Well, I did it. I am now a "working mother". The first week was hard, but now everything is perfectly fine. Our nanny is wonderful. She loves my babies, and I think they adore her. I know its going to get harder and harder the older they get. This morning, I was in their nursery playing with them before I got in the shower. Our nanny was already there and getting ready to feed them. They were both so happy to see me and they just stared and smiled at me. They couldn't take their eyes off of me. And when I walked out to go take a shower, both of their little eyes and heads just followed me and watched me leave, and it broke my heart! How am I going to do this when their start saying Mama and crying when I leave? Yikes!! (of course, on the flip side, its soooo nice to get out of the house sometimes, and I really do like my job) Sooo, just a vent :)
Feedings: Its amazing how things change in such a short period of time. Two weeks ago I was complaining about how we were having to force feed Jules, and it was such a chore to get 2 - 2.5 ounces in her. Well, this week, she has been eating like a champ - almost three ounces each feeding, and she is actually hungry!! And Josh has been the one fighting his bottle. What??? We have started to put a little rice cereal in his bottle to help with reflux and his spit up, so maybe thats why?? I dunno. Its so bizarre how things change so fast!
Waketime/Napping: We are doing good here, I think! and I think we are close to dropping our 4th nap. They are just so fussy after the 4:00 feeding in between bathtime at 6:30, so we might end up dropping that one. I still haven't decided yet. Sometimes I think they are ready, and other times not. We went to Knoxville last weekend (more on that below) and they did not nap at all then. Josh was fine, but Jules literally had the worst screaming fit I have ever seen. She was SO TIRED and was just awful, bless her heart. (We southerners say "Bless Their Heart" after we say something mean, to make us not sound so mean, lol)
Nightime: Okay, so after the 12 week "sleeping through the night" episode, we went backwards. We were still having to feed around 4-5:00 in the morning. Sheesh. Then at the beginning of our 14th week, we were golden again! One of them would stir around 3-4, and then we would put their pacifier in, and they would usually sleep until 6 or 6:30. Woohoo! And we did this many nights in a row, including our trip to Knoxville in a different time zone AND sleeping in their pack and play! We have had maybe two or so regressions, back to feeding at 5, but I really think we are doing very, very well. And I am okay with this, because after all, they were three weeks early, so we are technically three weeks behind most babies. We are getting there!!
Our Schedule: Still the same. Am hoping that they will eventually sleep , sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep through the night.
Outing/Events: We made our first official road trip with the babes! We had to go to Knoxville for my Great Aunt Martha's 90th birthday party. We only stayed one day. The drive is about 2.5-3 hours, so it was a chore to keep on schedule. We basically fed them then left very soon after. They did well, overall, in the car. They slept about halfway, then wanted to get up, which was not the most pleasant of experiences. Josh, of course, was fine. He proceeded to stare and play with his hands for the next hour and a half, lol. Jules, however, fussed and cried a bit, etc, they rest of the way. Which I can understand. If I had to just stare at the back of a seat I would be frustrated too! Knoxville is in a different time zone than Nashville, so I was really worried about them sleeping. Also, because they have never slept long times in their pack and play. But, they did great! They slept through the night like little champs. I was so proud of them! They then went to the birthday party with us, and of course everyone loved them :)
Diet: Hmmmmm, I guess I am doing better??? I like working again, and eating like I am supposed to rather than pigging out all day. But, I'm not sure if its making much of a difference. I refuse to weigh myself yet. I did buy two bathing suits online this week. ONE PIECES. I haven't work a one piece in years and years. But, due to the stretch marks that are still there, I can't do a two piece yet. Plus, we still have "the pooch". but, I did buy two really cute ones by Jantzen (like the old pinup models), so they'll still be fabulous. I mean, I am SURE I will look just like this girl when I have it on, doncha think? If anything, buying bathing suits will make me even MORE motivated.
