Just a few things I want to remember about my babies at 20.5 months old. Big news this weekend... the pacis are gone. We are still adjusting to earlier wake up times and shorter naps but that could also be the time change. Holden gave his up easily and Emma Cate still says paci when she is upset but a little cuddle with Boo and she's good.
Emma Cate
You are still so feisty. You are a stubborn little girl and you remind your Gigi of your mama. I guess karma comes back around... You LOVE to hide and then look at us and say "I see you". You say is really fast and with purpose, like ic yooouuu. If a say peek you'll respond with ka-boo. You have definite opinions on everything. We'll ask you if you want something and you'll give us a clear yes or no. You've been learning about time out recently and you do not like it. You are quick to hit the dogs and Holden if they get too close to you. You are not one to love and cuddle. You are Miss INDEPENDENT. I love that God gave you such a strong personality but know that you are going to frustrate your daddy and I :) You love to hide in the corners of your crib and give big smiles. You are always so sweet when we come to get you from your crib. You are the BEST helper and will pick up things and bring us your shoes and socks. You have been LOVING going outside. You love the bubbles, pushing your Y bike around, and swinging. I'm hoping that we can get Daddy to install your swing soon. If I mention outside, you are quick to sit down for me to put your shoes (shooooos) and socks on. You are quite the little imitator! You got your first skinned knee this week and love showing your boo boo. You are still into accessories and love hats and sunglasses. You've finally started wearing bows and I love it! You have started requesting to go potty and you'll sit on there for a long time. You've only actually gone in the potty twice. I'm taking a laid back approach to this. I'm thinking we'll work on it harder after the new baby is born and I am home with you all day. When we head to the fountains at froyo or the mall you are so cautious with your pennies. You like to drop them in to hear the kerplunk sound. You are also cautious on the steps and don't like to go down on your belly anymore. You prefer to use the handrail like an adult.
Holden
You are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Gosh you are soooo sweet and such a flirt but then you can turn into a little terror! You love looking at us and making us smile with your silly faces. You are a good little imitator like your sister. You hate to be left out. If Emma Cate falls, you will fall too just to get attention. If someone coughs, you fake cough too. You are way more patient than your sister. You recently bit Emma Cate pretty hard. She was flailing her arms at you and you grabbed and bit her. I didn't see it but you definitely left a mark. You are getting a little mischievous. You'll look at us and listen for instructions and then do the exact opposite. You love you some Gigi and Pop Pops. You call Pop Pops, Pop-pooh and every time you say his name you say airplane. I'm guessing you either understand that we went to see Pop Pops and rode an airplane or that he always visits us on an airplane. Speaking of, you LOVE planes. We've been outside a lot lately and every time you hear one you go crazy looking for it. You love when we spot it and you can watch it fly overhead. Thank goodness we live on a flight pattern! You are LOVING cutting the grass outside. You also love your trucks and especially when you make them crash. Crash is a new favorite word. You also love to say bless you when someone coughs or sneezes. Sometimes you fake sneeze to say it to yourself. It comes out as bess you. You are also very familiar with time out. You throw your cup and food at the dinner table and wind up there a lot. You are quick to say sorry and give a hug to get out. You are very affectionate and still run up to give me big hugs randomly while you are playing. You kiss with your head and mommy has been head butted a few times recently. You love to do fist pound with your daddy and I had to tell your teachers about it because I was afraid they would think you were trying to punch someone! You are getting good at throwing and looks like you'll be a righty! We've visited the fountain at froyo a lot and you've got a pretty good penny throwing arm!
You both are so funny and I have the BEST time hanging out with you. You make your Daddy and I laugh so hard and bring our family so much joy. We couldn't imagine our lives without you.
Showing posts with label twins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label twins. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
The Twins- 20 months
I wish I had kept up with these posts like I did their first year of life. Maybe I'll start now!
What Our Life is Like:
Holden normally wakes up first between 6:45 and 8am. We normally have to wake Emma Cate up. We change diapers and eat breakfast. Breakfast is usually a carb (waffle, veggie muffin, oatmeal pancake, cereal (which is your absolute fav but we don't serve it much), a fruit (banana, strawberries, or a pouch), and eggs with cheese (and sometimes we add some spinach and peppers). Gigi gets to our house around 6:55 and helps change morning diapers while I prepare breakfast. You both put your dirty pajamas in the hamper and we are so proud of you! Daddy usually finishes unloading the dishwasher and taking the dogs out. I normally eat with you guys and head to work around 7:20. You leave the house with Gigi at 7:30-7:40.
