Oh to be a Baby

Jenna & Jillian

A baby, sometimes I wish I could be,

a fine life of a baby I would lead.

Someone there to feed and dress me

and let me live off their dime. :)

Someone there comfort and hold me

and entertain me all of the time.

Oh yes, a baby sometimes I wish I could be,

a very fine life of a baby I would lead.

Sigh...What a day

Jenna & Jillian conked out after shots

Today was our second visit to the pediatrician's office; it was also their official 2 month checkup and this is the one where they get all the shots. :( The good news is that the girls are doing awesome. They are growing and they are healthy. The bad news...they each had to get 4 shots and one oral vaccine. It was so sad.

Thank goodness my mom-in-law, Mary, went with me. She was immensely helpful...thanks mom! :) I should have thought farther into the future than just the immediate though and planned to have someone with me this afternoon. Both girls have felt icky ever since the shots this morning but at around 2:00 they were almost inconsolable. I almost had to call for some backup help but with a little trickery on my part I was able to hold both of them and rock them until they calmed down, I think the Infant Tylenol also helped some, too. They are still running temperatures and are fussy and want to only be held but seem to be doing better as each hour passes.



I was glad to get the shots out of the way though. Now we can join society again (we were banned on doctor's orders) and go places...like church. I have been taking them on errands when I have to but only because there is no contact with outsiders. I keep them in their seats and don't let people touch them. I also keep their sun shades down so people can't breathe directly on them. Now that they are immunized we can go places where people are more prone to be in direct contact them. :)



So, it has been a running bet amongst a few of us (once which I lost greatly) but the girls have gained a good amount of weight. Jillian is 7lbs 5 ounces (I knew she was at least 6 lbs but I had no idea she was so big!) and Jenna is 6lbs 11 ounces. That was the shocker...it is so hard to guess Jenna's weight because compared to Jillian she still looks so tiny. I was betting she was at least 5 1/2 pounds but I would never have guessed over 6 and here she is almost 7! Exciting stuff....it is weird to think that if they had been born when they were supposed to have been they would have been over 6 pounds instead of 2.15 and 3.2. I don't know if my body would have fit any bigger of babies though...in fact I personally think that is why they came early. There was no more room in the Inn. :)


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Fun Facts for A Day in the Life of Twins:



We feed both babies 8 times a day....that is 16 bottles, 32 ounces of formula, 16-20 diapers and at least 2 different bibs and burp cloths (they are rather messy eaters) used per baby per day. We go through 4 cans of formula a week and I run the dishwasher every day. I do their laundry every other day and make 16 bottles for the night and next day at around 8:30 each night. I do 6-8 baths per week (3-4 per baby depending). I also change the Diaper Genie (dirty diaper pail) about every other day and refills the wipes with the same frequency.



Makes me tired just typing it....how bout you? :)



More to Come...
Jessica

For Those Who Thought it Couldn't Happen...Including Me

Jillian and Shelby

This is All We Know

Jillian & Jenna are ready to go to Target
Jillian

Jillian and Jenna love to look at their babies!

Jenna

I found, since having the twins home, that when we go in public I/we get the same reaction each time.

They are:

1. Wow, twins?? I can't even imagine...You must be busy?!

2. Ooo, twins. God bless you.

3. Oh my gosh, there are two? I am glad it is you...he he.

4. Wow, two? Well at least it isn't 8, right?

5. Whispers of people saying...Look twins!!

6. Are they both boys? (Umm hello...do you think I would dress my son in a pink, flower, jacket??)

7. Oh my...twins? I don't know how you do it.

Well, we have candid responses for each but our reply to #7 is always the same. This is all we know. Since these are our first...we don't know how easy one is (or sometimes isn't). I do know that it takes me twice as long to do anything as other mothers.

I pulled up to target the other day and I watched a mother get her one baby out of the car and into the stroller. It took maybe two minutes...easy peasy. Then, I proceeded to get my troop out of the car. First I have to get the big, honking stroller out. For those of you that know how big Ford Expeditions/Chevy Tahoes are (we have one of those Chevy Traverse)....our stroller takes up half of the rear end cargo area with the third row seat folded down. :O

Then I have to go to one side of the car and get one baby in the stroller then take the stroller to the other side of the car to get the second baby in. It is the same if I use a shopping cart and have one baby up front and one baby in the basket (I leave them in their car seats for both the stroller and basket).