Milestones: I just love them at this age, and I know it will just keep getting better. They just smile and smile, and are starting to babble. I swear, they are just going to start talking any day! They are so cute and sweet. Jules LOVES being on her back and just loves to kick. She is such an active little booger. Josh loves to kick too, but not like her. And they are such morning babies. They love waking up in the morning and when you go get them out of their crib, they are all smiles. It just makes your heart hurt! Jules is now putting her fists in her mouth now, like Josh. I have read it doesn't really have to do like teething, or hunger, its just that they have discovered their hands and found a neat hole to put them in :) Josh is still drooling and spitting up like crazy. Poor thing has to wear a bib all the time. Josh is still rolling over, and Jules can roll onto her side from her back, but thats it. She hates to be on her tummy so much she hasn't mastered that yet. She just gets very mad and screams. They are also able to start grasping things like toys and rattles. They don't know what they are yet, lol, but they can grasp them!
Friday, April 23, 2010
14 Weeks - Update on the Babes
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Our first playdate!
Allison double handed with Hazen and JulesTuesday, April 13, 2010
Picture mania
I literally take dozens of pictures of the same pose with my babies to get "the perfect shot". So, I end up with at least 12-20 pictures of the same outfit and only a *tiny* variation of each. Then I can't delete any of them because they are all so cute and don't want to delete a single one, so I end up with a camera full of oh, maybe about 5 shots, but 150 pictures. Am I insane?
Monday, April 12, 2010
Grumpy old men
Friday, April 9, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Easter Weekend
Leslie with Josh
Leslie and Jules
We both put on our "My Auntie is the best" onsies that Aunt Essie had bought for us previously. However, by the time Leslie arrived, Jules was no longer wearing hers, because she went #2 up her back.
Dad with Josh & Jules
Dad with Josh
MeMaw (Jakes grandmother) with Josh
Jake's mom (grama) with Jules
Me and Jake with Josh
Grama, Jules, and Jake's Grandad
J.V. (Jakes Dad) with an unhappy Jules
Grama and J.V. with the little Yankees, Josh & Jules
Four generations!!
Go Yankees!!
Our sweet family picture
Happy Easter!
Our first tutu!
Its a good thing she tried it on her dog first in Texas to make sure it fit....
12 Weeks - Update on the Babes
Feedings: Well, we just can't seem to make any solid movement here. This week, it has been very hard to get Jules to eat her 2.5 ounces. She really wants more of two. And we have also regressed back to her fighting the bottle EVERY SINGLE TIME. I swear, girlfriend, we are not on a diet yet are we? I mean, I know you will eventually be a model, but that can wait a few more years, right? LOL! I know girls are picky, but jeez! I am thinking maybe this is a growth spurt or something. I read that with some babies, they don't eat as well during growth spurts. That, is, of course, not the same with my hungry hungry hippo, Josh. He will eat whatever you put in front of his mouth. Bless him. I am worried about her not taking any more though, because they are almost sleeping through the night, so that will drop a feeding, so we will have to make that up somewhere, which is going to be hard.
Waketime/Napping: Okay, so since we have officially landed in nanny territory, I decided the week before she started that I would being transitioning them to their cribs for daytime naps instead on the pack and play. I did this for a few reasons. One, they have far exceeded the weight limit on the pack and play bassinet ( I think it is 15 pounds, and he weights 10, and she 9 now. Oops). Second, is because regardless of the weight limit, if one moves an inch it wakes the other up because it bounces them. And third, I just don't wanna buy another pack and play. My house is overrun as it is. Fourth, being, of course, that they NEED to nap in their cribs. The problem with this is that their nursery is on the second floor and basically life happens on the first floor, so it is quite the chore to carry them upstairs and back down every time. Which is why I sheepishly didn't make the transition until the nanny was close to starting :) The good news is that they are doing great with this!! The first few days were hard, and they hated the change, but now they are fine and I think they actually like it. I mean, it "is" their bed after all. I would always prefer to nap in my bed!
