This Is How We Do It

When I was pregnant and on more than one occasion, when someone found out I was having twins they would reply with something like, "Well if anyone can do it, you can".

Hmm...what qualifies me for being a mother of twins? I just never saw it, and as sad as it is to admit, I was never the type of person to say, "Oh! I would just love to have twins. How fun!" Maybe that statement alone qualifies me to have them! I often find myself playing the game of "Before I Had the Twins" in my head.

For example:

Before I had the twins: I slept better.
On one of the first nights we had them home, my husband had asked me the next morning how my night went with them. I felt like a horrible person saying it, but I admitted to him that at around 4 am, when I had just laid her down and picked him up the thought entered my mind that this would be a lot faster if there was in fact only one baby. As soon as I thought it, I felt horrible. It didn't take long to look into their eyes, see their adorable faces and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I could not give one of them up for all of the sleep in the world.

That doesn't mean, however, that things are easy around here. I'm still in the "How-do-I- do-this" stage and am still waiting for the day when I can breathe and say, I think I've got this down now.

Before I had them: I had everything ready and organized.
Pink and blue blankets, bouncers, even soothies and bottles. That way I'd know immediately who's junk belonged to whom. That lasted a total of 24 hours before I began to realize just how much more work that took. Now it's not a surprise to see Vance all decked out in a pink bouncer, blanket and soothie, with Ava sporting blue pajamas and an alligator swaddle blanket. Call me crazy, but I'm choosing to pick my battles.




Click here for a short video of the twins in each other's chairs

Before I had the twins I often wondered: How do you feed two?

When it comes to feeding, I've -in a very literal sense-got my hands full! I'm not great at tandem feeding at this point so I focus on one at a time. That means a good 30-45 min feeding per child. Then, to top it all off (pun intended), they need formula. So much of my day is spent feeding that I'm amazed when 3:00 rolls around and I have yet to shower or even change out of my pajamas. Some days I fair better than others. Some days I indeed feel like Superwoman and combat both feeding times at once. This usually results in spit up on clothes, babies that need to be burped at the same time, and a toddler who wonders why he too can't sit up on my lap.
Don't get me started on the amount of bottles we use in this house. I have an issue with reusing the same bottle so I'm constantly washing them. Here is a shot of a 24 hour period of bottles, breast pumps, soothies and feeding gear. Oh my!
Before I had the twins I often wondered: How many diapers do you need?
Nuff said. Here is only one week of newborn diapers (an average of 120).
Sad to say, this was a small amount for us.

Before I had the twins I often wondered: How will it be with a toddler and two newborns?
I find myself longing for the time when I only had one. Then it dawns on me....Where exactly is THAT ONE? I've let go of watching Kurt like a hawk and just knowing that experience will teach him more than I can. Sometimes that philosophy works better than other times. Recently, he's learned to "sit" on the lego table (he has recently learned to climb and LOVES it).
That I don't mind so much as the time when he was corralled in the bathroom with me while I got ready and the twins were sleeping. At first we brushed his teeth and he brushed his hair while I blow dried mine. Then he took to pulling all of his bath toys out and putting them in the empty tub. Fine with me. I'm all for cleaning up a mess if it keeps him busy. After a minute or so I realized it was way too quiet. I turned the corner, and sure enough he held the toilet lid up with one hand, and with the other was dipping his toothbrush into the water (and yes, it was flushed- but STILL!) and brushing his teeth. I cringed. I gagged. I scolded myself and then scolded him. Let's just say I'll be investing in childproof toilet gadgets on my next shopping trip.

Before I had the twins I often wondered: How will I show them all I love them individually?
I haven't quite figured this one out yet. The jury is still out for verdict. I'm still up for suggestions, comments and criticisms if you have them. I'm in guess and check mode and as frustrating as that is right now- it works for us.

So now you know. This is how we do it.
It may not be the wisest way to do things. Heck, it may not even be sane.
It's days like these that I have to admit: We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.