You play at Gigi's school until its time for your school. Gigi walks you downstairs to your classes or across the parking lot depending on the day. On Fridays, either Gran or a babysitter come or Mommy or Daddy stay home with you.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, Daddy picks you up from school and walks you over to Gigi's school. On Tuesdays and Thursdays your teachers take you up to Gigi's classroom. You play in Gigi's room until 2 and then she takes you home for nap. Depending on the day, you'll either nap at her house or in your cribs. On the days I get home early, you sleep at our house. Sleeping is tricky! Holden is good about being transported from his carseat to crib and continuing to sleep. Emma Cate usually wakes up. Sometimes you'll go back down but a lot of times you have "quiet" time in your crib until you get too loud.
You both are normally up by 4:30 and we try to squeeze in some playtime before dinner. A lot of times you'll sleep until 5pm and that doesn't leave us much time together. I'm excited to be at home for maternity leave because you'll be able to go down earlier. You have a small snack when you wake up but I'm trying to take this away because it spoils your dinner. Trail Mix is Emma Cate's favorite! Holden loves bananas. You both normally play (ie take everything out of the cabinets) while I fix dinner. I also put you in your seats and let you watch me prep dinner. You find it so fun to smell and touch the different ingredients. I love your faces when you smell onion! Your teachers have all commented that I must cook a lot because you play in the kitchen area at school and "wash" all the plates and silverware. You also always say "HOT" when you get near the stove or a pan!
Dinner is hit or miss. I do a ton of casserole type dishes because you'll eat a variety of things if they are all blended together. Neither of you like veggies by themselves which makes it hard! We do a lot of mexican casseroles and casseroles with quinoa. Spaghetti is a favorite as is mac and cheese. You always drink milk with dinner.
Depending on when we eat, we can usually squeeze a little playtime into our schedule. We head to the basement where you bounce, slide, cook, and play with trains.
Every other night you take a bath. We start bath around 6:40 and let you both splash around for awhile. Holden is a wild man in the tub! You both HATE when we pour water over your head. Swim lessons should be super fun next month! At 7 we head back to the nursery. You both get lotioned up and diapered. We take turns reading you books. One baby will sit with me and read a book and the other will sit with Jay and read. You both have different interests when it comes to books. Holden could read choo-choo books every night! It has been sooo fun for me to read The Little Engine That Could to you! It was one of my favorites as a child. Emma Cate LOVES the book, Hello Twins. She chooses is EVERY night. I am so glad we went with two gliders in the twins' room. Its nice to be able to cuddle with each baby individually before bed. We finish books and put you both in your cribs. We say our nighttime prayers and Emma Cate always does "prayer hands". You both say Amen (very loudly!) and we tuck you in for the night. Most nights Emma Cate will cry but only for about 15 seconds then you are both off to dreamland.
Emma Cate:
Nicknames: Cate, Sassy, Tay, Tay-TayWeight: Not sure- Maybe around 24lbs?Height: Not sureHair: The sides and back are long. We are having issues with the top. It's a very light brown color.Eyes: Have turned pretty blue!Clothes: You are wearing most 18 month clothes without a problem. I've started to get you 2t for next year but I think a lot of it is going to be too big! You are a tiny little thing!
Eating: You eat like a bird but have a major sweet tooth. I try really hard not to give you too much processed food or sweets. You could survive on fruit and milk. You also love shredded cheese. Likes: The bounce house, the Y bike, you Boo dog, being held, running outside, swinging, sliding (you are pretty fearless), bouncing/jumping, reading, animals.Dislikes: meat (except for ground beef), when someone leaves the room (separation anxiety), diaper changesDevelopment: Talking, running, can find objects and bring them to a specific person, can repeat most words, can put two words together (all done, get down, more please), drawling lines and dots, can use a spoon and fork (it's pretty messy though!), throws a ball, helps around the house, loves to pick up things and straighten the rug, can tell you when she needs to go poopy (we are working on making it to the potty instead of the diaper), working on walking up stairs, can do down stairs on her tummy, names pictures in booksWords: Outside, yes, no, ball, doggie, pop pops, gigi (pronounced Gee Gee) mommy, daddy, allie, bo, boomer, sophie, riley, mac mac, fry fry, milk, sippy, down, up, vacuum, hot, bow bow, read, bess you (bless you) and lots more!Teeth: They are almost all in! Just waiting on a few more molars. Dare I say that teething has been a breeze! I'm glad you waited to start until you were 11 months!
