Twinsie Tuesday: 3 Awesome Things about Raising Twins

1.) They can entertain themselves

Whether it's rolling the trains through the living room, scooting their tricycles around the kitchen, or just running around together in the backyard our twin boys almost always have a playmate in each other.  I say almost always because they do get irritated with one another, but it's over pretty quickly.  Sometimes it's not even that they are playing the same things as much as someone is playing beside them that helps.  I'm sure there's comfort in that feeling.  There are people who have said to me they think the twins must be separate in some things and they do have their time a part, but I think I there's something very special in being born with a friend by your side.  

2.) They teach each other

With our boys, when one learns something the other brother will pick it up pretty quickly.  Sometimes faster because they watched the other learn it.  It's really cool to watch them teach each other.  We saw this when the little boys were learning to walk.  We had one child that had no interest in walking, mainly because he could speed crawl everywhere he went, and we had another child who spent a couple months trying to walk.  So when the little one who had been practicing to walk for so long finally started walking, our speed crawler was up and it by the next week.  As they got older they would teach other to climb cabinets, open the fridge, and all the other FUN things I never even thought about with our oldest singleton.  WE learned to baby proof quick!

3.) They get to learn to share, really early

A very true statement.  With twins learning to share happens immediately.  Starting with us as parents. A singleton baby, even if they're born into a family with older siblings, usually has mom exclusively to themselves.  It's not like that with multiples.  I dealt with a little guilt at first, especially when they were tiny.  As infants, I would find ways to get that one on one time and still do.  They learn quickly to take turns and there's some benefit to that.  It doesn't mean they are perfect at sharing, it just means they're a little more adjusted to it earlier than most kids.

Every age with the twins has been fun and full of new adventures and challenges, but we wouldnt' trade it for anything!  It's not easy, but parenting in itself isn't easy.  It is rewarding though. What's some of your favorite things about raising twins?

Twinsie Tuesday: One on One Time

The other night I was laying the twins down for bed.  They each have their own beds, but share a room.  This night was like any normal night.  I had spent almost 30 minutes reading books, singing bedtime songs, tucking everyone in, and kissing little faces.  As I was tucking Levi in I noticed that he was scowling at me.  For anyone who knows Levi he doesn't hide his emotions very well, in fact you can read his face like billboard!  Sitting back down on his bed, even though all I really wanted to do was tuck myself in, I asked him "What's wrong?"  Looking at me with his big blue eyes he held his arms out.  So I reached for him, pulled him close and hugged him ONE more time.  He held tight and then a thought came to me...had I held him today, really held him?  I hadn't.  I had kissed and hugged.  I had lugged him around.  I had fed him, bathed him, and all the things moms do, but I hadn't taken time to hold him.  I propped him in my lap and rocked him.  We sang a few more bedtime songs and we cuddled for a while longer.  It was nice to slow down and be intentional about it.

Often times, I am doing the "mom stuff" and haven't taken the time to just be with them seperately.  I ususally feel pulled in many directions in my life and when we're home just trying to get ahead on the laundry and keep the house clean feels daunting some days.  The other thing I find with the little boys is I do less one on one with them than with their older singleton sibling.  It's not that it's my desire, but mainly because wherever we go and whatever we're doing I find we do it together.  Sometimes for convenience, sometimes out of my desire to keep things "fair", and sometimes out of habit.  

The fairness thing really gets to me at times.  I try to do for one what I do for the other.  This is probably not unusual for any parent with more than child, but I think it can amplified with multiples.  The boys have never expressed a concern for me being fair, it's mainly my own hang up.  When I start to think like this I remind myself that they are individuals with different needs sometimes.  While I was rocking Levi that night, Liam was content playing with his little trains on his pillow.  He didn't give it  a second thought.  When they were infants we kept them on a schedule and it worked very well for all of us.  It kept me sane and helped the whole family.    So I'm in a habit of just doing things with them together.  As they've gotten older this habit has carried on and I think that breaking the norm is going to be good for them and us.  

So how to do I go about it.  Making one on one time with each little one doesn't have to be hard.  I don't have to take them out each time or make big plans to make it meaningful.  My plan is to make tweaks to our daily lives.  Yes, we can do the occasional one on one trip to the park or the play area at Chick Filet, but these things are more special than simple every day tweaks.  My idea is this, to get our one on one time in  by simply changing a few of our daily routines.  Like giving them baths separately or letting them stay up a little longer while the others go on to bed.  Having Jo watch a movie with one little guy in the living room while I read or play with our other little guy in another room.  I think I'll have to be a little creative sometimes, but I'm looking forward to it.  I enjoy seeing our children's different personalities and with as fast as their growing lately I don't want to miss it.  The laundry will always be there, the dishes keep on coming, but time with these precious kids sneaks by too fast!  

I would love for you to share what you do to get your one on one time with your kiddos.  Have you had to get creative?  What's your favorite thing about it?  Let me know and leave a comment!  

