How We Do What We Do Everyday.

You get asked a lot of questions when you have twins. 

One of the most common as of late has been "How do you do all of these things you like to do, and take care of 2 babies?"

Well friends, here is a detailed answer and look into our everyday life of how we manage mundane tasks while keeping 2 little boys healthy and happy.

1.  "How do you take the boys around on errands?"

-If I need to go to a store or somewhere big enough where I will be there for while, I take our double stroller.  The boys love going anywhere so they're pretty content just hanging out in the stroller, flashing smiles at everyone.  If I need to take them both into somewhere that is not so double-stroller-friendly (Baja Burrito for example), I simply put one of them in a carrier/wrap/sling, and carry the other on one of my arms, which then leaves me with one free arm.   Like so...

It works nicely.  And I feel a little like superwoman.

And now that they can sit up just fine on their own, grocery shopping with both boys is much easier also. I put one of them in the cart-seat, and one of them in a carrier or sling!

2.  "How do you find time to keep up with this blog, your food blog, reading and whatever else your hobbies are?"

-It really helps that my boys go to bed around 630-7 every night.  Jeremy and I usually don't go to bed until 11 or so, which gives us plenty of time to ourselves each night.  This is when I can be found on the computer, in the kitchen cooking/baking, playing wii, reading, or scrapbooking.  

3.  "How are you able to cook at home as much as you do?"

-Time management is big here.  If you know anything about my cooking style, I don't really like pre-made meals or throw-everything-from-a-can-in-a-pot-and-bake-it type of cooking.  I like to start from raw ingredients.  This is usually more delicious and nutritious, however, it is definitely more time consuming.  You have to find time to chop all the fruit and veggies.  You have to find time to make/cook the pasta.  You have to find time to knead the bread dough and let the yeast rise.  Meal planning is also big.  Last minute throw together meals work out occasionally, but I usually have better luck if I know what I'm going to make on which day.  This also lets me plan ahead to have dinner ready before 9 pm.  Throughout the day, whenever babies nap or are self-entertaining, I take the opportunity to go chop some veggies that I will use for dinner that night.  Sometimes, I'll prepare everything the night before, and all I have to do the day of is actually cook it.  It's also nice having a husband that knows a thing or two about food, because he will occasionally cook or help out with the cooking when things are really busy.  And for those days when babies are not self-entertaining and refuse to do anything except be held...

Sometimes you have to cook one-handed and/or with a baby or 2 on your hip.  

4.  "How do you have time to work out and stay healthy?"

-Make it a priority.  Since we have adapted our way of eating, our diet has become very important to us, as has exercise.  Running outside is my preferred method of exercise.  However, since I'm working 4 12-hour shifts a week from now until April, I feel like the days that I am home need to be spent with my boys only.  I don't like to leave them to go on a run.  So, I opt for other methods of working out.  If it's nice enough outside, I do take the boys for a run in our double jogging stroller.

Otherwise, I  workout either while the boys nap, after they go to bed, or while they are awake and happy playing with each other. Sometimes they will sit there and watch me workout, and laugh.

5.  "How do you get them to nap/wake/sleep at the same time?"

-I don't feel like we've really done much to make this happen.  The boys just sort of do it on their own, and pretty much always have.  They usually get tired around the same times, and nap together during the day (they can get a little off here and there, but not drastically).  They don't wake each other up during naps, so sometimes one will wake before the other.  As far as bedtime, we do the same routine each night, and they both take to it well, and go to sleep (usually) without a fuss.  They sleep straight through the night, and usually wake up around the same time together in the morning.  We just got lucky here I guess.

6.  "How do you have time to wash and prepare cloth diapers for your twins?"

-I actually just posted about this a few days ago:  Cloth Diapers.  Washing really isn't that much work.  We throw wet cloths into the bag, we spray out the poops in the toilet.  When we have a full bag (about every other day), throw them in the wash, dry them overnight, and stuff them later that night or the next morning during downtime (or one or two as needed if there is no time to stuff all at once).  

7.  "How do you get ready in the mornings and get to places on time?"

-Babies wake up.  They come into bed with us.  We snuggle.  We get up and start getting ready in our room.  Babies watch the ceiling fan, play with each other, or fall back asleep on our bed.  All while we are showering and getting ready.  Then, we change, feed, and go!