Extra: You are still our little pistol. You throw some epic tantrums and I have lots of photos of you throwing a fit on the ground. Luckily, with your improvements in communication, you are throwing fewer major fits. You have strong personality and are determined. You have started running away from mommy but a quick time out and you learned your boundaries. I am proud of the strong determined girl you have become. You are so sweet and loving at times. You also let us know when you don't want to be messed with (we have to work on your hitting Holden). You are getting better at sharing but it is not your strong point. You are such a good helper around the house. You find things and put things away like a champ! Your facial expressions crack us up. You know exactly what you want. I'll read a book and you give me a definite no when it is time to move onto something else (same with food and singing songs). You can be super clingy, especially when you are tired. I still carry you a lot. I'm a little worried about your reaction when Shep gets here. You have just started wearing bows again and it makes this mama sooo happy. You are adorable in bows! You do a little dance when you run and it's pretty freaking cute. You like to climb and explore. You are a gift to your daddy and I!
Holden:
What Our Life is Like:
Holden normally wakes up first between 6:45 and 8am. We normally have to wake Emma Cate up. We change diapers and eat breakfast. Breakfast is usually a carb (waffle, veggie muffin, oatmeal pancake, cereal (which is your absolute fav but we don't serve it much), a fruit (banana, strawberries, or a pouch), and eggs with cheese (and sometimes we add some spinach and peppers). Gigi gets to our house around 6:55 and helps change morning diapers while I prepare breakfast. You both put your dirty pajamas in the hamper and we are so proud of you! Daddy usually finishes unloading the dishwasher and taking the dogs out. I normally eat with you guys and head to work around 7:20. You leave the house with Gigi at 7:30-7:40.
You play at Gigi's school until its time for your school. Gigi walks you downstairs to your classes or across the parking lot depending on the day. On Fridays, either Gran or a babysitter come or Mommy or Daddy stay home with you.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, Daddy picks you up from school and walks you over to Gigi's school. On Tuesdays and Thursdays your teachers take you up to Gigi's classroom. You play in Gigi's room until 2 and then she takes you home for nap. Depending on the day, you'll either nap at her house or in your cribs. On the days I get home early, you sleep at our house. Sleeping is tricky! Holden is good about being transported from his carseat to crib and continuing to sleep. Emma Cate usually wakes up. Sometimes you'll go back down but a lot of times you have "quiet" time in your crib until you get too loud.
You both are normally up by 4:30 and we try to squeeze in some playtime before dinner. A lot of times you'll sleep until 5pm and that doesn't leave us much time together. I'm excited to be at home for maternity leave because you'll be able to go down earlier. You have a small snack when you wake up but I'm trying to take this away because it spoils your dinner. Trail Mix is Emma Cate's favorite! Holden loves bananas. You both normally play (ie take everything out of the cabinets) while I fix dinner. I also put you in your seats and let you watch me prep dinner. You find it so fun to smell and touch the different ingredients. I love your faces when you smell onion! Your teachers have all commented that I must cook a lot because you play in the kitchen area at school and "wash" all the plates and silverware. You also always say "HOT" when you get near the stove or a pan!
Dinner is hit or miss. I do a ton of casserole type dishes because you'll eat a variety of things if they are all blended together. Neither of you like veggies by themselves which makes it hard! We do a lot of mexican casseroles and casseroles with quinoa. Spaghetti is a favorite as is mac and cheese. You always drink milk with dinner.
Depending on when we eat, we can usually squeeze a little playtime into our schedule. We head to the basement where you bounce, slide, cook, and play with trains.
Every other night you take a bath. We start bath around 6:40 and let you both splash around for awhile. Holden is a wild man in the tub! You both HATE when we pour water over your head. Swim lessons should be super fun next month! At 7 we head back to the nursery. You both get lotioned up and diapered. We take turns reading you books. One baby will sit with me and read a book and the other will sit with Jay and read. You both have different interests when it comes to books. Holden could read choo-choo books every night! It has been sooo fun for me to read The Little Engine That Could to you! It was one of my favorites as a child. Emma Cate LOVES the book, Hello Twins. She chooses is EVERY night. I am so glad we went with two gliders in the twins' room. Its nice to be able to cuddle with each baby individually before bed. We finish books and put you both in your cribs. We say our nighttime prayers and Emma Cate always does "prayer hands". You both say Amen (very loudly!) and we tuck you in for the night. Most nights Emma Cate will cry but only for about 15 seconds then you are both off to dreamland.
