Author Archives: amy

Traditions: "The most wonderful time of the year…"

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I love this time of year- the cheesy music on the radio, the lights, the cold weather.  All of it!  Reese and Riley are nearly 16 months- not quite old enough to “get” Christmas or the holidays yet, but old enough to have fun digging into presents and loving family all around them.  I’ve been comparing pictures from last Christmas to now- MY what a difference a year makes!

Thinking of how much things change in a year has made me think about what holiday traditions I want to create for my girls starting next year.  Last year, I bought my nephew Elf on the Shelf. Have you heard of it?  It is so stinkin cute!  Read about the tradition here.  I think I want to do that with my girls next year.

What are YOUR Christmas or other holiday traditions with your kids??  I’d love to get some ideas! :)

Happy Holidays to you!!

Moms of Multiples Groups

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Confession: I’ve never had my 15 month old girls involved in any “organized groups.”  No weekly play groups, no Kindermusik, no multiple clubs.  Don’t get me wrong- they’re well socialized- we get together with friends all the time, have play dates, run errands, they attend “bible class” on Sundays, play at the park, at the mall, they accompany me when I’m volunteering… etc…   But I think my problem is, I have this silly fear of “organized groups” since I’ve had my twins!  It feels overwhelming.  For example, a specific play group in my town meets at a Play Place that does not allow strollers inside… well, dang it.  My girls aren’t walking yet, I can only carry 40 lbs for so long, and they certainly can’t crawl from the parking lot inside!  Overly dramatic, I know.. (Can you imagine though?!  ha ha!)  Just thinking about these situations makes me feel… all out of control or something.

But I’ve taken the leap, ladies, and I’m VERY excited (and wishing I did it sooner): I’ve joined my local Parents of Multiples group!  It’s amazing to have communities of other MoMs like here at HDYDI.  I also have a couple friends of friends that have twins that don’t even live in my town that I email back and forth.  But to be honest, I don’t really have any friends with multiples that live by me that I get together with.  I’m looking forward to building friendships with other moms that are in the same boat as me.  And… make me feel like I’m not crazy like I sometimes feel!   ha!  :)  I’m so glad I finally did it and really can’t believe I didn’t sooner.

Are you a part of your local Moms of Multiples Group?  What have you enjoyed about it?  I think support of other MoMs is so important.  If you haven’t joined, you should!  If I can, you can! :)

Amy is a former elementary school teacher, now stay at home mom to 15 month old g/g twins, Reese and Riley.  She resides in the great state of Texas (yee haw!), has recently become obsessed with Starbucks Carmel Brulee Lattes (you should try one!), tries to find humor in life with twins, and is overwhelmed with how she has been blessed.  Read more at Beyond Normalcy: Life With Twins.

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Happy Holidays from our family @ Beyond Normalcy to YOURS!

Just have to laugh.

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My girls are officially “babe-lers.”  That should be a word- I made it up. It means not quite babies anymore and not quite toddlers yet. You know, kind of like “tween” is a word for between kid and teen.  Ha! :)  They are almost 15 months and their personalities are blossoming, they’re into everything, and always exploring and giggling… and, y’all, I’m tired!  But LOVING this stage too.  I’ve found myself pulled in a million directions, which isn’t new, but I guess with the holidays and I’m in charge of organizing the annual Christmas Dinner at our church, things have been busier lately.  It’s made me a bit scatterbrained!  There’s never a dull moment (as you can relate to).

