Extended Breastfeeding and Weaning Twin Toddlers

Well, I think we have reached another milestone.  My baby boys are weaned.  Okay, they are definitely not babies anymore but rather jib-jabby, getting-into-everything toddlers.  Nonetheless there is so much finality to being done breastfeeding this duo.  It definitely pulls at this mama's heartstrings.

We have been ever so gradually heading this direction for the last few months.  I have previously written about how learning to breastfeed twin newborns was very difficult.  We were blessed to finally establish a great breastfeeding relationship and once I stopped working and started staying at home with the boys full time, they quickly fell into a pattern of nursing four times a day--after awakening in the morning, after their morning nap, after their afternoon nap and before bed.  At thirteen months there were absolutely no signs of the boys losing interest in breastfeeding despite what so many people said would happen.  I dropped the after morning nap session and the transition was pretty smooth.  Winston is such a creature of routine that he got frustrated but after the second day was totally fine.  At fifteen months I dropped the after the afternoon nap nursing session and again it was a smooth transition.  At sixteen months I dropped the before bed session and was pleased that the boys had no trouble with going down to bed without it. They seriously did not care.  So that left us with only the first thing in the morning session.

I have not discussed it on the blog but I have not been feeling well the last several months. I have had quite a few blood tests and  might have been fighting a recent Epstein-Barr virus (mononucleosis) infection.  I was also diagnosed with chronic tonsillitis. I have not had a great immune system for most of my life.  I already knew that I had adrenal deficiency and a weaker immune system may just be part of my disposition. When the boys were about nine months old I finally hit the wall again and was just in survival mode for the next six months.  Which aren't all new parents of twins already in survival mode? I have been on antibiotics three times in the last eight months which was really abnormal.  My primary care doc is very pro-breast feeding but was concerned that it was draining my body and also trying to figure out a treatment plan that would not affect the boys through my milk supply.  It came down to feeling that that boys would benefit more from a healthy and active mama as opposed to a lethargic, grumpy one that was still managing to breastfeed them.

Yet I was not feeling ready.  I tried last month to go cold turkey and I made it a week.  I did not feel at peace with it and Winston was acting out.  I talked the talk like I was committed to weaning them but my heart was not there. I would go into the boys' room in the mornings with their sippy cups but Winston very clearly wanted something else.  Then I just realized that I am their mama and I had to do what worked for them and me...no outside input needed.  I decided to still bring in the sippy cups and let them drink from that before I offered to nurse them.  Winston was automatically interested again and Abraham was interested because his brother was.  Then in a matter of a couple weeks the boys started communicating so much better. Please, thank you, thirsty, drink, cup, etc. became normal everyday words.  I was physically feeling better and therefore I believe emotionally more ready for them to be done nursing.  I stuck to the "don't offer, don't refuse" principle.  Winston was starting to go several days without asking and then would ask again. The big difference this time was that Abraham did not care anymore that his brother was nursing.  I think he is on day twelve of not having nursed so I think he is completely done.  I think Winston's issue is more of emotional security. He needs lot of lap time and snuggling in the morning.  He is just a slow to wake type person and I am learning that if he can just sit with me for a while he drinks from his cup then he is a content little guy.  I believe Winston is on day five or six so I think he is done. He has even seen the "Magical Pillow that Feeds" and has not asked to nurse.   To be honest, it was getting a little difficult to try to still tandem nurse them. They are just getting so big!

One of my favorite cell phone pics-- Winston (left) and Abraham when they were eight months old.  When they were really tired before bed, they would crash right there on their nursing pillow. 

We are done with another aspect of babyhood.  I am so thankful that we made it past a year and were able to do some extended breastfeeding.  It was good for my boys' immune system and it had the added benefit of decreasing my chance of breast cancer. And seriously, seventeen months?  That is a pretty awesome breastfeeding career for twins.  I feel really accomplished in that.

To any expecting mama of twins, yes, you can breastfeed.  It may not be easy but I can tell you it is definitely worth it.

Fourteen Months!

Yeah, I am still here.  The boys turned fourteen months on the tenth of this month and I had a great post written and then Blogger would not actually publish it.  My draft would not even save and I took Eric's well meaning advice to refresh the page and lost everything.   I should have copied the body of the post into a Word document.  What can I say?  Lesson learned. It had already been a tough week with both boys having colds as well as teething and I was really unmotivated to write it all again.  Then it was Mother's Day and our little dog Scooter disappeared.  Thankfully Scooter was returned the next morning but the week was just one thing after another.  Abraham was super irritable and I brought him into the pediatrician and, sure enough, he had a double ear infection.  Suzie got into some human food and was up all night with tummy pain.  I stayed up with her since Eric had to go to work in the morning and I tweaked my neck really bad because every time she would jerk her body I would quickly sit up.  My house is a disaster.  It is a total clutter box right now but I want to get some of this written down again before it blends into next month's post. 

My sweet boy-- Winston (left) and Abraham

They tend to goof off when I want to take a picture of them. 