Emma Cate:
Nicknames: Cate, Sassy, Tay, Tay-TayWeight: Not sure- Maybe around 24lbs?Height: Not sureHair: The sides and back are long. We are having issues with the top. It's a very light brown color.Eyes: Have turned pretty blue!Clothes: You are wearing most 18 month clothes without a problem. I've started to get you 2t for next year but I think a lot of it is going to be too big! You are a tiny little thing!
Eating: You eat like a bird but have a major sweet tooth. I try really hard not to give you too much processed food or sweets. You could survive on fruit and milk. You also love shredded cheese. Likes: The bounce house, the Y bike, you Boo dog, being held, running outside, swinging, sliding (you are pretty fearless), bouncing/jumping, reading, animals.Dislikes: meat (except for ground beef), when someone leaves the room (separation anxiety), diaper changesDevelopment: Talking, running, can find objects and bring them to a specific person, can repeat most words, can put two words together (all done, get down, more please), drawling lines and dots, can use a spoon and fork (it's pretty messy though!), throws a ball, helps around the house, loves to pick up things and straighten the rug, can tell you when she needs to go poopy (we are working on making it to the potty instead of the diaper), working on walking up stairs, can do down stairs on her tummy, names pictures in booksWords: Outside, yes, no, ball, doggie, pop pops, gigi (pronounced Gee Gee) mommy, daddy, allie, bo, boomer, sophie, riley, mac mac, fry fry, milk, sippy, down, up, vacuum, hot, bow bow, read, bess you (bless you) and lots more!Teeth: They are almost all in! Just waiting on a few more molars. Dare I say that teething has been a breeze! I'm glad you waited to start until you were 11 months!
Extra: You are still our little pistol. You throw some epic tantrums and I have lots of photos of you throwing a fit on the ground. Luckily, with your improvements in communication, you are throwing fewer major fits. You have strong personality and are determined. You have started running away from mommy but a quick time out and you learned your boundaries. I am proud of the strong determined girl you have become. You are so sweet and loving at times. You also let us know when you don't want to be messed with (we have to work on your hitting Holden). You are getting better at sharing but it is not your strong point. You are such a good helper around the house. You find things and put things away like a champ! Your facial expressions crack us up. You know exactly what you want. I'll read a book and you give me a definite no when it is time to move onto something else (same with food and singing songs). You can be super clingy, especially when you are tired. I still carry you a lot. I'm a little worried about your reaction when Shep gets here. You have just started wearing bows again and it makes this mama sooo happy. You are adorable in bows! You do a little dance when you run and it's pretty freaking cute. You like to climb and explore. You are a gift to your daddy and I!
Holden:
Nicknames: Holdy (that's what Emma Cate calls you)Weight: Not sure- Maybe around 26/27 lbsHeight: Not sure but a good 2-3 inches taller than Emma Cate.Hair: It hasn't really grown in length but it's very thick and still white blond. You have a little patch that sticks out from the back of your head. Eyes: Such a gorgeous blue!Clothes: You are in need of 2T. We pretty much skipped the 24 month clothes. I have ordered you a bunch of new things and can't wait for them to get here. You're growing like a weed and a lot of your longalls are too short.
Eating: You still like to shove food down! Your absolute favorite is mac and cheese but you will eat pretty much anything with the exception of veggies. I'm trying to get sneaky with those!Likes: Mama, Gigi (you CRY when she leaves and it is so sad- its like Geeeeee Geeeeeee, all drawn out), running, dancing (you LOVE to dance), watching tv (you don't sit still but you'll lay in weird spots for 3-4 minutes while watching and then change to a different spot), bath time, playing outside (collecting sticks, and rocks are your new favorite), riding in your car, pushing cars/trucks/trains around the house, airplanes, choo-choos, and type of truck or bus, going for walks (you like to walk yourself), reading books, waking up Sassy, finding Sassy, playing "Boo" (hiding), playing in the dog's water bowl, throwing food/cars/sippys/anything really.Dislikes: leaving Gigi, going to bed when you aren't tired, teething, time out (unfortunately you go there a lot), not getting out of your high chair fast enough when you are done eating. Development: Talking, running, can find objects and bring them to a specific person, drawling lines and dots, can use a spoon and fork (it's pretty messy though!), throws a ball, helps around the house, loves to make messes, destroy towers/blocks, dump dog dishes, can kick and throw a ball, working on walking up stairs, can do down stairs on his tummy, names pictures in books, flies an airplane, opens doors, likes to pick up heavy things, can sign more but often uses it for please. Words: Definitely a work in progress! The past month has been amazing to hear your vocabulary grow! You always say mama instead of mommy and you say it a LOT! Other words: Gigi, Pop-O, Allie, Bo, Sew-E (sophie), Bmer (boomer), ball, ahpane (airplane), up, down, truck, car, baby, Shasshy (Sassy- this is a favorite, you will run around looking for her screaming Shasshy!!!), bess you (bless you) and a bunch moreTeeth: You are missing a few and teething is NOT our friend!