And that's how we do things 'round here.  If you would have asked me these questions while I was pregnant, I would have no answers.  I had to figure it out.  Sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do.  I figure out more and more things that work for us every day, and I'm still learning.

Anyone have any other questions that I didn't answer?

The Best of 2011

2011 has been a crazy and exciting year for us, and as we near the new year, I can't help but think that every year from here on out will be so different and crazier than any of our past years.   We have made so many changes in our lives, including a new house and 2 precious little additions to our family!  Here are a few things from each month this past year that were especially memorable for us:

January:

We found out we were having twins!!  That early ultrasound had both our jaws to the floor.  Tears and laughter filled the room.  Never would either of us had expected that we would get pregnant with twins!  I often think back to my high school or younger self years and try to picture that girl, all grown up, and now with twins.  It completely blows my mind.  

February:

The month that I started this blog.  I wanted to start writing.  To somehow keep track of important events in our life, with words and not just pictures.  I wanted to write also about the emotions of all of it, which aren't always seen through pictures.  I wanted a "journal" so to speak, that others who were interested could share in with our lives.  It's been fun to blog so far, and I see it continuing for as long as my fingers have we have the means and my fingers have the dexterity to do so.  

March:

We bought our first house.  It turned out to be a lot better than we had hoped.  It was a fairly quick and painful process, surprisingly.  I love how we have made this house our home, and how it will turn into the comforting place where our kids will call home one day also.  

April:

As soon as we found out we were having boys at our Gender Reveal Party, we started working on the nursery.  We went with the theme from the book, The Giving Tree.  I painted murals and got tree/apple accents.  I'm very pleased with how it all came out, and love that it wasn't a theme that you could just easily buy stuff for.  It was original, and that made us have to be creative.  

May:

My belly keeps on growing and growing (and this pic is around 24/26 weeks I believe...it got much bigger!).  I never thought my belly would get as big as it did, and every week I would be amazed by how much it grew.  I just kept thinking, "I don't know how I can get much bigger", but it kept happening.  Big belly housed 2 little boys for 9 whole months!  

June:

All my sweet friends threw us a baby shower!  We were given lots and lots of neat and useful gifts for the boys!

July:

The most anticipated day of 2011:  the day our boys arrived!  Although the delivery was entirely disappointing, my boys were completely healthy and I could not have been more excited about their arrival out of my belly and into my arms.

August:

Our boys' first photo shoot at one week old.  A huge thanks goes out to Marissa French of Rylan's Riches Photography for photographing our precious little dudes.  She has also done their 3 month pics, and will also do 6, 9 and 12 month photo shoots!

September:

We took our boys on their firsts outdoor adventures, to both Percy Warner Park and Radnor Lake.  They very much enjoyed the gorgeous Tennessee fall weather, as did we, while toting them around in our carriers.

October:

The boys' first halloween!  They went as Thing 1 and Thing 2.

November:

We had some more photos done...the boys' 3 month pics and also some family photos!  3 month photos done by Rylan's Riches Photography, and family photos done by my talented friend, Lane.  This month was also the boys' first trip to Michigan, and first plane ride, which they did awesome with.

December:

The boys had their 1st Christmas, and we sent out our 1st Christmas card!  The boys had no idea that it was even Christmas, but we had fun with them, dressing them in little elf outfits, opening presents to each other and then taking them for a cold tour of Nashville's ICE! exhibit.  1st Christmas success for sure.  Man o' man do I feel old now, sending out Christmas cards and all!  

This year has been beyond amazing, and we are so unbelievably blessed to have these magical little boys in our lives.  Here's to many more great years full of bliss and excitement ahead.

Peace & Love to you in the new year!

Thanks² Day 09 & 10

#9-I'm thankful that our boys did awesome traveling through the airport, on the plane and in the car on our trip up to Michigan! 

They boys did absolutely amazing and gave us no trouble at all!  

#10-  I'm thankful for little moments like this in life.  Foxx taking a bath in a bucket.

*pictures to show the girlfriend when he's older!

Dear babies; 3 months

Judah and Foxx,

You are now 3 months old.  Time has gone by super fast you and you both change everyday.  You have grown soooo much since you were born!