So all that to say, the little guys turned fourteen months.  I have recently done some updates about how they are becoming big boys and the milestones we have reached.  I was reflecting upon Mother's Day last year.  The boys were so teeny tiny then and Mother's Day has passed by once again.  I knew last year that I was a mother.  I had carried those babies, delivered them, nursed them and loved them fiercely.  But now I actually feel like a mother. Being a mother is a core part of my identity.  Everyday I am nurturing, educating, correcting and molding them into the little people that they will become.  That is a heavy responsibility but it is also a complete joy. 

Often I write about the boys' changes and progress for the month and then write individual items about each of them.  The big thing I am noticing in the boys' is their strong desire for independence.  They want to do things all by themselves even if it is not really something they can do so.  I have had several people comment to me how they are incredibly independent for twins.  They enjoy one another and play with one another but at the same time they like doing their own thing.  They do not tend to look for one another if they are separated in public and are content being on their own.  I do not normally feed the boys food with a spoon but at breakfast I was making oatmeal for them.  Winston was so irritable at breakfast lately and I figured out that he was frustrated that he was not feeding himself.  I gave him a spoon to hold and try to use and he was happy again.  No more oatmeal though because it is not worth the frustration on either end.  

"Hey, whatcha got?"

The boys love each other, wrestling, making each other giggle and enjoy playing with one another.  At the same time the sibling rivalry thing is really starting to show. They take toys away from one another, fight over things and sometimes slap and tackle one another.  I feel like a referee and trying to be consistent in correcting them each time is exhausting. 

Abraham's classic mischievous grin.

Winston is always finding something to put in his mouth.  Yikes!

One thing that is hard about this age is that the boys are getting so independent but they cannot adequately communicate what they want or need.  This makes them frustrated and they whine.  The whining, oh the whining.  It seriously drives me crazy at times.  It has gotten better again but when the boys were sick it was really hard for me to continuously be patient and not snap at them.  Then the boys go to bed, I get a couple hours of quiet and some adult conversation with Eric and then I start missing them.  I miss them like crazy.  Sometimes we want to wake them up but then our sanity comes back to us.  Ahhh, parenthood.

Yay, papa's home!

The boys have gained some new words.  I have been using cookies as a reward for good behavior and the boys call them 'tooties.'  They can identify apples and call them 'ap-holes.' That last one is a little dangerous, huh? Winston calls both dogs 'Suza.'  They will both shake their head and say 'mm-mmm' as if to say no but I don't think they understand what it means.  They say no but the answer is actually yes quite often.  They started asking for Eric when he was gone at work.  They do the signs for 'milk' and 'all done.'  In general they have really started trying to mimic everything we say and it is so much fun interacting with them. 

Smiling at their papa.

Abraham is our talker.  He talks up a storm.  Winston is also a talker but he is more our singer.  Winston loves to sing himself and he will dance to music.  Seriously, these kids just kill us with their cuteness at times. 

We are doing some early potty training and in general Abraham will go on the toilet about once a day. Winston is a little slower to take to it but he has gone on the toilet about five or six times now. The thing we are working on is just them communicating their need to go.  They can give some clear signals so I just praise them when they do it and they go on the toilet successfully.   I am using a more traditional timing method over all and just trying to be consistent with it.  It is super casual and I am not stressing that they have to go in the toilet because I do not want them to dread that time they do sit on the toilet.  The boys are still nursing and do not seem ready to wean just yet.  I dropped a feeding during the day and it was pretty painless. They were frustrated the first two days because they were so used to the routine but were fine once they were given their sippy cups.  We use a juicer to make them apple or carrot juice and they love it. We typically dilute the juice with a lot of water and the good news is that they do not mind drinking water now.  They also drink coconut milk but Winston seems to like it better than Abraham.

We are still on two naps a day.  The boys are sleeping about 10-12 hours a night.  They were sleeping in until 7 a.m. making for a full twelve hours but they have been waking up earlier again.  With it being daylight longer they have not been going to bed until about 8 p.m.  I wish my kids were the type that if they stayed up later that they would sleep in later. 

This is real life.

 

 

A&W are not walking yet and it is still a neck and neck race to see who will be the first to do so.  The boys can balance well and stand for a while before they slowly squat and lower themselves to the ground.  They have taken to their little toy walkers and like to walk around the house with those.  I think they like it because they do not need to hold our hands and can do it all by themselves. 

Abraham and Winston, you are awesome little boys and we love you so much.  You make our hearts smile everyday with your playful and sweet personalities. 