Extra: You are my sweet little flirty boy. You know the rules and sometimes you choose to follow them and sometimes you don't. You are a grumpy little thing when you need a nap. You sit in time out at least once a day. You will walk over to the dog's water dish, give me a smile and then proceed to dump the water. You then head to time out on your own and take a seat. It drives me crazy that you know what you're doing is wrong but you do it anyway and take the consequence! You love all things transportation. You have made me stop and notice every airplane, fire truck, police car and ambulance. Even when I'm not with you and I hear a plane it always makes me think of you and miss you! You LOVE to throw and we have a "balls only" rule because your will hurl anything. Your poor sister ends up being the target sometimes and she does NOT like it. You give great kisses and hugs. You are quick to say sorry and give a hug when you hurt someone on accident. You love your sister so much and always wonder where she is when you don't see her. She isn't always receptive of your affection. You are so kind and sweet but can be so mischievous. It is so fun being your mommy and daddy. You are truly a gift to us!
Eating: You still like to shove food down! Your absolute favorite is mac and cheese but you will eat pretty much anything with the exception of veggies. I'm trying to get sneaky with those!Likes: Mama, Gigi (you CRY when she leaves and it is so sad- its like Geeeeee Geeeeeee, all drawn out), running, dancing (you LOVE to dance), watching tv (you don't sit still but you'll lay in weird spots for 3-4 minutes while watching and then change to a different spot), bath time, playing outside (collecting sticks, and rocks are your new favorite), riding in your car, pushing cars/trucks/trains around the house, airplanes, choo-choos, and type of truck or bus, going for walks (you like to walk yourself), reading books, waking up Sassy, finding Sassy, playing "Boo" (hiding), playing in the dog's water bowl, throwing food/cars/sippys/anything really.Dislikes: leaving Gigi, going to bed when you aren't tired, teething, time out (unfortunately you go there a lot), not getting out of your high chair fast enough when you are done eating. Development: Talking, running, can find objects and bring them to a specific person, drawling lines and dots, can use a spoon and fork (it's pretty messy though!), throws a ball, helps around the house, loves to make messes, destroy towers/blocks, dump dog dishes, can kick and throw a ball, working on walking up stairs, can do down stairs on his tummy, names pictures in books, flies an airplane, opens doors, likes to pick up heavy things, can sign more but often uses it for please. Words: Definitely a work in progress! The past month has been amazing to hear your vocabulary grow! You always say mama instead of mommy and you say it a LOT! Other words: Gigi, Pop-O, Allie, Bo, Sew-E (sophie), Bmer (boomer), ball, ahpane (airplane), up, down, truck, car, baby, Shasshy (Sassy- this is a favorite, you will run around looking for her screaming Shasshy!!!), bess you (bless you) and a bunch moreTeeth: You are missing a few and teething is NOT our friend!
Extra: You are my sweet little flirty boy. You know the rules and sometimes you choose to follow them and sometimes you don't. You are a grumpy little thing when you need a nap. You sit in time out at least once a day. You will walk over to the dog's water dish, give me a smile and then proceed to dump the water. You then head to time out on your own and take a seat. It drives me crazy that you know what you're doing is wrong but you do it anyway and take the consequence! You love all things transportation. You have made me stop and notice every airplane, fire truck, police car and ambulance. Even when I'm not with you and I hear a plane it always makes me think of you and miss you! You LOVE to throw and we have a "balls only" rule because your will hurl anything. Your poor sister ends up being the target sometimes and she does NOT like it. You give great kisses and hugs. You are quick to say sorry and give a hug when you hurt someone on accident. You love your sister so much and always wonder where she is when you don't see her. She isn't always receptive of your affection. You are so kind and sweet but can be so mischievous. It is so fun being your mommy and daddy. You are truly a gift to us!
