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.
Now on to the more challenging-
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.
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:)
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:
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?"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.......... ;)
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.
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.
I need time to fast forward:
........
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.
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:
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