Allergic Reaction

Yesterday morning was quite eventful for our family.  The boys had their first allergic reaction.  God was gracious keeping them safe and keeping me calm.  The boys have been doing so well with eating table food and feeding themselves. They love eating whole grain bread and I decided to spread a little peanut butter on it.  They were eating it up and making their "num num" sounds indicating that they liked it.  They ate the first couple cubes so I gave them some more.  Winston started whining and rubbed his eyes and started pulling on his ears.  I thought it was his standard sleepiness signals since they eat breakfast shortly before their morning nap.  I realized that he was getting a red ring around his mouth.  He was developing hives in the blink of an eye.  I pulled the trays off the high chairs and pulled Winston out of his high chair first since he was not looking good.  I quickly washed Winston's face and hands since everywhere he had touched his face was turning red and puffy.  He was breathing fine but was irritable.  I was mentally preparing myself to call 911 if his breathing became labored or wheezy.  Abraham was completely unfazed.  He had some minor redness around his mouth and a few hives on his face but was looking a lot better than Winston.  I called Eric at work and thank God he picked up right away.  I explained what was happening and that I had no Benadryl in the house.  Eric left work right away and got children's Benadryl for me.  While I was waiting I had the boys on the floor playing.  I started nursing Winston because my thought was that if he was having trouble breathing then he would not be able to nurse.  He was nursing just fine so I knew he could breathe through his nose okay.  Then I nursed Abraham who was still acting like nothing was wrong despite his red face.  I got both boys into the bath tub to rinse off any peanut residual.  At that point Eric got home with the Benadryl and we began discussing dosage since it was not for infants.  I had tried calling my pediatrician several times at this point and had no success even getting the answering service.  I called the hospital where the boys were born and asked to speak to a nurse in the pediatric unit.  I explained what was happening and they connected me to the pediatrician on call who is an associate of our regular pediatrician.  The doctor was fabulous and made sure about the concentration of the Benadryl we had bought and gave us a dosage to use.  She reassured me that it was prefectly acceptable to let them try the peanut butter and that I did not do something wrong.  She was going to leave a message with our regular pediatrician and that he would refer us to an allergist. The boys were happily splashing in the tub at this point and I knew they were going to be okay.  The boys got their Benadryl and took some good naps yesterday.  Winston had the stronger reaction so he actually took three naps and I had to wake him up for dinner.  They look great today and are acting like nothing ever happened. 

 This is Winston about 4 hours after his reaction.  His face was looking a lot

better here but his whole body had a rash. 

I LOVE peanut butter and eat it all the time. I have continued nursing the boys and they never developed eczema which can be a tell tale sign to being allergic to something within my diet. Neither Eric nor I have a family history of food allergies.  Eric has some problems with lactose but nothing severe like what happened yesterday.  The boys love peas and pinto beans which are also in the legume family like peanuts and have had no problems with eating them.  I actually made sure before I let them try the peanut butter that I was not doing something against the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations.  I read how in countries like Israel where infants are exposed to peanuts there is a lower prevalence of peanut allergies than in countries where it is advised against until later in toddlerhood. The abstract is here.  So all that to say I was not being flippant or taking an unnecesary risk in giving it to the boys.

I am humbled as a mother.  I did everything "right" yet this still happened.  I will confess that at times when I hear about kids having severe food allergies that I have wondered if they were not breastfed or if they were introduced to solids too soon.  I am a jerk like that sometimes.  God has used this to again show me of His sovereignty and that my children truly rest in His hands.  I can try to control everything but ultimately things like food allergies are out of my hands.

My husband actually wrapped up two jars of all natural peanut butter for me for Christmas because I love it so much.  Costco had discontinued their organic peanut butter several months ago and they finally got an all natural version in shortly before Christmas and Eric knew I was so excited about it. I now have several jars of peanut butter to get out of my pantry.  I ate oatmeal for breakfast instead of peanut butter toast.  It's going to be a process for me to get it out of my diet and to be vigilant about reading labels for the boys.  I am going to eliminate tree nuts as well until we know what we are dealing with.  I am telling myself to take it one day at a time and that this will again become our new normal. 

My three men.  I love them more than life.

Breastfeeding: The Generational Divide

As the title infers, this post is going to be about breastfeeding.  If you don't care about that then you should stop reading...





...but if you're still here then it may be of interest to you because you're a mom or there is woman in your life that is breastfeeding.  I always wanted to breastfeed.  I can't really explain it but it was an important aspect of motherhood for me.  When I found out we were having twins I knew there would be an even greater challenge in breastfeeding two babies.  I met a MoM when I was pregnant that told me that she breastfed for 3.5 months before quitting.  It became too hard when she went back to work.  I remember thinking at the time, "Really, that's it? That is not very long." Now that I have been through the gauntlet of breastfeeding newborn twins myself, I understand what a challenge getting to 3.5 months really is.  I admire any woman for attempting to nurse their twins, triplets and beyond.  It can be so tough emotionally and physically.  I cried many, many times out of the frustration of bad latches and having lazy eaters.  I would watch the clock as I was in agonizing pain hoping that they were getting what they needed and trying to last as long as I could.  I was very dependent on my pump for the first three months.  My supply was not quite enough and I had to supplement.  I wondered if I should quit for my own mental and emotional health.  Ultimately my babies needed a happy and healthy mom and I wasn't sure if I was putting the idea of breastfeeding on a pedestal and making it an idol of my heart.

I trudged on however and when I went back to work pumped three times a day, every break and lunch hour, to keep my supply up.  Each month went by and it got better.  Now we have reached eight months and are going strong.  I have no immediate intent to wean the boys.  I think they will let me know as the time comes.  Nursing frequency will naturally taper off with increased solids and table food.  Eventually I will probably do the "don't ask, don't refuse" method and let the boys wean themselves. 