The other day we were at Target doing a bit of shopping including grocery shopping (which I despise for some reason—sometimes being at a fun store like Super Target makes it more bearable).  Recently Riley Grace has started crawling- my late little bloomer is doing a great job keeping right up with her sister now.  But to be honest, this put a kink in my “girls sitting in the basket at stores routine.”  Well really every routine! :)  I always have Reese in the front so she can be buckled in- quite necessary for that wiggle worm.  Riley will sit in the back usually content as can be.  Well yesterday, I was putting most of the groceries etc underneath the cart, but had a few things I was putting in the cart where Riley was sitting.  For some reason she decided that she didn’t want the pepperonis (that I bought to use in this amazingly delicious Pizza dip!) next to her.  Every two steps, she’d throw them out of the cart… again and again… and again… I couldn’t help but laugh then laugh at myself for putting them back next to her again and again- scatterbrained!  Shortly after I got a 6 Egg carton… I put it in the corner of the cart kind of behind the diaper bag to stay of her reach, and within 2 minutes, low and behold, that little curious “babe-ler” had indeed dumped the eggs out of that little carton while I wasn’t looking!  I gasped and said “Riley Grace!  We don’t play with eggs!”  Which made me laugh… then she picked one up and handed it to me real sweetly.  Oh my goodness.  What am I going to do with these girls?!  :) It wasn’t a big mess- only a couple cracked eggs- I’m so glad!  All the while, Reese was trying to reach back behind her in the cart and was taking everything she could out of the diaper bag- probably looking for a snack. ;)   The comedy of errors continued as I took a corner too fast, Riley fell over and the 6 pack of glass soda bottles slid out from under my cart and spilled and shattered all over the aisle.  Oops.  It didn’t end there… I was sweating at thing point-good thing all our outings aren’t this eventful!  I bee-lined to checkout and once I was ALL ringed up and bagged, I pulled out my wallet and realized all the good stuff (license, credit card…) were in my PURSE at HOME.  Oh my goodness.  Thankfully I had some cash, but I had to start taking groceries off my “bill” so I could pay- SO embarrassing!  Oh- and once I was home, I realized that my debit card was in my wallet- I could have used that… it was just in the wrong place so I didn’t see it… **Sigh** Can’t help but laugh!  :)

So, MoMs, here’s to less scatterbrained-ness and a stress free Thanksgiving week full of LAUGHTER and THANKS for our little ones and families.  How blessed we are to have our sweet kiddos!  Life certainly wouldn’t be as exciting without them!

Halloween for Preemies!

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Last year my baby girls celebrated their FIRST Halloween.  It was their very first holiday ,and y’all, we L-O-V-E holidays around here!  Initially I hadn’t planned anything fun or even a costume for my twins because they were due November 12.  I figured they’d come a little early, but September 4?!  I love Halloween- love fall weather, love the fall colors, the fall smells, the cutesy stuff (not so much the scary stuff), love the candy (of course), and I LOVE seeing the neighborhood kids (especially babies) all dressed up in their costumes!  As Halloween was approaching, I was SO pumped to dress my little baby dolls up. :) (They were both home by 10/30/08).  But I came across a problem… Riley was 3 pounds 11 oz and Reese was a bit over 4 pounds.  NO costume would fit them.  So I tried to be creative and came up with a genius (yet: mean?  weird? clever?) idea while at Petsmart buying dog food.  You know where this is going??  I strolled by precious costumes… tiny ones… both in the cat section and dog too.  Then I saw them.  And I had to have them.  Reese and Riley had to wear them.  Light pink teeny tiny cat tutus AND princess hats!!!!!  PREFECT size, perfect costume!  ha!  You might think it’s silly, ladies, but… if you’ve just had your babies and they’re tooooo tiny to fit in a costume,  I reccommed going to a pet store! :)  You’re sure to find a little something adorable- worked for us!   :)  See:

DSC00766(Princess hats not pictured)  10-31-08

This year we’re going the more “normal” route… buying from human stores since I’ve now got 20 + pounders.  I think they already love Halloween as much as me…. but their love for bows?  Not so much.

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This year for Halloween, they’re going to be CoWGiRlS!  We ARE in Texas, y’all!  Pics to come on my blog.

Ever had to get creative with your multiples’ costumes?!  I’d love to hear about it!

What if we didn't have multiples??

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 As women, I think we often get a bad case of the “Ifs” or “If onlys.” You know, like:

“If only my body looked like it did BEFORE I had my babies…” 

or

“If only I could keep my house perfect…” 

or

“If only I had time to work out… then I would (or ANY time for myself)!” etc, etc.

I think this kind of thinking can become such a toxin in our lives.  Affecting our roles as mommies/daddies, our relationship with our spouse, or even relationship with friends.

 And even though we LOVE LOVE LOVE our children/multiples with all our heart, at times as MoMs, don’t you find yourselves with the “Ifs/If onlys” in moments of overwhelming craziness?  Or find yourselves wishing for the ‘next stage?’ For example:

“If I had a singleton, then I wouldn’t be trying to change one diaper while the other twin has crawled over to use her drum sticks on the diaper changing victim’s head.  I wouldn’t have to veer another child off ALL while trying to keep the child I’m changing from rolling over before the new diaper is on…”     (That doesn’t only happen to ME, does it?!)

or

“If only my girls could WALK- or at least one of them, then I wouldn’t have to go to the trouble of parking by the basket return (hoping there ARE baskets still in it) at the store, so I can put them in and we can go on our merry shopping way…”

or

“If only I had a singleton- wouldn’t things be easier?  One bath at night, one baby to feed, one baby needing diaper changes, one baby crying when teething… sounds easier??… ;) ”

 I’m sure we’ve all found ourselves thinking these things- or something similar.  BUT wouldn’t it be wonderful to change our “If onlys” to “What ifs”?!  In moments when you’d like to pull your hair out- let’s face it- we all have them, or in moments of utter desperation for a second of peace and quiet or a NAP, change your “if onlys” to “what ifs!”  Don’t let the toxin take over- turn it around- count your blessings!

