hours of unbroken sleep...even if while we have the twins they keep us up the entire time (and this HAS happened...many many nights).

Again though, things will need to be tweaked because Tim needs to start returning to full-time work. Perhaps they'll be another post after that takes place and we'll see where we're at....

But for now. 7 weeks in, we're nothing if not blessed.

Things WILL get better in time.

The twins will start sleeping longer.

We will all adjust to the "new normal."

Sunday, April 10, 2011

better pack my bags...

my C-section was scheduled for tomorrow.
At 38 weeks, 2 days.
I remember before they scheduled it, I asked my high risk doc...are you really thinking I'll make it to 38 weeks?
He was assured I would - even with my past history of a pre-term birth.
I guess this time the Mommy knew best.
But of course...I kid. At 38 weeks, 2 days...my twins are here.
6 weeks, 1 day old.
Aren't they beautiful??

4 UNDER 4

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Sunday, September 11, 2011

making a move.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Guess Who's 2!!

Friday, September 2, 2011

A son and his momma.