What I have found in the last months is that there is a generational divide when it comes to breastfeeding.  Just from personal experience, a lot of women that have not had children within the last 15-20 years are a lot more ambivalent towards breastfeeding.  Sometimes it is more than just mere ambivalence and they can act threatened that you are making a different choice than they did.  I grew up with the knowledge that breast was best when it came to the health of baby and the mother.  Women that are my grandmothers' age never even considered breastfeeding.  According to my dad's mom, there was the well-touted Similac and each expectant mom bought eight glass bottles with a metal ring holder to daily sanitize.  My grandma was not anti-breastfeeding when it came to me and my boys but I could tell she didn't get it; she had no personal experience to look back on.  My mom personally breastfed me and my brother so I had a really positive association with it.  Unfortunately my mom was not around to help encourage me in the early months with the boys because she lives in another state.  I am blessed that Eric was there for me every step of the way, if he had not I would have given up. It was and can be discouraging when older women, who in my mind should be encouraging younger women in this natural aspect of child rearing, make comments like, "Oh, you're still breastfeeding?"  Whereas younger women say it in a positive way, "You're still breastfeeding? That's awesome!" And I am not even going into the hot topic debate of nursing in public, nursing covers vs. no nursing covers, state laws, etc. 

I feel grateful that I can breastfeed my babies.  It is something I can do for them that no else can.  I enjoy the bonding that it provides.  I like knowing that I can provide the best nutrition available for them.  In saying that, I am not pushing my personal decisions on anybody.  Many women choose for a variety of reasons not to breastfeed or are not physically able to.  That is what formula is for.  Heck, I used formula to supplement.  Yay for formula!  I am simply trying to say that it is a blessing that I got this far and I feel grateful for each day I get to have a successful breastfeeding relationship with my children because it was and continues to be really important to me. 

For many women this is old info but here is why breastfeeding is the preferred nutrition for the first six months of a child's life:

• Breastfeeding saves a lot of money.  We have saved over a thousand dollars in the last eight months.  The only cost to me was my pump because I work full time. 
• The cells, hormones, and antibodies in breast milk protect babies from sickness. Formula-fed babies have higher rates of ear infection and diarrhea. Formula-fed babies also have higher risks of:
• Necrotizing enterocolitis, a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in preterm infants.
• Lower respiratory infections
• Asthma
• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Some research shows that breastfeeding can also reduce the risk of Type 1 diabetes, childhood leukemia, and atopic dermatitis in babies. Breastfeeding has also been shown to lower the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
• Breastfeeding can be good for the mother’s health too. Breastfeeding is linked to a lower risk of these health problems in women:
• Type 2 diabetes
• Breast cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Postpartum depression
• Studies show that breastfeeding mothers lose post-partum weight more quickly than women who formula feed.
• Breastfeeding releases oxytocin, the 'love hormone' that increases a sense of well-being for the mother and helps her bond with baby. 
• Breasfeeding can be vital in an emergency where water may be contaminated. It is always available in its self-renewing source. It is always the perfect temperature and can protect against hypothermia.  We take that for granted in the U.S. but breastfeeding is a life line to many babies whose mothers do not have access to clean drinking water or adequate shelter. 
• Breastfeeding benefits society.  Breastfed babies are sick less meaning their parents miss less days from work and are more productive. Medical costs are lower for babies that are breastfed.

There are so many more emotional benefits as well.  It's important to realize that our American idea of weaning is very different than world wide norms.  The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of two years.  So with that thought I will be giving my kids 'first breakfast' tomorrow morning around 6 a.m. and will be pumping for them at work tomorrow.  I took it one day at a time and am so happy we got this far. 

Random Friday

Happy Friday everyone!

The jumble in my head:

-This week has been really long and I am glad it is almost over. Eric started his new job (yay!) but it also meant extra early wake ups and a shift in the routine for the whole family again. It always takes a little while to get acclimated.

-Our friend Caitlyn has started watching the boys three days a week. We are bringing the boys to her house and I was nervous about them being in a new environment and being difficult but so far so good (thank you Jesus).

-Yesterday I got one of those “You look tired” comments. Yeah, one of those. Doesn’t that make a girl feel grand?

-Fall is really here. Last week it was gloomy and we had our first snow in the valley. I was not ready for that at all. This week has been bee-you-ti-ful however. All the leaves are changing color and I love, love, love it.

-Apparently Downton Abbey Season Two has premiered in the UK but won’t be showing here until January which means it’s going to be a long time until I actually get to see it (we don’t have cable).

-The boys are “talking” up a storm. They are using their real voices (instead of the coos) and are running through the sounds they have learned to make. Abraham will repeat ‘da-da-da’ but does not associate it with Eric. Winston is still the ‘ma-ma-ma’ maker but does not associate it with me. They can also make the ba, ra, na and ga sounds. Who knows how long it will be until they start saying real words.