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Outdoor Fun
We had a fun little Thursday and enjoyed the beautiful weather! I'm am so ready to box up all of the twins' corduroy in favor of springy gingham.
I've been trying to take the twins out to play when they get up from their nap. Our problem is that they don't wake up until 4:30 or 5 and then it gets too close to dinner time. I'm working on prepping dinner ahead so that we can play until 6 and come in and have dinner. In the pic above we were playing with the new bubbles the twins got for valentine's day. They LOVE bubbles and the way they say it is so cute. They chased the bubbles and laughed the whole time. It was so hard to blow bubbles and take pictures/film at the same time. Hopefully we'll have some good weekend weather and we can play bubbles again when Daddy is home.
They are also obsessed with running up and down the hill. Our yard still looks like fall because we haven't done yard work in forever.
I went to dinner with our neighborhood group (and stayed out way too late) and came home to find my husband wandering up our street. He was out wrangling deer. There were like 15 deer in our front yard and my animal loving hubby was afraid they were going to wander onto the main road so we went outside to heard them towards the back of the neighborhood. He has a very sweet heart but I still laugh out loud thinking about him chasing the deer through the neighbors yard.
Friday, February 21, 2014
SUYL- Infertility
It has been a while since I've linked up to talk about this topic. Infertility was such a huge part of our lives and even after 2 (almost 3) kids I still think about it all of the time. We have been through clomid, IUI's, Failed IVF fresh transfers, and IVF frozen transfers (all of our posts are tagged with keywords). We now have a set of 20 month old twins and a baby boy on the way due in April. I consider us so fortunate that we have this family. It wasn't easy getting to where we are today. I am still baffled when people tell me how *lucky* I am to have had boy/girl twins and how I need a hobby because we got pregnant with our third so close to the twins (he was a very planned frozen transfer btw!). If people only knew what went into bringing these children into our lives. I also know what it is like to have a IVF transfer fail. And I still feel a bit of sting when I think about our sweet baby boy that was transferred with another frozen embryo that didn't make it. My mind is always thinking about that last little frozen embryo we have sitting at the fertility clinic just waiting for us. I still feel a pang of envy for moms that have "surprise" pregnancies. That get to announce their pregnancy to their husband in a cute way instead of waiting on pins and needles for a beta test result number.
Infertility was devastating. I can still feel that pain of seeing a negative pregnancy test and thinking that I would never ever have a child. Infertility was pretty much the whole reason I got into this blogging world. I googled everything and found so much comfort in reading other's stories. I feel like God allowed us to suffer and grow through infertility in order to help others. Since going through the whole process myself, I've had several friends that have had to deal with this diagnosis. I don't want this to come out wrong because I would NEVER wish infertility on anyone but I am so thankful that I can help those who are navigating the tricky waters of infertility treatments. I am soooo happy for these mamas that have all come out on the other side. I am happy to be a sounding board, a person to text to talk about best ways to give a shot, to go through those the scary first beta test, and to pray that those numbers keep rising. Please email me (jayandanni at gmail dot com) if you have any questions about our journey or what its like to go through this process. I am so happy to help anyone that needs it. I made a very conscious decision to share this part of our life on my blog in hopes that someone who reads it would find it helpful.
Infertility was devastating. I can still feel that pain of seeing a negative pregnancy test and thinking that I would never ever have a child. Infertility was pretty much the whole reason I got into this blogging world. I googled everything and found so much comfort in reading other's stories. I feel like God allowed us to suffer and grow through infertility in order to help others. Since going through the whole process myself, I've had several friends that have had to deal with this diagnosis. I don't want this to come out wrong because I would NEVER wish infertility on anyone but I am so thankful that I can help those who are navigating the tricky waters of infertility treatments. I am soooo happy for these mamas that have all come out on the other side. I am happy to be a sounding board, a person to text to talk about best ways to give a shot, to go through those the scary first beta test, and to pray that those numbers keep rising. Please email me (jayandanni at gmail dot com) if you have any questions about our journey or what its like to go through this process. I am so happy to help anyone that needs it. I made a very conscious decision to share this part of our life on my blog in hopes that someone who reads it would find it helpful.
5 on Friday- Hospital Must Haves for Mama
I'm linking up again for 5 on Friday!