Nightime: We have improvements here - yea!! On Sunday night (the night before I went back to work) they "technically" slept through the night! We fed them at 10, and then fed them again at 6. Woohoo! I say technically, because we did get up maybe three times throughout the night and resettle them. One would start to whine, or even cry (Jules of course). But, they were doing so while in their sleep, so I thought we could probably hold them off a bit, and we did. So, that was success! Now, since then it has been a little tricky. The past two nights we fed once at 5, then at 4:45 the next night, while still getting up a few times to resettle them. Last night we got up at 4:50 to feed them, and that was the first peep they made since the 10 feeding, so I call that awesome! I have tried at the 4:45 and 5 feedings to hold them off, but the past few nights have been impossible. They have been starving, and were letting us know. So, it definitely has been a good week with sleep- yea!!
Our Schedule: Still on the same schedule as before, but will change a bit once they start sleeping better. The nanny comes at 7:30 and has been doing the first morning feeding. But, if they start sleeping through the night (like they did Monday) we start our day with that feeding, which was 6:00, and adjust it accordingly throughout the day. Eventually I want 7:30 to be the official start to their day, but that will take time.
Outing/Events: We have had a fun couple of weeks. My sister, Leslie, and my dad came for Easter weekend and we went down to Waverly and spent the day with Jake's family (separate post will follow). That was very nice. Jake went out of town to Las Vegas last weekend for March Madness, so Jakes mom came up and stayed with me to help. We went out to lunch and also went out with them to watch the Elite 8 game(sad story, boo for the Vols). They did great both times. They just sat in their car seats and looked around and eventually fell asleep. And that was in a loud sports bar!
Diet: I said last week I am trying to not over do it because I was afraid I would pull something, and dang it, I think I might have! I was really sore yesterday on a section of my incision. I took some left over pain meds, and it seems to help. But I was in PAIN yesterday. I am hoping its not something serious and it just goes away. Another thing I love about working is being on a set eating schedule. While at home I was eating and snaking during every between-feeding break. I couldn't help it. So, I do like I am back to not eating suite so much.
Milestones: They are SO CUTE now!! They both just smile up a storm. I love it. I love being able to interact with them now. It is so fun. And they are doing it as a reaction towards you, not just for gas or some other bodily function :) I swear, I think Josh is teething. He has been drooling alot (in addition to the spit up) and is constantly eating his fists. Jake's mom said that Jake cut two teeth at 3 months, so its definitely a possibility. Its just crazy though - hes still so little! And he, of course, can't hold any teething toys so he can't really chew on anything. He has also since discovered his hands. He will clasp them together and apart and just look at them in amazement. And wiggle his fingers and look at them and then see what parts might fit in his mouth. Its so funny to watch. Jules is our little kicking monster. She loves to kick more than any baby I have ever seen. You can put her down on her back and she just goes to town. She is either going to be a soccer player or a dancer. (Probably a dancer - Jake is refusing to let the kiddos play soccer. Any other sport they want but soccer) I tried last week to get out the exersaucer to see if can work yet, but they are still so tiny! It is still huge. So, it went back in the closet and we will try it again in a month or so.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Back to Life....Back to Reality...
For those that are wondering what we are doing with the babes when I am at work, I decided just to leave them at home. I have two cats that I figured could keep an eye on them while I was gone. Joking! But, we are keeping them at home. We have found an uber fabulous nanny. As you may recall, we had looked at and were on several waiting lists for daycares. Well, once my preciouses got here, my mother and mother-in-law decided that they were not allowing these angels to be in a day care with numerous other kiddos, so they insisted on a nanny. So, off to search we went. (We are still going to do daycare when they get a bit older and can benefit from a social and learning environment. Plus....no daycares ever called us back. Apparently we never made it to the top of any wait lists. And helloooo- it was October!)
We had some interviews with some qualified people, then Jake's cousin worked with a girl that was looking for a nanny job (she is a massage therapist on the side). She is fabulous, and decided to hire her. She is so good with the babies and as sweet as she can be. She works from 7:30-3:30.
So, there. I did it. I am a worker-bee yet again. And miss my babies like crazy when I'm gone. Ok, I feel like a mom again. Whew.