-I think my kids have fat feet. I was given the cutest 6-12 month shoes and I cannot get the boys’ feet in them. In theory they look long and wide enough but the height (fatness?) cannot be crammed in there. I just bought them 12-24 month socks. I have a hard enough time getting them to keep socks on nonetheless shoes. I am thinking if I bought them shoes right now they would need a 4 or 5 to accommodate the girth of their feet. Isn’t that big for how old they are? And that is not a rhetorical question; I am really wondering about that.

-I am totally thinking about a Thanksgiving dinner menu (because we’re hosting this year) as well as Christmas card photos. I am so excited for the boys’ first Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

-We are planning (Lord willing) on going to So Cal for Christmas. I have been home sick the last several months and want A&W to meet my extended family as well as friends.

-There was an incredible potluck hosted by the Bureau of Waste Management this past week. There was pumpkin cheesecake. Enough said. I am telling myself I will get back on the band wagon with healthier eating again.

-I forgot some parts for my pump today. I normally keep spare parts handy for that exact reason but I had used them recently and, of course, had failed to bring them back. This meant a frenzied run to Target on my lunch break. Breastfeeding is a labor of love. Breastfeeding and having to pump because I work full time? Labor of love plus a little insanity thrown in there for good measure.

-My family (mom, stepdad and brother) is coming in tomorrow. My house is a disaster and I am trying to get myself motivated to power clean once I am home. The laundry monster never seems to be one I can slay. I cut it down but then it comes back for more.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Six Months!

Our little Abraham and Winston are hitting the half year mark tomorrow.  A&W get to celebrate by going to their Uncle Adam's wedding.  That is why I am actually early with my monthly post for once.  Fun fact: One September 9, 2010, we found out we were expecting twins!  And here we are September 9, 2011, and our little boys have been with us for nearly six months already.  That first OB appointment gave us some very unexpected news but I see where we are now, as a family of four, and I could not imagine it any other way.  Having multiples has been the most stressful and sanctifying experience of our lives but at this point the joy has surpassed all of that by leaps and bounds.

Hey, who are you?  (Winston, left; Abraham right)

Our 'Thing One' and 'Thing Two.' (Abraham, left; Winston, right.)

Our little men are becoming more expressive and are finally taking notice of one another.  They look at one another and touch each other's faces and smile.  They notice our little dogs now and watch their movements with curiousity.  They notice when mama or papa leave or enter a room.  In general, a lot more aware of their environment and the people in it.

Playing nicely together. (Winston in the green, Abraham in the blue).

Winston shows off his bouncing skills.

Abraham shows how intense concentration and
vigorous hitting will make his toy play music. 

They love to be outside and do really well in the stroller while taking walks.  They added some length to their legs and now love the jumper and the exersaucer.  The only problem now is that they both want the jumper a.k.a. "bouncy bounce" and start crying when they see the other baby using it.  They like using their toys and grasp for things really well.  They are beginning to hold their bottles. They still enjoy playing on the flloor but we have to watch out because they will roll or scooch away.  They are gaining more strength in their core but are not ready to sit up.  They are pretty top heavy so they need to lean on something in order to stay upright. 

They are still in size 3 diapers and are mostly in 6-9 month clothing.  I think their weight gain may have plateaued a bit because they look longer and leaner.  They will get weighed next week at their six month well baby appointment. The boys go down for bed at 7:30 and will sleep anywhere from 7-10 hours before waking up to eat again.  This means we get some full nights of sleep but the last week has been a bit more spotty because suspected teething.  The boys have been wearing their Baltic amber teething necklace for about 3 weeks and we noticed a substantial difference within a couple days.  They drooled less, stopped chewing on things as much and cut way back on the meds.  Now Abraham looks really close to cutting a tooth (inflamed and hard bump on his lower gum) and we have been medicating again.  Who knows though, it could be another month before it pokes through.  They both suck their fingers or thumbs for self soothing but we try to limit it to bed time. The boys are still nursing and only take formula at most for one feeding a day.  We have only progressed to rice cereal in their bottles but now that they are six months will probably start with more solids. They both do this cute thing where they cover their eyes with their hands when they are eating and ready to go to sleep. 

Abraham loves his feet and hands.  He holds his feet above him or he clasps his hands and studies them.  He is more flirty and is pretty easy to give a smile.  He has a temper, no joke.  Both babies will cry if they want to or don't want to do something because, well, they're babies. But little A brings it to a whole new level.  The child looks you right in the eye, takes a deep breath and starts to scream at the highest pitch imaginable without a single tear in his eye.  Sigh.  Trying to work with him on that one.  He makes up for it however by giving the best little hugs after he clasps his hands around our necks.  He gives this hard squeeze while burying his head on our chests.  Abraham is also getting to be a little wiggle worm and starts doing flexes and head bobs when he is eating.

This is Abraham's latest face he likes to make.

Abraham is all jumped out. 

Winston gives the biggest smiles that take up his whole face and has become a lot more mellow.  In their ever flip flopping tendencies, I would say Winston is the easier baby now.  He also naps great and has been consistently sleeping through the night.  He is a mover and when he on his belly is trying to figure out how he can get moving forward.  Winston moves his arms and legs like he is swimming and gets frustrated that he is not going anywhere.  He is a champion raspberry blower and can really get the bubbles going.  Winston tends to do this either when he is in a really good mood or when he is tired and winding down. He is also learning to use his voice and can make an 'ah, ah' sound that I am hoping will turn into a mama. 

