I'm Alone With The Twins And I Made Pumpkin Bread And I Don't Even Bake Under Regular Circumstances Because I Don't Know How To Use My Oven (Only The Timer Because Doris Taught Me)

I'mnotevenkidding.

Okay, so maybe I'm going a little crazy, but that's to be expected, no?
I did it all while a certain twin played the "Let's-drop-my-soother-a-million-and-one-half-times-and-then-cry-until-Mommy-comes-to-put-it-back-in-my-mouth" game. I won't say which twin it was but her name rhymes with "Slick".

Chick had fun this morning out staging her brother in a photo shoot.  I think we're in for trouble with this one...

Maybe if I make a funny face, everyone will look at me!

Maybe if I cover Pea's face everyone will be FORCED to look at me!

No!  You can't touch the fun butterflies!

I love you, man!

Fracture Clinic *Updated*

Today we're taking Pea to the Fracture Clinic at a hospital in Toronto.  He will have an ultrasound of his hip to see if he does, indeed, have hip dysplasia.  We're hopeful that he doesn't, but only the ultrasound will tell us for sure.  Our boy has been through enough.

*Update*
Pea was a SUPER boy this morning and did well at his big appointment.  The doctor found a slight abnormality in the ultrasound and would like to see him back in three weeks.  The doctor indicated that the hip can heal itself and it may be normal in three weeks, but if not then Pea will have to wear a harness 23 hours a day until his hip is better.  This will save him from having to have his hips replaced later on in life.  The doctor also wants Chick to have an ultrasound when we bring Pea back in.  Because this is a congenital affect, we want to rule it out for her as well.  And so, we continue to wait. 

At Long Last

We are beyond THRILLED for you!

Transitions

We had so many plans before the twins were born. How they would feed, what they would eat, where they would sleep, etc. However, once they were home with us, they had their own agendas and we changed ours as well. I never, in a MILLION years thought that I would have babies sleeping with us in our room. Never! However, when we saw how uncomfortable they were in their expansive cribs, we knew we had to figure something else out. We don't have bedding or bumpers in their cribs, as we know they are unsafe so we think the babies both felt a little vulnerable in there. We decided that they would sleep in bassinets in our room; Chick on K2's side of the bed and Pea on my side. It worked and I was happy to have them in with us. It was convenient for nighttime feedings and I could check on them easily by peeking at them from the vantage point of our bed.
Now, however, they are beginning to wake each other up throughout the night. Chick is more of a sound sleeper and can sleep for 5 hours at a time, while Pea still needs to feed every 3.5 to 4 hours. So, in order to maintain Chick's super sleep schedule, we decided to move her out and into her own room.  
**Side note:  We bought this monitor at a consignment shop last week and it is AMAZING for making us feel as though our babies are safe.  We put this one under Chick's crib so that we could monitor her breathing and movements from our room.  We only have one now, but we are trying to buy another through e.bay. ** 

Two nights ago, we were all ready to make Chick's big transition to her own room. Her crib was ready, the monitor was set up, the temperature in her room was great and she was nice and sleepy.  Someone, however, was not so ready for the change.  K2 decided, at the last minute, that he couldn't let her sleep all by herself.  So, he set up the air mattress in her room and slept on the floor.  He did so again last night.  I'm not sure how long he will feel the need to sleep with her, but I think he's a pretty amazing dad for wanting to keep her safe and secure.

Another change that we hadn't anticipated is that we will not be rooming the twins with one another as we had expected.  When one cries, the other follows suit, so we decided to dismantle the den in preparation for Pea's transition to his room.  With this transition happening so quickly, we have to figure out the decor for his room and get the requisite furniture.  Looks like we'll be doing some online shopping this weekend.
It just goes to show that you can have all the plans you like, but babies will surely dictate how those plans play out.

Calming Babies

When Pea is having a "moment" (which generally lasts 45 minutes) there are a few things that generally work to calm him down. K2 likes to "Windmill" him by holding him outward and lifting him up and down in a circular motion. Personally, I think it terrifies Pea into submission, but K2 firmly believes it is calming. Hmph.

Another surefire method of calming Pea is to breastfeed him, but this isn't feasible since he would be attached to me nearly the whole day and Chick would miss out.

What is best for Pea, it seems, is to carry him as tightly against me as possible. We spent $15 at a consignment shop for a Snugli and it has saved our souls so many times over.  Not only does it calm Pea, but I can carry one child while doing dishes, while making beds, while feeding another child, etc.  VERY handy for moms of twins, for sure.  And, how great is it to look down and see this?

Pea asleep in the carrier this morning after crying for a long while.

On another note, do you think this bib is too big for Chick?  Hopefully, she will grow into it soon enough!  I laughed SO hard when I put this on her this morning.

First Thanksgiving

With so much for which to be thankful, we spent a lovely Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends. As we were driving to my brother's house for dinner last night, I told the babies all about Thanksgiving and why we celebrate together as a family. Okay, so they slept the entire time I was talking, but no matter. Perhaps they understood through osmosis.

K2 and I were SO excited to be invited to have Thanksgiving dinner with my

~
Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.
~

parents, my brother and his family not only because we love them and enjoy their company, but because we have been living primarily on whatever is quickest to eat for each meal of the day. Twins tend to tag team people and getting a meal prepared and eaten is not an easy task. Most nights, we dine on Mini Wheats and Raisin Bran. So, knowing that a hot, scrumptious meal awaited us was a very exciting prospect (we also got to take massive amounts of food home with us).

The babies were great while out last night and were cuddled by all of the people who love them so much. We successfully made it through dinner without having to tend to the babies as we put them in their bouncy seats and each had one under foot. They were bounced throughout the dinner and made nary a peep the entire time. Sadly, none of us remembered to take any pictures.

I just looked up from the computer to see two beautiful blue eyes staring at me from a bouncy seat. I thought she was sleeping, but she is simply taking it all in.

Indeed we have so much for which to be thankful.

Two Months

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Two Months from Two Kayaks on Vimeo.



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