One Month...

My babies are one month old today.


Honestly, sometimes it feels like I've been taking care of twins forever. Then other times, it feels like just yesterday that we were making that unforgettable drive to the hospital.


My days are filled.


Filled with feedings, diaper changes and laundry.  (By the way, we go through a MINIMUM of 18 diapers a day....and I do a full load of just baby clothes every 2 days)


Sometimes I wonder how I manage to get anything extra done each day. Sometimes I really don't get anything done besides those feedings and diaper changes. 


Dinners are pretty much something that is thrown together. I'm getting better at starting something earlier in the day, so that at night I have something planned and basically ready.  Thank goodness for crock pots!


My two older boys have learned how to do many more things on their own.  They keep each other entertained. I try to give them attention during the babies naps. However, many times it is during these naps that I am FINALLY getting something done. 


Like a shower.


Or dishes.


Or laundry.


Or a nap...(I wish)


I've found that I need sleep. My kids are understanding this. Kaysen has noticed that I'm a bit grouchier after a rough night. So he tries to get Gage to stay quiet while I lay on the couch for a few minutes. Man that boy is a life saver.  I've said it before. I'll say it again. He was definitely meant to be my first born.  He is my biggest helper. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a kid like him to help me out.  He's awesome.


Thankfully...(knock on wood, cross my fingers and anything else that won't jinx what I'm about to say....) we've got the twins sleeping better at night.  Lately they have been going down around 8:30pm. Then they wake around 12:30am or so then again around 4:30am and once more at 7:00am. When one of them wake up, I'll hurry and feed that one and pray the other one continues to sleep while I'm feeding their sibling.  Then I lay the first one down and wake up the next one to feed. Total this usually takes just under an hour to feed, burp and change both of them together. I was feeding them both at the exact same time but Kynlee is a guzzler and needs burped about 10 times during each feeding. Her brother on the other hand is much more calm and just enjoys his meal. He rarely even needs burped.  So, its a bit hard to keep one of them attached and feeding when I'm constantly having to take the other one off to burp. So for now, seperate feedings, but basically at the same time are how I'm doing it.  I found it really isn't taking much longer than it does to feed them at the exact same time becasue  I can focus on just one of them and get it over with sooner.  Plus it gives me a little more one on one time with each baby.


I've found I don't like to leave the house quite as much...unless I'm going to be gone for a while.  Loading 4 kids into a car is a bit of a job....especially in cold weather.  Each morning I take Kaysen to school at 8:15, then pick him up at 11:40. Then we eat lunch and its time to take Gage to school at 1:15. Then I have to pick him up at 3:15.  So I hate loading all of them up, for that 5 minute drive to the school. But, I have to do it. So I do.  Well unless I'm right in the middle of a feeding. Then I have amazing family members around that are always willing to help out in some way. Luckily they all have kids to pick up too. Trying to get feedings and naps done at the right time takes quite a bit of planning. But sticking to that schedule is what keeps me sane.


I nursed Gage as a "demand feeding" type. If he acted hungry, I fed him. It obviously worked good for him. He's a big boy and he was such an easy baby and good sleeper.


I read a book on parenting. It is written by two doctors. One of which has triplets. They suggest feeding your babies every 2.5-3 hours. They say it will get them on a routine and sleeping through the night sooner. I decided to give it a try. Boy am I glad I did. When I tried the demand style feeding this time, I felt like that was all I was doing. It was wearing me down. Plus my babies would just snack and not get a full feeding in. They also were never hungry at the same time. They were waking every hour or so to feed at night. I was exhausted. Now though, they sleep 4 hours straight at night, and are almost always hungry at the same time, and I'm in heaven.

I'd be kidding everyone...especially myself if I said that this past month has been a piece of cake. Juggling two babies and two boys is demanding.  However, it hasn't been as bad as I feared.  There have been a couple days when Jerry has come home from work and I've definitely been near tears and a bit frazzled. Luckily, he's an amazing man and can see it and just steps in without being asked. 

This month has been hectic.

Yet it has been amazing too.

I really am learning new things already.

Like my kids can put toys where they want as long as they are put away nicely.

My house can be a bit cluttered and unorganized as long as I can see my floors, counters and have clean dishses I'm ok.

It's okay to ask for help. Especially when help is offered. I am not weak because I finally ask for help.

A shower is a heavenly thing. Especially when I can lock the door.

An afternoon walk alone is a brain saver and needs to be done more often.

Pillow talk doesn't happen before bed anymore. It happens at 1:00 in the morning. (I found that Jerry is actually more awake at this time and talks much more.) He makes those feedings go by so much faster, I laugh almost the whole time I'm up.

Being in a good mood really does depend on me.  If I wake up grouchy, that's how the rest of the day goes. If I slap a smile on my face (even if I'm pretending) then the day goes much smoother.

Most days I feel...Rushed. Crazy. Lost. Hectic. Tired. Snappy. Grouchy. Busy. Exhausted. Blessed.

Let's see what the next month brings...



p.s. Teagen rolls over from his belly to his back.  He doesn not like tummy time and will roll over within 30 seconds of being placed on his belly. He's small but strong.  Kynlee however likes her belly and just relaxes and almost falls asleep every time.