What if we didn’t have multiples?  I can’t help but think life would be a bit less exciting. :)  What if my girls were walking already?  I’d be even busier than I already am!  What if my girls didn’t have each other?  They wouldn’t be as laid back, able to entertain themselves so well, or have someone to giggle with ALL DAY long!   

Let’s challenge each other in this midst of this difficult job of being a Mom of Multiples, to turn our  frustrated “If onlys” into blessed”What ifs!”  :)

Nursing Pillows, How I Love Thee (For MANY Reasons)!

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When I was pregnant with my twins, I remember thinking (okay, maybe worrying in my control freak ways) about what in the heck I’d need TWO of??  Two carseats and two cribs were a given, but 2 swings or 1 (we quickly decided 2 after they were home)?  2 pack n plays or 1?  2 bouncers or 1?  2 nursing pillows or 1?  I think if I were to tell someone they need 2 of something (besides car seats and cribs!), it would have to be nursing pillows!  I have used our TWO Boppy Pillows (not pushing the brand- but it was what we happened to buy!) for an entire year plus for many reasons: 

Read on with me- as we walk down ‘The Many Uses of the Boppy Pillow Lane!’

*During and after the NICU stay, when I was able to attempt nursing, the boppy was my right hand man- or woman- or thing- whatever- you know what I mean!

*After realizing that nursing wasn’t going so well (that’s a whole other post), the boppy became a PERFECT incline to feed my babies their bottles.

*It soon helped me feed both girls at the same time- I came up with some GREAT set ups sometimes with one sometimes with both when they got bigger.  (Survival mode at that point- right moms?)

DSC00871hee hee!  This makes me laugh!

*It helped prop the girls up after eating which helped with their reflux.

*When the girls were a bit bigger (they started so tiny!), it was a great help with tummy time. 

*Once Reese and Riley started sitting, but were wobbly, the pillow was perfect to have behind them.  It certainly broke many falls!

DSC02805Whoa!  Riley in mid fall :)

* As they learned to hold their bottles, but had difficulty keeping their balance when tilting back, the Boppy was a perfect place to lay, bottle in hand!

* Still now (Reese and Riley are 1), when my sleepy girls first wake up in the morning, they love to lie on their pillows while they drink their milk from their sippy cup or bottle.

* AND my Reesey who LOVES to roll away, crawl away, or pull away while I’m changing her diaper, has a bit of harder time getting away when I lay her on the Boppy when I change her!  :)

* Oh ya!  AND my little dog has assumed them as her own personal dog beds for over a year.  

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* Do you have any other uses I’ve forgotten?!

 

I LOVE these things!  In my opinion, you MUST get 2 nursing pillows!

 Leave a comment telling the new mamas and mamas to be: 

In my opinion, you MUST get two (or three, or four… :) ) _____.

Confessions of a Twin Mommy

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* I love that I have twins.  Their relationship is starting to blossom- they hold hands, “talk” to each other all day, giggle at each other, and light up when the other one comes into the room.  I hope they always love each other this much!

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* Ummm… I had a glass of sangria at 2:24 PM last week (I’m not an alcoholic- promise- this is NOT a regular occurrence! :) ). 

* I made a HUGE mistake last week- HUGE.  I looked at our wedding pictures on our anniversary.  From 7 years ago.  When I wore a size ZERO.  Confession: I DON’T now…. Sigh…

* I’m not sure if I’m ready to be a parent to toddlers (they’re just now 1) that have logic to know right from wrong… then the difficult part of parenting comes when we must teach them right from wrong, set expectations, and be consistent… that’s scary.  That’s why I pray a lot and married a great guy that will help! 

* Before we load up and go out and about, I have to stop and think, “Am I really up for being smiley with strangers who want to ask me a million questions about my babies and stop me to stare at them?”  It’s sweet- it really is, but you know- when you’re in a hurry… uggggh!

* My dog licks my babies in the mouth. ( I try to stop her, I really do).  Yuck.

* The first time I left my babies over night in May, when they were 8 months old, I was a M-E-S-S.  I had no idea I’d be that way.  I wanted to literally bawl every time I thought about them.