Winston thinks his fingers are tasty. 

Hey mom, I have bubble blowing skills. 

We are crazy about these little boys.  Each day with them becomes more fun.  There are new challenges to be sure but watching them become their own little people is the most gratifying experience I have ever had.  Parenthood is awesome...now.  Those first months were really hard but God got us through it and it feels like ancient history.  Six months seems so long ago yet it seems like A&W were just born.  Isn't it a wonderful thing to be excited about the future?  These little boys make me excited. 

Five Months!

Our little peanuts are five months old already. Where is the time going? We are so proud of our little men and how much stuff they have learned in the last month.  They are becoming their own little people and it is so much fun watching them discovering the world.  I feel like we are finally getting into a routine.  Life feels more normal again, our new normal that is. 

Winston ready for bed

Abraham ready for bed

The boys are sleeping a lot better which I posted about earlier. They are beginning to both sleep through the night and are taking good naps. They took to their cribs right away and love their mobiles. We put them in their cribs and they kick their little legs with excitement waiting to hear their lullaby. They are still lightly swaddled but introducing them to their cribs has brought the ability to roll over.  Winston likes to sleep on his tummy now and Abraham does quite often as well.  I still worry about SIDS but we have the Angel Care monitors and that helps alleviate (some of) the anxiety. 

The boys enjoy sitting in their Bumbos, rolling all around and pushing up on their legs into a standing position.  They also like "dancing" to the happy little song that their play gym/play mat plays.  They are starting to giggle and they smile lots and lots.  They like taking walks with mama in their stroller.  I have refrained from researching a lot of baby development milestones because I don't want to worry unnecessarily.  I feel like they are right where they should be and their pediatrician has been happy.  I just feel unbelievably grateful that we have two healthy little boys. 

 They are either content to be next to each other or one of them is crying

because he keeps getting grabbed by his brother

 Papa and his boys. Abraham (left) and Winston

Winston shows off his standing skills.

In order to get dinner on the table, we employ the boys' help in the kitchen.

Self-portrait of mama and Abraham

Happy Winston (left) and Abraham

Brothers

The boys have been filling out and have the cutest little dimples on their hands and rolls on their legs.  They have not moved up in clothes but we did transition to size 3 diapers.  The size 2's were getting a little snug.  Their hair is growing back in and they have a fuzzy looking crew cut with long strands of their original hair. With gaining more hair, they are losing that little old man with a comb over look that they had going on.  Their eyes have stayed blue and have gotten lighter and more brilliant (yay for recessive genes!).   

Look at what we can do.

Look at how their little expressions flip flop.

And when they get tired they touch each other's faces.

The boys have discovered their papa and how much fun he is.  They smile and watch for him when he walks into the room.  They reach for his beard and like to feel the texture.  Eric is equally enamored and loves to get on the floor and talk to them.  We are still breastfeeding and the boys now recognize the blue nursing pillow which we affectionately call "The Magical Pillow That Feeds." The boys are taking rice cereal in their bottles and are still being supplemented with formula.  Abraham and Winston are starting to cuddle and put their little arms (somewhat) around our necks.  Basically we are just falling more and more in love with these boys. 

When we put the boys down for the night and when we are greeted by their little smiles in the morning, we often remark at how blessed we are.  We have been given an unbelievable gift in parenting these two little boys.  Everyday it just gets better.

Four Months!

Okay, I am still behind on some holiday posts but I am trying to keep on top of the boys' updates.  Yesterday A&W turned 4 months old!  They are no longer my teeny tiny babies.  I admit a certain level of melancholy at packing up and/or giving away their newborn and 0-3 month clothing.  These little boys have been so blessed with clothes from their shower as well as hand-me-downs.  At the rate they are growing, I feel like I am always having to go through and get the smaller sizes switched for the larger ones.  For the most part the little men are in 3-6 month clothing and are fitting into some 6-9 months.  They seem to be built like their daddy (at least for the time being) and have the majority of their height in their torso.  This means that their clothes fit nice and snug in the chest and a little long on their legs.  They also have huge noggins.   Part of the reason they need the 6-9 month clothing is because of the inability to get smaller sizes over their heads.  They are graduating to size 2 diapers.  Their weight will be checked later this week but I am guesstimating that Abraham is 13-14 pounds and Winston is about 15 lbs.  We shall see how accurate or inaccurate that guess is.