It is the same for getting back in the car...go to one side and take one baby out of the stroller and put her in the car, lock her door; then go to the other side of the car and take the 2nd baby out and put her in the car. Lock her door, go to the rear of the car and load up the stroller (which is always interesting when I am doing it alone), get in the cargo area and then strap the stroller down with bungee cords so it doesn't roll around in the back.

Pant, pant, pant. I get tired just thinking about it. Needless to say, I have become even more of a homebody, if that is possible. Don't get me wrong...I relish going on an errand or two during the week to get out of the house...but I am not big on working out either and that is what I get; a big ol' Twins-Baby-Mama Workout. :-)

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I posted some of the latest pictures. I hope y'all enjoy them.

More to Come...

Jessica

In the Womb

Do you think our personalities start out as early as in the womb? I have been thinking about this...well really since I was carrying the babies. In one of our early sonograms ( I think it was late in the first trimester) we were able to see on one screen both babies and their entire bodies. Jillian (Baby A) was extremely active. She was literally rolling around inside. Jenna was sleeping until the technician started her scan and pushing on her and stuff. Only then did she start moving and wiggling around.

It was like that throughout the entire pregnancy. Jillian was very active and I could feel her often. Jenna was the opposite, she was literally a lump in my side for the last 5 weeks or so. In fact, I went to the ER once and walked in at the doctor's office once because I was worried she wasn't alive...that is how little she moved. Actually, Jenna was the reason I had gone to the hospital the day before they were born. I couldn't feel her move again and then they ended up keeping me for observation.

Well, 8 weeks in the outside world has proved to me that their personalities start from within. In the NICU they have these swaddling things where they strap the babies into a certain position but it keeps them nice and tight and they like it since that's how it was on the inside. Jenna was always content to be in the confines of bed; however, Jillian always had a leg or arm outside...pushing the boundaries.

Even now that is how they are. Jillian is sprawled out and Jenna is tucked in. Jillian likes loud, noisy toys, Jenna likes to simply sit and observe. Jillian has to be entertained if we have a chance of keeping her awake, Jenna prefers to be talked or read to.

Interesting, huh?

Oh, I know some are wondering how the sleep thing is going. Well, on Wednesday and Thursday of last week both girls did great. Friday night was boo boo (bad for those of you not up with MaxLingo) and Saturday night was boo boo. Jillian was wide awake those two nights. Well, last night was opposite. Jillian went right to bed after her 9pm bottle and Jenna was wide awake from about 10pm until 1:30am. Sigh...I think patience is the key. Which is what seems to have worked for those who commented on the "Help" post(thanks by the way for the tips & encouragement). I think we just need to keep doing what we are doing and once they are a little older it will click. Jillian and Jenna, although over 8 weeks old now, are still considered "newborns" because of their prematurity. In fact, their actual due date wasn't until 2/28 so we still have a ways to go. I think it is what they call an Adjusted Age...their Adjusted age 38 weeks gestation...meaning -2 weeks old. :)

I have some pictures though of just how crazy this sleep thing is. One picture is of Jillian in her seat wide awake, the next picture is her like less than 5 minutes later...I am trimming her nails. I wish I could go to sleep that fast. :)

More to Come...

Family Pictures

photo property/ copyright of Kiddie Kandids

We had our first family photo session today at Kiddie Kandids. It was so much fun!! I wanted to get in and get the pictures taken while 1) they are really tiny...and sleepy...and 2)while Jared was off of work. He has been off for the last two weeks and goes back full time next week. The session actually went pretty smooth. There was a little fussiness but overall it was great. The staff at Kiddie Kandids is awesome, too. They were so patient and creative. They were also very clean which I appreciated...before they touched the babies they would use a hand sanitizer gel, if they walked away they used the gel again when they came back.

I know that I sound like a germ freak but before we left the NICU the doctors stressed the seriousness of preemie babies getting colds. It would be bad, very bad.

Anyhoo, here is our portrait. Sweet huh? :-)

Help!!

Don't let these pretty, sleepy faces fool you...sure, they are all calm and sweet during the day, but at night? Ahhh! We are on the Babywise routine which fits perfectly because Jillian and Jenna were already on a 3, 6, 9, 12 schedule from the NICU. With Babywise, you are on a three hour feeding schedule and it goes like this: feed, wake, sleep. The only time you don't keep the baby awake after feedings is late evening and middle of the night feedings. Well, since we have the feeding schedule and sleeping down all we had to do was incorporate the wake, easy enough, right?

WRONG!!