Considering that baby is due in 8 weeks I'm starting to think about my list of hospital must haves! Here are the things that I'll be bringing with me to deliver this sweet baby boy! These are just things for mama. I'll have to come up with another list of the items I brought for baby. These are in no particular order and are just fun things to have... not the necessities by ANY means!
1. Hospital Bags
Considering that baby is due in 8 weeks I'm starting to think about my list of hospital must haves! Here are the things that I'll be bringing with me to deliver this sweet baby boy! These are just things for mama. I'll have to come up with another list of the items I brought for baby. These are in no particular order and are just fun things to have... not the necessities by ANY means!
1. Hospital Bags
I decided that I wanted us all to have matching hospital bags when the twins were born. I ordered everyone their own Land's End canvas tote. I ordered the babies in the medium size and mine and Jay's in large. I just ordered Shep's and was so excited when it came in. These have been great to take on overnights, use as school bags, and just to tote things around! Right now they are offering 25% off!
2. Matching hospital gown/baby outfit
I ordered a delivery gown, nursing gown, and matching babies layette gowns from gownies.com. The delivery gown was great for the day after my c-section. It snaps down for nursing and made it easy for the doctor to check up on my c-section scar. It felt so much better than being in the hospital gowns and gave more coverage :) The nursing gown was super comfy and soft and I LOVED the cute matching baby gowns!
3. My own pillow and pillow case
I LOVED having my own pillow at the hospital. I ordered new cases for Jay and I to use while there. Most hospital pillows are white so people warned me against using my own cases off of my bed because they might get put in the hospital laundry on accident during bedding changes. We ordered cute gingham cases in pink for me and blue for him. I'm planning to do the same for Shep. I found these cute striped oxford shirting ones from Lands End. I can't decide if I'll like the feel of the material so I may order a few different ones and see what I like. The one's we ordered for the twins were from PBK.
4. Treats
I had some cookies made to welcome the twins arrival. We had lots of visitors stop by and all the nurses who cared for us grabbed a few cookies. The nurses truly make your hospital experience and giving them a sweet snack doesn't hurt ;) My nurses were so sweet and thankful and I'm planning on doing cookies again to welcome Shep. We also had little cups made and brought some champs to toast the new babies!
5. A 50mm f/1.4 fixed lens for your DSLR camera.
We took sooooo many pictures during our time in the hospital and I LOVED them. I got this lens shortly before the babies were here and it was perfect for capturing their first moments. It's super easy to use and very close up. It blurs the background perfectly and easily so anyone can use it. Here's the one I got.
5. Just a few of the more necessity items:
1. comfortable granny panties that you have no problem throwing away. trust me. don't cheap out or try to get cute looking ones... comfort is key.
2. Nursing tanks. I loved the ones from target. Pack a bunch because they will get soaked once your milk comes in. sorry for TMI.
3. Nursing pads. They had these at the hospital but I really liked the reusable ones. So much softer than the disposable kind.
4. Camera charger, computer, ipad, cords to connect camera to computer. Every few hours I would download the pictures from my camera to my computer and sync it with my picasa web albums. I did not want ANYTHING happening to those pictures!
5. Slippers and comfy socks. Due to my c-section, I did a lot of walking around the hospital to try and help my muscles feel better. Slippers were key! Find a good pair with a grippy bottom. The hospital provides socks but I wasn't a fan. I was all about being comfortable in my own stuff.
6. Make up, hair dryer, bath products from home. Call me high maintenance but I don't even use the shampoo in nice hotels. I prefer my purology to everything else. I love the smell and it made me feel so good to get all cleaned up after giving birth.
7. I kept my hands manicured regularly before giving birth but also brought some nail polish with me for touch ups in the hospital. I wanted pretty fingers in all the pictures that were taken of me holding the babies. I went with a very light pink (Essie Ballet Slipper).
8. Robes! I loved having robes to throw on over my nursing tanks. I found some great ones at JC Penny for cheap! They had this great waffle robe that I still use today. I just checked online but couldn't find it.
9. I went with Olian PJs for the twins delivery. They are soft and awesome but the tops are WAY to revealing. They were great for nursing at home afterwards but I'm not planning on bringing them to the hospital with me this time. I'm on the hunt for some men's style button down classic jammies that provide way more coverage. I've found some cute ones at victoria secret and brooks brothers.
