remer80, Author at How Do You Do It?

Double the Gear?

October 28, 2011remer80
Ask the Moms, Infantstwin gear17 Comments

I am writing this post for my brother who is expecting twins in the spring. The first trimester is finally over and everything is going well. One of the things I wanted to help him with, and I’m sure many other expecting and new parents of twins want to know, is what gear do you need two of, what can you get away with one of and what do you need differently. I found that when it came to gear there was very little I needed two of.

Yes, I needed two carseats, two cribs and two highchairs. I had b/g twins so I needed two sets of clothes. I also have two booster seats now that they are getting into the toddling years.

I still only needed one dresser, one changing table, one diaper pail and one rocker. I almost never got two of the same toy (so they had more variety instead). I still only had one diaper bag (just a really well organized one).

When it comes to the stroller though, I actually found that I needed one double stroller and one single (cheap) stroller. I did the single stroller for when I was running errands and only taking one baby in tow (made things a lot easier for me).

I had two bouncers but I wish I would have had one bouncer and one swing. I had two exersaucers but I wish I had one exersaucer and one walker.

What items did you find you needed two of, could get away with one of, or just needed something different?

Meredith is the Twin Momma of 18 month b/g twins.

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Introducing Your Twins

September 20, 2011remer80
Family, Routinesnames8 Comments

I’m always puzzled as to how to introduce my twins. I already consciously say “These are my twins…” because I try to head off that ever annoying question “are they twins?” but I’m always torn with which order to introduce them. Growing up my parents always introduced us in age order, oldest to youngest, and that made sense to me. Yes, I know one of my children was technically born first but only by a minute. Should that minute make such a difference? Then we could get into the gender issue but I’m not sure I’m clear on that. Should it be ladies first or like when you meet a couple it is usually the guy first?

Most of the time I end up saying “David and Elizabeth” because I like the way it flows better. Just when I think I’m comfortable with that order, then I have to sign a greeting card and I run into the same issue. I try to be random in the order I list them hoping that it works out to half the time naming Elizabeth first and the other half naming David first. I’m not sure I have even come close to making it 50/50.

Which order do you introduce your twins or sign their names on greeting cards? How did you decide that was going to be the order?

Meredith is a mother of b/g twins, age 17 months old.

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Making the Bed Transition

August 30, 2011remer80
Ask the Moms, Development, Overnight, Sleep, Toddlersadvice, bedtime, Toddlers, twins13 Comments

Hello, I’m Meredith and this is my first post on HDYDI. My twins, Elizabeth and David, are 16 months old. I consider myself quite the Twin Momma (capital TM) and have all the shirts and coffee mugs to show it off. When it comes to my kids though, I acknowledge I have two very different children that happen to have been born at the same time.

I am a major planner and the thing that has been on my mind lately is planning the kids’ transition out of the crib and into a bed. I know I am still a little early since they are only 16 months old but as I said, I am a planner. I struggle because I also need to separate their bedrooms. Part of it is that they are boy/girl but the bigger part is that the bedrooms are so small in our house, I do not think I can fit two twin size beds into one room.

The logistic side of me says when they are ready to leave the crib and move to a big bed just move their rooms then. I was thinking we take a weekend where the kids can stay at Grandma’s and my husband and I can play musical rooms. Then the kids can be totally surprised and excited about each having their own room with their own stuff and it will be lots of fun.

Then the motherly side of me kicked in. No longer in the safety of their crib, no longer in a room with their sibling, and poor David will be in a completely different room. I worry that it would be a huge shock to their little bodies and no one will sleep for months (I can’t go through that again!).

So far, the best thing I thought of is when the time comes, still take that weekend, play musical rooms but keep one crib in each room. That way each room will contain one twin size bed and one crib. My hope is that that will let them deal with the transition of being apart and get used to their new rooms while still having the comfort (and confinement) of their cribs. Let them be in that arrangement for a few weeks and then start to use the twin bed.

What did you do to transition your children from the crib to the big bed?
Did you separate their rooms?
How old were they when you made these transitions?

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