* I go to Sonic Happy Hour at least once a week…  (Vanilla Coke = YUMMY!)

* I have 3-4 dang pounds of baby weight hanging on for dear life. (uhhh… see above.  That probably doesn’t help!)

* I have stretch marks on my… ahem… ReAr!  Nowhere else which is good, but I’m talkin’ claw marks- it’s ridiculous.  Ick!  (WHY does that have to happen anyway?!)

* I love my daughters more and more everyday.

owen8Reese and Riley are now ONE!

 

I feel better now- thanks for listening {reading}! 

It’s CoNfEsSiOn time, ladies………. :)

Ode to the (Dreaded) Grocery Store

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Oh grocery store, I’ve been thinking, and I despise you each week.

I might even consider you my “nemesis,” so to speak.

When my twins were smaller, it felt impossible to stop by

With TWO baby carriers in a cart- WHERE would my groceries lie?

For a while I tired pushing the Quattro Duo to stroll through

With bags hanging from handles, underneath, and on top of the babies too.

Not ideal to say the least, but it kinda worked for me in the past

But last week things changed, my friends…my wildest dreams surpassed!

After parking by the basket return, placing one in the seat, one in the back

I pushed the cart to the door and about had a heart attack.

Suddenly, it was leaping and jumping with joy and in awe

I squealed and giggled and could not believe what I saw.

There in front of my eyes was a cart that appeared

One with TWO front seats- they’ve never had those here!

I quickly began moving my girls over to the new find

They grinned as they were buckled in side by side.

Hallelujah!  Something that makes my shopping easier… I thought

Then reality sunk in and I was a tad bit distraught.

With twins in tow (“the ticking time bombs”), it’s a race against time.

Before they’re sleepy or hungry, and letting out a whine.

So the basket may be a blessing to me to some degree,

But grocery store, oh grocery store- you still drain ALL  my energy.

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Reese and Riley

*I usually try to do most of our grocery shopping on the weekends (without my girls :) ).  What about you?  How do you it?!  I’ve found the grocery store to be one of my biggest challenges!  

Different is Good

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The other day (well, when it wasn’t 152 DEGREES here in TX, so really a few months ago), the girls and I went on a walk and made a stop by the neighbor’s “Candy Stand.”  She is so stinkin’ cute- going into 1st grade and already coming up with business ideas (selling left over Halloween candy for 25 cents each- ha!)- smart girl.  :) I was chatting with Mabry and her mom about Reese and Riley when she asked if they were identical or fraternal twins.  I told her- fraternal, and Mabry said, “I know what fraternal means!  Similar but different.  I learned that on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody!”  Gotta love the Disney channel!  Ha!

 I love little Mabry’s definition because that is exactly what they are.  To some degree I think before having twins, I expected them to be “the same.”  It never crossed my mind that they’d be in different places in development.  But it certainly makes sense, and it’s becoming more and more evident that they really ARE different people!  Riley has always been a bit behind Reese, even in the womb (that’s why I had them early).  She’s not crawling or pulling up, but our OT and pedi say she has all the strength she needs… just not the motivation. :) So… I try not to worry (I am quite the worrier though, which is silly).  She does continue to surprise and amaze me when I take time to notice the strides- big and small.  (And- when I make sure I’m not comparing my baby girls). 

*Reese has 4 and 2 halves teeth, and Riley has none, BUT it hasn’t stopped her from eating “table food” like a champ!

*Reese has ‘snooted’ (as I like to call it!) baby food for several months now and only eats ‘table food.’  Riley used to dramatically gag on table food, BUT now eats so well and prefers it to baby food.  Just 3 days ago, she even began picking it up by herself rather than staring at me with her mouth wide open like a little bird. :)  YAY, Ri!

 *Reese started crawling at 9 months, while Riley was/is very content sitting and cheerfully watching, BUT she’s started rocking on her hands and knees!  Woo hoo!

*Reese has been pulling up for the past several weeks.  Riley says- NO thank you!  She doesn’t like to bear weight on her feet, BUT she DOES love to bounce on her feet.  (It’s hilarious actually!)

I never thought ahead to the fact that they might not be “the same,” but at the same time I love how they are so much their own person.   It makes me so proud of each of them- so proud of their giant strides, their small strides, and how far they’ve come this past year.  I love that I’m reminded to view my precious babies as individuals rather than “twins.”  You know, I think different is good!  I love that because they are different, Riley might not be doing exactly what Reese is, and that’s okay.  She’ll get there!  