Trying to keep a baby awake (I know...that statement makes me sound insane) who wants to sleep borders on the "Extremely Difficult" category. Knock on wood, Jenna seems to have it down. She has definite sleepy times but she is getting the hang of staying up for 20 minutes or so after eating. She is also pretty good about going to sleep right after her 9pm bottle and not waking up until we get her up at midnight, 3, 6, etc. Jillian on the other hand...everything I try fails. I have tried to wiggle her, stretch her, sing up-beat songs to her, read her stories, tickle her tummy, tickle her toes...you name I think I have tried it. Last night I even tried to put her in her swing which is usually a one-way ticket to night-night land. Nope....she sat wide-eyed in her swing for and entire hour last night.

The problem is that during the day Jillian is pretty much a snoozer. Then, at the 9pm feeding after her bottle, she thinks it is time to be awake. Of all the times during the day to be awake she chooses from about 9pm until 11pm. If I could get her to be awake during the day after her feedings I think she would go to sleep no problem; and she needs to go to sleep. In order for us to get up at midnight and 3am I need at least a little sleep. Ya know?

So...here is where I am asking for help. I am open to suggestions. Now, I know most people don't intentionally try and keep a baby awake, but if you have any ideas I would greatly appreciate them and then I will tell you how it goes; that is as soon as I catch up on my sleep. :-)

More to Come...

Jessica

A Pondering...

Adults (especially women) pay businesses lots of money to pamper them at a spa. Massage them, sponge them, cover them with goo... whatever else they do at places like that; and then babies, get a spa treatment for free and they never seem to truly appreciate it. :-)

Last night was bathtub time. We give both girls a bath on the same night and Jenna goes first because it takes her longer to get settled down for the night afterwards. Jenna is getting better about baths but she doesn't really like them very much. Jillian on the other hand loves them and is content to stretch out in the warm water. The only time she gets fussy is when we have to wash her hair.

Here are some bathtub time pictures... Jillian is the one snoozing in the tub and Jenna is the one crying. :-) I am holding Jenna at the end. I was trying to capture the essence of their hair. They have very frizzy hair after their baths...it sticks straight up and out. Poor Jared is constantly trying to smooth it down. I wonder if the girls will have curly hair like me...I hope so!

More to come...

Jessie

My New Blog

Hey Everyone,

Since the BabiesUpdate page seemed so popular I decided to go ahead and start a blog. A few people wanted the updates to keep coming now that the girls are home and I am happy to oblige. :-)

Let's see... it has been one whole week with both babies home. All 5 of us have seemed to settle in nicely. Last night was the first night that Jenna didn't fuss. Since Monday night she has had a fussy time of about 10:00ish to midnight (when she gets fed again). It was starting to get really hard on Jared and I because we feed the babies at 3, 6, 9 & 12. So if she was fussy from 10 til midnight we weren't getting any sleep. We would finally get a few winks but had to get up again at 3 and then a few hours later at 6. I never thought I would be so happy to have more than 4 hours of sleep at a time.

Jared and I have worked out the evening feeding schedules so that he gets up at midnight and I get up at 3. I was getting up at 3 before the babies were home anyway so it wasn't hard to get used to. If Jared has to work we both do the 6am but if not that I usually do that one, too.

We went on our first walk today...even though it was kind of windy. We bundled them up really good and went around our neighborhood for about 25 minutes or so. It was fun...we took Shelby the dog with us and she enjoyed it. She hasn't had a walk since early fall, I used to take her on daily walks (about 2 miles) but after I got pregnant I didn't have the energy, and later on the comfort, to do so. She has seemed sort of depressed lately though so I wanted to get her out of the house.

I know a lot of people were worried about Shelby and how she would act around Jilly and Jenna. I have to say that she has done really excellent thus far. At first she would get kind of pushy with her nose, especially during feedings, but now she is usually either content to lay by our feet or go lay on her bed. She also appreciates the time we spend with her much more now. Before, she was the constant focus and she abused it. Anyone who has visited us can tell you how pushy she was with her toys. If you didn't play with her she would bark and try and get your attention. She is also an extremely hyper-active dog. But, around the babies she has definitely calmed down. We have carpet time after feedings where we try and keep them awake for 20 minutes or so (Babywise program...thanks, Brian!!). Shelby tends to lay on the corner of their carpet blanket and watch them. So, for those who were worried, no need to be. She has done better than we thought. :-)

Well, I think I am good on the rambling for now. I need to get ready for bathtub time. Jillian will be excited as she really likes the warm water...Jenna still needs to get used to it a bit I think.

More to come...

Jessica