This is you when you were teeny tiny:

And this is you now:

You are each just a little over 12 lbs.  You have started to develop your own little personalities.  You have lost almost all of the hair you were born with, and are now starting to grow some new fuzz on your little heads.  You both still have blue eyes.  You looked quite different from each other when you were first born, but you are starting to look more and more alike as you grow.

You both sleep in the same crib, and when we lay you down to sleep, we lay you on opposite ends of the crib.  When we go back in your room to check on you, you guys are right next to each other.  I don't know how you scoot over to each other like you do, but it's super cute.  You have liked to sleep close to each other ever since you first came home from the hospital.

(First nap together at home.)

You both also love to sleep on me and your daddy.  You loved to sleep on us when you were little,

And you love to sleep on us now.

I love how you both wake up in the morning with huge smiles on your face.  Your little smiles are totally worth getting up super early for.  You both fight naps during the day.  You fight them  so ridiculously hard.  Most days, the only way you will fall asleep is on me or on your dad, and then when we try to lay you down, you wake up.  It's frustrating, but it's also so dang cute.

Neither of you like cloudy and rainy days.  You get super fussy when the weather is not nice and we can't go for a stroller ride, because you love stroller rides!  I have an awesome jogging stroller and you enjoy looking around and cooing at everything during my runs.

Car rides are another favorite activity of yours.   You usually fall asleep the minute we start driving, and sometimes you are just awake and talking.  If we stop, even for a minute at a red-light, you get upset.  But as soon as we start moving again, you are happy.

Any and every ceiling fan will immediately catch your attention and make you smile.

You both seem to notice me and your dad more and more.  Dad can make you smile and laugh with his yoda voice.  The mobile in your crib will also make you both laugh and smile like crazy.  Neither of you mind getting your diapers changed, and you usually smile while we change you (although that very well may be because of the ceiling fan that is over your changing area).

This is a video of Foxx talking and smiling at dad after his bath.


This is a video of Foxx laughing at the crib mobile



(***I know these videos are both of Foxx, but Judah does laugh and smile also, he's just a little camera shy.  We'll catch him on camera sometime soon hopefully!)

When I have you guys by myself and you won't let me put you down, I put you in my sling or wrap, and I get things done that way.

You both love to be out in nature.  We have taken you to Radnor Lake and Percy Warner Park.  You guys just look around at all the trees and enjoy the walk.

Dear Judah:

You are amazing.  You have the biggest blue eyes that are so cute.  Some people say that you look like your dad.  You have a huge gummy smile that you greet me with every morning, and I absolutely love it.  Every time you smile during the day, it makes me super happy, and I can't think about anything else except trying to make you do it again. You like to talk to us during your diaper changes, and you also like to pee all over everything during them.  (You would think that we would have learned by now to watch out, but no.  You continue to pee on us.)  You are our little observer.  You love to look around at everything and smile at things you like.  You have a colorful toy lion that you like and you also like to sit up in your boppy seat to look around.  You like tummy time and are very good at holding your head up high.  You rolled over just the other day, on accident.  You are a very good snuggler, and you especially like to snuggle with mom in bed early in the morning.  You like to ride around in my sling when we go places.  You love to lay under your play mat and kick your legs like crazy.  You are the one that moves the most during sleep.  You have flipped completely upside down a few time during the night.  You're a tad smaller than your brother still, but you are quickly catching up.  You are pretty chill most of the time, unless you are tired.  You love to fly around the house like an airplane, and you like the bear mobile on your swing.  You smile and laugh at those bears almost as much as the ceiling fan.  I think you are going to be the one who crawls first.  Whenever you are on your tummy, you seem like you are ready to go, you just don't know exactly what to do to get going.

I can't wait to watch you grow and learn new things.  So far I have watched you learn to smile, laugh, play, roll over, and coo at us.  I have loved every single moment I have spent with you, and I can't wait to have many more!