What major differences in development with your multiples?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The First Year

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The past few days, I’ve been flooded with feelings… how do I describe it?  It’s excitement, but also a bit of shock or it might even be denial?!  You see my twins will be O-N-E in about a month.  Many of you have been there-(I loved Laura C’s post a few months ago about Birthday Emotions… I’m beginning to relate!) I can’t pinpoint the exact reason it’s so emotional for me- maybe because we have all survived a YEAR of craziness or because my precious tiny miracle babies are growing up!  It really hit me this last weekend when we went to the NICU reunion.  OH how I loved showing off my big, healthy baby girls, but it brought back a flood of emotions too. 

After a long road with infertility and IVF, we were elated to be pregnant and with TWINS- we had no idea what was in store for us!  :)  I had a normal pregnancy and never would have guessed I would have had them so early.  On September 4, 2008, I went to my scheduled perinatologist appointment.  The doctor told me/showed me that Twin B (Riley)’s blood flow was not sufficient through the umbilical cord for some reason.  She was suddenly significantly smaller than Twin A (Reese) which had never been the case before, so the dr wanted the girls and me hooked to heart monitors… to be monitored.  The nurse brought me to another room, hooked me up and just left me there.  Everything was kind of in slow motion, but I just kept thinking it would all be okay.  All I could really think about was that I hadn’t eaten and was STARVING.  While watching the print out of my babies’ heartbeats and dreaming about Chick-Fil-A, I noticed the bottom line (Riley) dropping really low.  Not good.   I suddenly realized the extent on this little “problem” when my OB walked in.  When your perinatologist calls your OB from a different office building completely, you KNOW something’s up.  Dr. H was so sweet, cool, and calm as she explained to me that it would be better for the girls if they came into the world for care due to Riley’s dipping heart rate.  And since I was only 30 weeks, we needed to deliver at a hospital with a Level 3 NICU, which meant she could not do the Emergency C-Section and I could not deliver at my hospital.  WHAT?!  Not a moment you want to experience and especially not alone! My hubby came to pick me up and bring me to the hospital.  We were so scared.

 

We got checked in (after asking directions to this unknown hospital) and I was given a steroid shot for my twins’ lung development.  We learned that with every contraction I was having (I think they were just Braxton Hicks??), Riley would get MAD and her heart rate would drop.  They gave me a shot to stop the contractions, but no such luck.  Within two hours and only 1 steroid shot in my system , Dr. Owens, whom I met minutes before, said it was time to get the girls out… at 30 weeks and 1 day.  Due to my Harrington Rods (surgery to correct scoliosis in 1995), the anesthesiologist attempted an epidural SIX places, but had no luck (QUITE painful the next day), so I was knocked out while my hubby waited outside.  Reese Abigail was born at 5:29 PM weighing 3 lbs and Riley Grace was born at 5:30 PM weighing 2 lbs 3 oz.  

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Reese when she was 3 days old

DSCF1231Riley when she was 3 days old

The NICU was amazing- the nurses were so kind, reassuring, and knowledgeable.  The doctors were amazing as well.  By the grace of God, my babies were not born with any health issues.  They had to learn to breathe outside the womb and stayed awhile in order to learn and master the “suck, swallow, breathe” reflex- eating and breathing are quite important!  So after many tears from mommy and daddy (it’s scary to see your babies so small and sad to leave them each night), bacterial infections, staph infections, blood transfusions, Riley (who was named the “feisty one”) pulling out her feeding tube at least twice a day, jaundice, weight gains and losses, and finally mastering feeding after 38 days for Reese and 55 for Riley, we were finally home with our angels: Reese 4 lbs 9 oz, Riley 3 lbs 11 oz.  I couldn’t believe that we were allowed to take them home! :)  I have to admit we were terrified.  

They’ve come a long way this year (and so have we… we kinda know what we’re doing now) and it was a joy to see those nurses and dr at the NICU Reunion, so they could see with their own eyes- the fruits of their labor!   I will never forget September 4, 2008, Reese and Riley’s birth day, as “blurry” as it feels.  It was the day my life changed forever- for the better.  As a year is approaching, I’m so thankful, have fallen more and more in love with my husband watching him with his girls, and my heart melts daily when Reese and Riley’s eyes light up when they see ME, their mama.  Their first birthday will be a CELEBRATION of how far they have come and what little miracles they are!  I guess that’s why I have been so emotional… it’s thanksgiving.  Overwhelming thanksgiving.  

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Reese when she was 309 days old (She now weighs 18 lbs)

DSC03072Riley when she was 309 days old (She now weighs 16 1/2 lbs)