10. Your blog or journal. I tried to blog everyday from the hospital while the babies were sleeping. Some of my posts are not coherent at all but I love rereading the emotions I felt that day. There are certain parts that I would have NEVER remembered had I not written them down. It was also a great place to share little stories that family told me about the birth from their perspective.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Philadelphia
The weather outside was pretty yucky when we got up on Saturday morning but we had plans to head into Philly for the day. The kids woke up and Pop Pops brought out the toys he had purchased for them. I seriously cannot imagine my Dad cruising the toy isle at Target! The blocks and the push toys were huge hits though.
We headed straight for Reading Terminal Market. If you are in Philly, you have got to eat here! It's hundreds of booths of delicious, non-chain food. It's crazy and busy but fun. The kids and I enjoyed gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. The kid's sandwich was called the "Little Shepherd"! How appropriate. I didn't take many pictures because we were trying to navigate the market and keep up with the babies! Everyone else enjoyed cheese steaks. We also got home delicious donuts to go. The line for the donuts was 30 minutes long!
We headed to the Please Touch Museum next. This place was amazing. The kids could have played for hours and hours. We were all exhausted when we left. They had so many fun exhibits. This is is MUST do if you are in the Philly area.
my kids find slides wherever they go.
This was an area that simulated nature and was marked off for kids 3 and under. They had it staffed and it was so nice not to worry about big kids trampling my babies. Holden loved this goose!
They loved the piano but didn't weigh enough to make it play so Gigi and Pop Pops had to help a little.
This area was set up like Goldilocks and the three bears. Emma Cate was trying out the littlest bed.
There was a beautiful solarium area with an indoor carousel. The babies had so much fun on their first carousel ride.
Daddy even hopped on with Emma Cate. She was in heaven!
They had an Alice in Wonderland maze set up and the babies loved the tea party room. Emma Cate and I sat and had tea for a while. Gigi bought her a tea set for Christmas but lost it before she was able to give it to her. It's definitely on the must find after we saw how much sweet girl enjoyed her tea party.
this was her smile face
this child has zero personality... zero
This was the main street exhibit. They had a little house set up. The babies loved sitting on the front porch and vacuuming in this area. What is with my kids and vacuuming. They certainly did not get that from their mother!
They LOVED the hospital area. Holden was pretty obsessed with the MRI machine. I thought they were sooo cute in their doctor scrubs. I am dying to get some dress up items soon to add to our collection.
Emma Cate headed to the nursery area of the hospital to rock the babies. Fingers crossed that she'll be a great big sister.
We were putting the babies in their cribs in the nursery and Emma Cate did prayer hands. We do this every night before bed and it is the sweetest thing. She also screams AAAAAA Men! When we're done praying.
Gigi was demonstrating how to feed the baby.
Holden kept trying to feed the belly button... we've got a few things to learn over the next 9 weeks!
She picked up the stethoscope and said Hey! We'll have to work on how to use our medical devices... :)
Listening to Gigi's heart
Holden loved the construction area. The wheel barrow was a little big for him but he kept trying to get it upright.
They had a huge kids grocery store and both babies loved shopping with their carts.
on a mission.
this picture makes me laugh. my little postmasters
They had a shoe store set up and as soon as we walked in, Holden took off his shoes and put his foot in here... a sign your mother may buy you too many pairs of shoes.
again, we turn everything into a slide.
driving the trolley in the transportation area.
mom, this monorail is not like disney.
showing off our gymnastics skills
So this is kind of funny to us. My Dad always talks about Wegman's. It's this grocery store up North and he is obsessed. They really do have everything. We went there for dinner and had a smorgasbord of sushi, mac and cheese, Chinese, prosciutto wrapped mozzarella, fruit, and salads.
They also had this giant gluten free section plus an organic section 5 times this size.
We came home and had dinner and the babies were off to bed. We had a great time watching the Olympics and hanging out with my mom and dad. We had a hard time finding pacis for bedtime that night (we had pacis EVERYWHERE, in bags, suitcases, etc.) and were worried about not having one for the train ride to the city the following morning. My dad also noticed that we were out of wipes. He is so funny and took pictures of the wipes I use and the pacis and headed to target to replenish our stash. He came home and asked me how long ago I had purchased the wipes because he couldn't find the 80 count that I had, only the 72 count. He is so funny like that. I would have never noticed the count! He also bought two sets of pacis, one for 6-18 months and one for 18-36 because he didn't know which ones the babies would prefer.
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