 Dear Foxx:

You are awesome, kid.  You're my wild child.  You have such an excitement in your eyes.  Most people say that you resemble me, with your skin tone and eyes.  You are also my stubborn child, and you are exactly how I was when I was little.  You fight sleep every. single. day.  You get so tired but you want to stay up so that you don't miss anything.  You love to be awake and be loud and talk to everyone.  You have a great appetite, and you will eat a whole lot, anytime it is offered to you.  Your smiles and laughs are huge and so fun to watch.  You get super excited when we change your diaper, during bath time and under your playmat.  You kick your legs and scream like crazy during those things.  It's hilarious!  You love to sit back with dad in his recliner chair and rock, just looking around at everyone, throwing in some coos and screams here and there.  You love the stroller, just like your brother, and you like to go on runs with me.  You love to be facing outward in my carriers/wraps so that you can watch everything going on when we go out places.  Whenever I rock you to sleep, you always have to have a little hand up on my neck that moves back and forth.  It's super cute.  You especially love to ride in the car.  You either immediately fall asleep, or you will sit back there and grunt and talk the entire ride.  And you get really upset when we stop at red lights.  A sure fire way to get you to stop crying is to fly you like an airplane, on your stomach close to us.  You love it.  You love dad's yoda voice, but you're scared of his chewbacca voice. 

You have been so fun to watch grow, and you get bigger everyday.  I can't wait to see what your feisty little personality will develop into!  Every little smile, laugh, and coo from you has made my days awesome.  I look forward to them everyday, and many more to come as you grow.

         

Baby-Wearing at Wally World

We took the kids to Walmart.  Apparently we went at the neighborhood-wide walmart hour, because everyone and their uncle was there.  I assume it was just all people scurrying to grab last minute halloween costumes and candies for their upcoming parties.  Anywho, we wore the boys in our carriers.  It started the minute we walked in the door:

"Awww how sweet!"

"Look at the twins!"

"I wanted twins, you're so lucky!"

"Oh my goodness how cute!"

We didn't pass a single person without hearing one of these statements, or getting huge smiles and nods.  Some of the smiles and nods I could tell were a little apology, saying "Oh dear, I can't imagine how hard that must be".  

It is hard.  It's been super hard especially the last few days.  I don't know if the boys are just not adjusting well to the weather change or they are having a growth spurt or what but it's been quite rough.  I'm just hoping this stage of eating every hour and half, refusing to take naps when they're overly tired and wanting to do nothing except be held will be over soon.

I say that, but then I need to remember that it's probably a stage.  And they are only at this stage of life one time.  I need to enjoy them for where they are, and not wish it away.  I need to take advantage of every minute that they want to be held, because it will go away, and then I will probably want it back.  Even if I don't have a clean house at the end of the day, even if I have a completely full bladder, and a very empty stomach, I am going to enjoy them where they are right now.

Because they're my babies.  And they're awesome.

Can I have a vote?  (Is this really annoying?)  My blog is moving up on the list!  (not that it really matters for anything, it's just kinda fun.)

Radnor Lake and Loveless Cafe

My friend Katrina and I took the boys out on their first Nashville adventure.  We first went to walk around Radnor Lake, and then went and had lunch at the infamous Loveless Cafe.  I wasn't sure if we would be able to do both outings with the boys, but they surprised me and did awesome, so we got to hike and eat lunch!  The weather was amazing that day.  It was just a tad cool that morning, and it was the first time I brought out these super cute hoodies for the boys to wear.  I had been waiting for a time when they could wear them.    

Judah welcoming Katrina

Foxx giving me half a smile

We drove to Radnor, got out our baby carriers, and headed onto the trails.  The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect.  The only thing that could have made it better is if we were surrounded by fall colors.  Unfortunately, the oranges and yellows have not made there way here yet.  The green trees and the smell of the woods all around was calming and very much needed by me.  One can go completely insane with cabin fever while having to stay cooped up in the house with 2 little ones instead of enjoying the outside.

Katrina and Foxx

Foxx slept through most of the hike.

 doe

Fawn

Judah rode with me

This little guy loved it our here.  He was looking around at everything the whole time.  

After our walk through Radnor, we made the trek out to the Loveless Cafe. The food is uber good, and if you have heard of the Loveless, then you know the biscuits are the real fame holder.  I got a pork BBQ omelet.  It may sound weird, but man it's delicious.  The boys just chilled out and took it all in.

That was our little adventure and I'm looking forward to many more while showing the world to our little guys!