Visit from Grandma!

This past week, my mom came into town to visit. It was such a blessing to have her here...to have the extra hands to help while Mike was at work, and just to have Grandma around to make things more fun! Unfortunately, Grandpa wasn't able to make this trip, but they will both be back up for a visit at the end of the month. We love being able to soak up as much grandparent time as possible!

I loved being able to capture some of these sweet moments, and I am so thankful for my mom. My babies have such amazing grandparents {on both sides of the family}, and we are just so thankful for how much they love on our babies.

Playing with a fun new toy

Reading books

On Saturday, my brother came over, and Eli and Maddie also got some good uncle time. They sure do love their Uncle Michael! It's so fun to see him with the babies :)

While my brother, my mom, and Mike wrangled the babies, I got to sneak away for a few hours to enjoy some baby-free time. I was able to run a couple of errands and get a pedicure with Laura. Not going to lie...it was really nice. I am really thankful to my sweet husband for making that happen. But as much as I enjoyed my time away, I missed my babies and was all too ready to get back home to them :)

Eli + Maddie :: 3 Months

Eli & Maddie, 

We have hit 3 months with you, little loves! It's so crazy to look back over the last 3 months and see how much you have changed since we brought you home. While we are still in the bleary-eyed exhausted stage, and some days are really hard to know how best to give you both all that you need, we just love to see your little personalities develop. You are starting to discover more of your world, and it's so fun to see you process it all. You both have found your voices and "talk" all the time. Mama is learning how to give herself grace, and it makes all the difference when you break out into your adorable little smiles. We love you so much, and can't wait to see what the next month brings!

Love,

Mama

E L I J A H      W I N N

Stats :: 12.8 pounds

Loves :: the stuffed lion on your play mat, kicking your legs, morning "talks" with daddy

Dislikes :: hiccups*, being swaddled, losing your pacifier

Eat :: because of your reflux, you need to be fed in a more upright position. and since you both started wanting to eat at the exact same time, we got reclining/adjustable high chairs to help with that. that works out really well most of the time, and you are so good and patient to wait your turn while I am burping your sister. your little appetite is finally growing a little bit, though we are still working on getting you up to speed with your sister.

Sleep :: oh sleep...at the beginning of the month, you started sleeping a longer stretch for us after we take baths and put you down for the night! we still had to help you back to sleep a few times, but you went about 7 hours from your night feed and your first morning feed {which translates to about 5 hours of actual sleep}! but then you decided that you hated your swaddle SO much that sleep became all that much more elusive. you are still napping in 1 to 2 hour increments during the day, but we're getting ready to start some new routines that will hopefully have you sleeping better soon!

Play/Development :: your moro reflex is still strong, so we're hoping that just disappears overnight soon {ha!} when you are focused, you have good, strong head control, but otherwise you can still be a little bobblehead. your fists are still tightly closed, so you are not grasping for things quite yet. your hearing and vision are improving, and you like listening to music. you rock tummy time and hold your head up well, but you don't love being on your tummy and have figured out how to roll onto your back.

Unique to You :: baby boy, you have eyelashes for days! they are so long and absolutely heart-melting. you are an absolute wiggle worm- you move NON-stop. when we lay you on your back, you look like a dying bug, the way that you flail your arms and legs about haha. it makes me wonder what kind of energy you will have when you are actually mobile...your moro reflex is out of control, and we are definitely ready for that to be a thing of the past! you discovered your feet first and will spend long periods of time staring at them. oh, and when you get sad, you stick out your bottom lip to make the most adorable little pouty face.

M A D E L I N E      G R A C E

Stats :: 15 pounds

Loves :: "talking" to the stuffed giraffe on the bouncer seat {seriously- you tell him everything haha}, sticking out your tongue, when Daddy bicycles your legs

Dislikes :: hiccups*, going to sleep, the swing

Eat :: when we put your bib on to eat, you get super excited because you know what's coming. you ball up your fists around your mouth and get a big old smile on your face. because of your brother's reflux and since you both started wanting to eat at the exact same time, we got reclining/adjustable high chairs to help with that. that works out really well most of the time, and you are so good and patient to wait your turn while I am burping your brother. but man, little girl, can you EAT! haha- sometimes I wonder if you will ever stop! ;)

Sleep :: you have some serious FOMO {fear of missing out}. you fight sleep like it's no one's business, and we think it's because you just don't want to miss any of the fun! but once you are actually asleep, you sleep pretty well. following your brother's lead, you started sleeping a longer stretch for us after we take baths and put you down for the night! we still had to help you back to sleep a few times, but you would go about 7 hours from your night feed and your first morning feed {which translates to about 5 hours of actual sleep}! and then your brother started waking up more often during the night, and so did you. you are still napping in 1 to 2 hour increments during the day, but we're getting ready to start some new routines that will hopefully have you sleeping better soon!

Play/Development :: your moro reflex is fading a bit, but you can still startle yourself awake sometimes. you have much better neck control and even enjoy sitting up in mama's lap {with assistance, of course}. you are starting to swat at toys, but haven't quite got the whole concept of grasping down yet. your hearing and vision are improving, and you like listening to music. you rock tummy time and hold your head up well, but you don't love being on your tummy and have figured out how to roll onto your back.