Due to those heads, they are a bit top heavy and are working to strengthen their necks.  They are getting better with the Bumbos but tire out pretty quickly with trying to keep their heads steady.  They are enjoying tummy time more and roll over pretty quickly now.  Both boys like to go from their backs and lay on their side.  They can roll over from back to front as well but apparently just don't feel like it very often.  They are starting to really vocalize and mornings are filled with shrieks and squeaks. They love to blow raspberries and are learning to mimic sounds and faces.  For example, I will make an 'o' with my lips and make a surprised face and Winston copies me.  They can be grumpy first thing when they wake up but typically have a smile for their morning greeting.  They go down around 8:30 to 9:00 and typically fall asleep within a few minutes without crying. Abraham sleeps through the night pretty consistently but Winston wakes up about 5 hours later, eats and falls right back to sleep. We are on the fence about letting him cry it out.  It's hard being a parent and trying to figure out the right thing to do.  My main concern is that the boys are on track with their growth so it just may mean more night feedings for now.  The boys are still nursing and are typically supplemented with one bottle of formula a day.  This is where I will be honest and say that keeping up with them is exhausting and I am most likely going to incorporate solids sooner than I thought.  Tonight we actually tried some bananas pureed with breast milk.  Both boys did well and Abraham even grabbed the spoon and shoved it into his mouth.  I think they are showing signs they are ready for solids and it will take some pressure off of me from feeling like Betsy the milk cow. They are chewing on their fingers and/or their brother's fingers on a pretty consistent basis.  Between that and drooling, I think they may be starting to teethe (but then again I thought that before and it was just general crankiness).

The boys love their play mat and both grasp the toys above them.  Abraham also stands now with his arms supported.  They have been pushing up on their legs for a couple months but Abraham is supporting his full body weight.  Have I mentioned this is all going too fast for this mama? They both like to fold their hands in front of them.  We joke that they are in deep prayer.  Winston started the snorting but Abraham picked it up quickly as well.  They sound like my little 'Porky' pigs. 

 Playing is hard work and tuckers them out.  Winston (left) sleeps with 

eyes half open so he won't miss anything.

 

Happy Boys: Abraham with his flirty grin and Winston 

with his gummy smile and tongue sticking out.

The biggest difference between the boys right now is really their little personalities.  They hit milestones within days of each other so it's hard to think of major differences but have no doubt that they are different people entirely.  Abraham is a flirt and loves to give a coy smile that reminds me a kewpie doll (although I am only 29 years old, I do know what those are). Winston's smile takes up his whole face and he sticks out his tongue quite often. As I mentioned before, Abraham is a sleeper and a good napper.  He decides he is tired and will fall asleep without a problem.  Winston fights naps with an incredible determinism. I think it just comes down to their little personalities, Abraham is more independent and Winston wants to constantly interact and socialize.  Abraham will play on the floor by himself, go down for a nap, sit in his car seat, etc. with much less fuss than Winston. I think Winston doesn't want to miss out on what is happening around him so he fights to stay awake and when he does nap it is much shorter than Abraham.  We are learning that stimuli have to be removed in order for Winston to nap whereas Abraham will crash for two hours despite lots of ambient noise and light.  We are constantly learning in this journey of parenthood and there truly is never a dull moment. We are so blessed to be the parents of these little boys and discover new joys in raising them each day.

Ten pictures would have them making ten different faces.

 Abraham

 

Winston

 Abraham looks surprised and Winston is amused.

Three Months!

The boys are now three months old (a bit past that but I am trying to keep up with these updates).  Warning: this will most likely all be very boring unless you're familiar with my family. The last couple weeks A&W have really changed.  Their little personalities are really starting to come out and they are so much more aware of their surroundings.  The mornings have proven to be such sweet moments with them as they are so happy right after their morning feeding and want to "talk" up a storm.  I have truly fallen in love with these little boys.  They have really started to respond to Eric and me which makes the whole experience of parenting that much more fun. 

The biggest change this last month is that we have mastered tandem breast feeding.  The boys have outgrown the newborn phase and are less floppy.  With greater muscle coordination, they position so much easier and it finally just clicked.  The ability to tandem feed has really transformed our whole routine.  Whereas Eric and I took turns getting up with one of the babies when they woke up to do a feeding, we now are back into synchronizing their feeds because it takes so much less time.  I can get them positioned on their big nursing pillow and basically can zone out until they unlatch themselves and they go back to sleep without too much fuss.  I have to say thank you to the MoMs out there that encouraged me when I was so tired and felt like we were never going to get the hang of breastfeeding.  I think the best advice I was given was to not feel like I had to master breastfeeding, that pumped bottles would work just fine and just keep latching each baby on at least once a day.  I was also told to just nurse them individually and not worry about the tandem feeding.  We hung in there and I am so glad we did because it eventually all came together.  One big positive is that the boys really started to bond with me.  They have a clear preference to nursing (as opposed to expressed milk in bottles) and I really enjoy the quality time with them. 

The boys go down at night at 9 pm and sometimes earlier if everything is falling into place i.e. bath time, feedings, etc.  Bed time finally just clicked as well and they often will go down without so much as a peep.  If they do cry it is very brief, one minute or less. If one of them continues crying we do a diaper change and that typically solves the problem.  The boys have almost outgrown their 0-3 month clothes in terms of the length.  They are very comfortable in all of their 3 month clothing now.  They love to play on the floor and kick and squirm.  The biggest change we have also seen is that they are beginning to notice one another.  It is not so much real interaction as it is noticing how the other baby impacts their personal space.  You can see the little wheels turning in their head saying, "Whose hand is this?  Who is kicking me?  I hear crying so I am going to cry."  They tend to interlock hands now while they tandem nurse.  Sweetest.thing.ever.  The boys also love to sit on laps.  They do not like their Bumbos but will sit happily on a lap with their backs leaning against a torso.  They are both little flirts and will give a smile pretty easily to any lady that talks to them.  They both like to blow bubbles and are starting to drool quite a bit.  Their hair is really starting to thin out and I think it's in transition for a color change (blond like their mama?). 