Unique to You :: you have graduated to size 2 diapers...what?? you started doing this weird thing where you lick my neck {??} I know you're hungry, but it kind of weirds me out haha! you were the first to discover your hands, staring intently at them for long periods of time. I don't think you have discovered that you have 2 hands yet, but that will be fun to see that realization from you.

*or is it Mama and Daddy that dislike the hiccups so much?? seriously, they come at the most inconvenient times and last forever...

{iPhone Rewind} :: January

Again, sorry for the influx of baby photos...when you're stuck at home with babies all day long, you tend to have a lot of baby photos :)

Eli worked really hard and really improved on his tummy time!

Gone are the days of feeding one at a time...enter the reclining/adjustable high chairs.

Baby girl LOVES "talking" to the stuffed giraffe on the bouncer. She tells him everything. 

And buddy LOVES the stuffed lion on the play mat. It's his little friend :)

Loving play time!

The cutest little bear I ever did see! Thanks to Nicki for the cute onesie!

Because this is the type of photo I capture of the 2 of them together 95% of the time. #reallife

Eli is excited that it's snowing outside!

When you're just so glad that someone came to visit and actually pay attention to you and not just the babies #happypuppy

Girlie HATES being swaddled. She fights it with all she has. So we tried the Swaddle Up in an effort to reduce her swaddle anxiety.

Those eyelashes #eyelashesfordays #ladykiller

A little blurry, but Eli was SUPER happy it was time to eat :)

Meeting Dannie!

Meeting Grace!

I live and breathe this log...it's the only way we can keep track. We actually don't track wet diapers anymore, but instead track how many ounces they eat at each feed. #becausetwins

Basically, they're awesome at tummy time now #proudmama

When everyone in the house is having a meltdown {including mama} and you receive warm cookies at your doorstep from your amazing hubby #allthecookies #allthefeels

This little dude loves just chillin' and hanging out :)

They're my favorite :)

When you flirt with the camera instead of napping #gotosleepmaddie

Sunday afternoon naps with daddy

Life Lately

Y'all, I'm afraid I am going to become one of those bloggers. You know the ones: once active blogger turns occasional blogger, a.k.a. she used to blog about a variety of things, but now all I see are an occasional "check-in" post or monthly photos of her kids. I really don't want it to be that way, but it might just have to be for awhile.

Because y'all. Twins are kicking. my. butt.

I'm so tired. I barely know what day it is. My days are a constant cycle of diaper changes, feeding, tummy time, rocking babies to sleep, wash bottles, throw in a load of laundry or run to pee really fast before it all starts over again. Oh, and eat. Don't forget to do that. And I feel like I have reached some sort of higher mama level because I make sure to get a shower in every day. It's not because I have the time; it's because it makes me a better mama...because it makes me SANE.

Please don't misunderstand me. Life is good right now. I am loving being home taking care of my babies, and I am beyond thankful to be a mama. But it is crazy hard. BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO OF THEM. Anyone who thinks that having twins is just double of everything...LOL. Sorry to say, but it's way more than that. It's exponentially more of everything. I am not really sure how that math works out, but it's just how it is.

So blogging is a little on the back burner these days.

It's just a season, so eventually I will go back to regular blogging. But for now, my goal is to get in Eli and Maddie's monthly posts {because I want to be able to look back and remember this time because so much of it is just a blur right now} and my monthly iPhone Rewind post {because it's easy to just dump photos}. 

So this is actually a bonus post past my goal! This is one of those "check-in, I'm still here" posts. I thought I would answer a few of the common questions we get from sweet friends and family who check in on us to make sure we're still alive :)

How are you sleeping? 

Sleep? I have a vague memory of what that is...ha! We are getting some sleep, but it's still very little. Eli and Maddie will sleep their longer stretches at night {praise Jesus!}, but they are still not super long stretches. I would say we might get a 3-4 hour stretch of actual sleep once during the night. Otherwise, it's about a 2-3 hour stretch at a time. And it's definitely not restful. Babies are loud when they sleep...who knew? Oh, and that whole, "sleep when the baby sleeps" adage just doesn't apply the same way with twins. There's always someone awake, so good luck with that.

Are you able to get out of the house?

Sometimes, but it's for short stretches, and we usually don't get out of the car. Until they go longer between feedings, it's just too much of a hassle to leave our home setup. And the times we have been out of the house have been all together {me, Mike and the babies}; I once made it to the post office and Sonic by myself. It took me twice as long to leave the house than we were actually out of the house. And I made it out for a mall walk with Laura last week. But it's going to be awhile before I can conquer outings by myself. 

Are the babies on a schedule?

They are on a loose schedule. Meaning, we don't have a timed schedule {example: waking at 7am every day}. Instead, we have a baby-led schedule. From day 1, we worked to get them on a similar feeding schedule. When one woke up to eat, we would feed the other as well. Even if it meant waking a sleeping baby. I know. Parenting no-no. But there is no way we would be surviving if we had not done this. They usually eat every 2-3 hours, so whatever time that is, and it changes every day. So I can't really give you a "good time" to visit, or tell you when babies might be awake or sleeping. I have no idea, because it changes every day.