Both boys are honestly really good. It's just having two babies that makes it hard. They love being around people and being stimulated so it's when they are home with boring 'ole mom and pops that they can get fussy.  And boy do they get fussy sometimes.  They now turn their mouth into an upside down 'U' and make a whiny cry in unison.  You just gotta laugh at it. 

For some of their individual stuff:

Abraham is quite the little talker.  He gets a squeal in there quite often too. Overall he is just very expressive. I call him my "fickle pickle." He goes from smile, to pout and whine and back to smile all within a minute.  He loves to make a fist with his right hand and just stares at his fist and arm while extended.  He also likes to pull on his clothes.  Abraham is a good sleeper.  He can consistently sleep about 6 hours before he needs to eat.  I think he would sleep longer but Winston can be a little loud when he wakes up during the night.  Abraham is an equal opportunity eater and will pound any bottle that comes his way. 

Winston likes to lay with his right hand on his head.  I call this his supermodel pose.  He has started to notice his reflection in the bathroom mirror when I give him a bath as well as the rounded mirror above his swing.  He makes faces and smiles at his reflection.  It's absolutely adorable; I just hope I don't have a narcissist on my hands.  He likes to stick his tongue out still.  He also is making up for being Abraham's punching bag by exerting some aggression of his own.  The kid loves the changing table (or maybe more the window with the blinds next to the table).  Weird, I know but it's like baby catnip for him.  He just lays there with a little grin and kicks and flails his appendages.  Winston is my little gourmand and wants his milk fresh off the tap.  He is a lot more picky than his brother that way. 

And behold the cuteness:

Happy boys ready for bed.  They are still in their co-sleepers in our room.

 Happy Abraham ready for bed.

Happy Winston ready for bed. 

 Getting so big. Abraham (left) and Winston.

 Not too impressed with tummy time. Abraham (left) and Winston.

 Padded baby butts.

 Winston (left) and Abraham.  I looove their expressions here.

 Abraham smiling at his brother.



5 Weeks and Growing

Well, the three week update for the boys was finally posted when they were four weeks old.  Hopefully I can keep on top of this because blogging will be acting as a big part of how I record these early moments of parenthood.

The boys are definitely gaining weight!  It was fun to get the big reveal at the doctor's office for their four week check up.  Both boys have gained back to their birth weight and then some.  Abraham, our scrappy little baby A, was 7 lbs. 1 oz. (birth weight 5 lbs. 15 oz.) and Winston, our hulky baby B, was 7 lbs. 10 ozs. (birth weight 7 lbs. 9 oz).  Winston feels way heavier than Abraham but the doc's office says they are only 9 ozs. apart.  I really wish they had a digital scale.  Perhaps I will have to use our scale at home and hold the little guy while I weigh myself and then subtract my weight.  Anyone have an experience where the doc's office got the recorded weight wrong?

The boys are lifting their heads and tracking our movements and sounds with their eyes.  I think we have even gotten some legitimate smiles.  I feel like the early ones are just reflex or from gas.  When they smile after hearing our voices, it absolutely melts my heart.  Abraham right now is the more consistent smiler.

We had family come into town to visit.  My dad, stepmom and grandma came up for a couple of days.  If you remember, I mentioned that my parents left after my induction failed the first time.  Less than three days after getting home to southern California, they turned right back around so they could be here for the boys' birth.  That meant so much to me and only recently did it finally occur to me how much driving they had done in such a short window.  It is a 16 hour round trip!   Less than a month after being here for the birth, they were back to smooch on the babies and brought my grandma Ida up with them.

As for breastfeeding, there has been improvement!  I am currently completing about 3 feeds a day only on the breast and am even managing some tandem feeds.  The boys are really getting more and more into a routine and becoming more synchronized with those routines.  They will wake up within minutes of each other for a feeding time and if I am am alone at the house, tandem feeding is my life line.  My little guys are not fast eaters so it can be difficult to feed them separately.  It is immensely easier however to feed one at a time.  Each day we seem to be making some improvement and it really does get better.  Thanks for those that encouraged me.  I know that MoMs know what it is like to reach the point of sleep deprivation where tears start flowing.  Things are gradually getting easier.

We take a lot of photos so if I add too many to my posts, I do apologize.  I am adding only a few in comparison to all that we have! Here are my sweet boys:

 Abraham gives great grandma Ida a little smile

 Proud grandma and grandpa with Winston

Cooperative effort on the diaper change

 My little boys make my heart melt. Praying their eyes stay blue.

 Winston (left) has that surprised look quite often

 An attempt at a family photo, can you relate?

My heart and hands are full