Do you have help?

Yes and no. The first few weeks after we came home from the hospital, we had family with us around the clock. It was a HUGE help, because we needed it more than we realized. And even now, we have family and friends who are available to help whenever we need it. I have a lot of people I could call at any time, and I know someone would be able to come same day. But I knew at some point I would have to go it alone, and so I chose to tackle it head on by myself starting in December. There were a lot of reasons for that decision {needing to establish our schedule, my personality wanting to figure out how to do it on my own, wanting to bond with my babies, etc.} Am I crazy? Probably. But I think we're doing ok. And I am eternally grateful that I have the help I need at just a phone call away.

So how do you do it by yourself during the day?

Jesus. That's no joke. The Lord has been gracious to give me the strength and sanity to make it through the day, and on the days when I don't have either, He offers grace. It's really hard, but we're surviving. My type-A personality has been put to the test, and the Lord is challenging me in countless ways. We are finding our "routines" and it's a huge blessing to get to be at home with my babies. Even if it is really hard.

Eli + Maddie :: 2 Months

Eli & Maddie, 

You have grown so much in just 2 short months! You no longer look like tiny infants and look so much more like babies. You grew so much that you outgrew your zipper pods {which you basically lived in since birth}, and graduated to what we like to call the baby burritos. And there is now a huge stack of newborn clothes that no longer fit you...and that may or may not have made mama cry. This month came with a new set of challenges for life with 2 babies. You guys still haven't given me and daddy much sleep, and you have even started waking each other up, so that's fun {it's really not}. Your tiny infant cries have turned into full-blown baby wails, and I am learning to navigate meeting both of your needs. You DO outnumber mama haha! But you are both so much more awake and interactive, and the smiles...oh, the smiles! It makes all the hard stuff worth it :)

Love,

Mama

E L I J A H      W I N N

Stats :: 11.4 pounds,  24 inches

Loves :: snuggling with mama in the Ergo carrier, car rides

Dislikes :: having your clothes changed, acid reflux

Eat :: you had a big growth spurt where you started eating every 2 hours, but then you got acid reflux and eating became a bit of a challenge. you struggled through several days of feedings, as I am sure your little esophagus just hurt so much. but we are working through it, and you seem to be MUCH better already. because of your reflux issues, you are still only eating about 8 times a day, 3.5 ounces each time, so we are working to get you eating more.

Sleep :: you are our sleep champ this month. after your nightly bath, you will go 4.5 to 5 hours from that bedtime feed to the first night feed, then 3.5 to 4 to the next. hallelujah! the rest of the day is 2.5 to 3 hours between feeds, but that's easier to manage with a little more sleep at night.

Play/Development :: you are tracking objects pretty well, and it's really fun to watch you follow daddy when he stands in front of you. you are getting much better at tummy time, lifting your head with much better control. you have started responding to our voices, turning your head toward them. you also started smiling this month, and it just brightens our day! 

Unique to You :: buddy, you faced a number of challenges this month for such a tiny baby. you were diagnosed with torticollis {from how you wedged yourself inside mama for all those weeks} and the beginnings of plageocephaly. so we have been working diligently to try to help you with your stretches and tummy and ergo time, in an effort to help avoid any further intervention. but that was nothing compared to your acid reflux. baby boy, it broke our hearts to watch you hurting so much when you ate, and you scared us a bit when you stopped eating so much. but we were able to help get you back on track, and hopefully you won't have to deal with it much longer.

M A D E L I N E      G R A C E

Stats :: 12.6 pounds,  24 inches

Loves :: snuggling with mama or daddy tree frog-style on our chests, car rides, eating

Dislikes :: snuggling with mama in the Ergo carrier, being swaddled

Eat :: you are our eating champ! you down your bottle like it's nothing...though you do it rather slowly. you like to enjoy your meal haha. you are eating about 8 times a day, 4.5 to 5 ounces each time.

Sleep :: you are on the same schedule as your brother at night {yay!} after your nightly bath, you will go 4.5 to 5 hours from that bedtime feed to the first night feed, then 3.5 to 4 to the next. during the day, you haven't been sleeping as much as your brother, as you tend to be more awake/alert or wake yourself up more easily. you also fight sleep like it's nobody's business! we know when you are tired, but you just fight so much to stay awake until you finally just pass out.

Play/Development :: you are tracking objects really well, and it's really fun to watch you follow daddy when he stands in front of you. you are still rocking the tummy time, lifting your head really well, and you even started following the weight of your head to roll from your tummy to your back. not a full roll yet, but definitely on your way to it. you have started responding to our voices, turning your head toward them. you also started smiling this month, and it just brightens our day! 

Unique to You :: sweet girl, you were extra clingy this month, wanting to soak up as many snuggles as you could. which was hard with your brother also needing me so much, but something I just couldn't deny. you also started laughing in your sleep, which is the absolute best! something a little funny...your toots, baby girl, are LOUD. like, hear them from across the room and sound like an adult kind of loud  :)

Happy 2 Months, my sweet ones!