Twinsie Tuesday: Two at Play

I think one of my favorite aspects of being a mother of twins is getting to watch them interact with each other.  I love watching them chat together, take up for one another, or helping each other out.  Really, watching any of our boys get along and walk in love with each other brings tremendous joy!  So when I was washing dishes one afternoon and the twins began a friendly game of roll the pizza roller on the kitchen floor I had to document such a moment. They were sharing and taking turns! 

 Sharing.  Taking turns. It's a big deal!  One would receive the rolling pin, giggle, and then roll it back.  I even attempted to get them to pose together...

and apparently that was too tall of an order!  They are much too busy to stand still let alone at the same time!  All of this playing together lasted maybe 5 minutes then they moved on to something else. And even though  a small disagreement ensued not long after I'm thankful these moments are happening more and more and lasting a little longer each time.   One of our prayers is that all of our boys grow up to be lifelong friends with each other and it's always nice to catch a glimpse of it!

Can't keep a Little Boy Down

This is one of my favorite pictures of Liam. He is non stop from the time his little boy feet hit the ground in the mornings. He's always climbing, bouncing, playing and he rarely walks anywhere, he runs. He has always been our busy guy. But last week was the first time I had ever seen him slow down. He picked up a little cough the weekend before and by Monday you could tell he wasn't himself. He wasn't playing or running through the house. In fact he spent a lot of time on the couch watching his brothers play and looking somber. He even let me cuddle him for as long as I wanted to. Which for anyone with busy toddlers knows that's a rare thing indeed! We had never seen him so under the weather before.

Definitely not the norm...

.

So I took him in to see the doctor and found out he had a little upper respiratory
infection and it was affecting his ears. This was the first sick visit we have ever had since the twins were born and I have to say we have been so blessed when it comes to having healthy kids. God gets all the praise for that! So after getting a very disgruntled Liam to let the doctor listen to his heart and look at his ears, she prescribed some medicine to help with his ears. He wasn't keen on being a patient or taking his medicine, but he did it with moderate resistance. It took about a day and half for him to be back to his former self, but by the end of the week he was smiling and bouncing around the house like normal. There's nothing I enjoy more than hearing our boys play and run around through the house and I am so thankful Liam recouped quickly. God is so good!

Twinsie Tuesday: Bath Time Stories

Living with a house full of boys is not a clean job. Tru is pretty self sufficient when it comes to bathing. It is a job when it comes to bathing two messy toddlers. Bath time when the twins were infants took a lot of preparation and time. We bathed them separately. If J was home, he would take the clean baby and do the drying job while I took the next baby and bathed them. If it was just me at home, I would pull the bouncy seats in with me. So while one baby was sitting in his seat I would bathe the other, then drying and dressing that baby in the bathroom, and putting him back in his bouncy. Then start the process all over again while the first baby would watch safely from his bouncy seat. It wasn't a fast ordeal, but it worked. I never felt comfortable with two infants in the bath tub at the same time, even with the the bath seats.

Now that they are a little older, 19 months last week, they take their baths together. I still have to be prepared. Probably now more than before. I collect the supplies. Towel, wash cloth, diapers, lotions, and pajamas. I gather up the twins, herding is a more accurate word for it. Closing the door behind me because one always manages to make a run for it while I'm helping his brother. Once both boys are in the tub I let them play for a couple of minutes before we start washing. They each get a cup to play with, who needs expensive bath toys, right. They have started rinsing themselves off, each other, and sometimes even me. Very rarely do I make it out of a bath time with dry clothes and recently I had a cup of water dumped on my head while washing their hair. I guess he thought he'd help me multitask. The floor is almost always a little wet too. I don't let bath time run too long, I then scrub them down, and once it's over I pull the plug and pull one boy out at a time. Drying and dressing him quickly next to the tub while the other little boy splashes and plays. It's not always an easy task bathing two wiggling toddlers at the same time, but it has been the most efficient.

We do a little double duty during bath time too. I brush their teeth before we bathe them. They both love this because when I finish brushing their teeth they get to practice on their own. They will actually ask to brush their teeth...I'm going to ride that wave as long as possible! It's the perfect time because they are sitting still and we get in their night time teeth brushing out of the way. Bath time can feel like a drudgery. So I try to mix it up with bubbles and bring out the toys when they just wont be still. Then there are those days where I have just sat them both in the tub and rinsed them off just to be finished with it. But my favorite thing about bath time is the time I get with them separately while drying and dressing. Ever since they were infants, I took this time to talk to them and cuddle them one on one. They still have the clean baby smell after bath time,too. It's usually the craziest and loudest right before and during baths. But bath time is also a signal for them and the rest of us that the day is winding down. I had read when Tru was little how important a bedtime routine is, so we always used a bath as the beginning of that routine. By the end of bathing the boys and getting them ready for bed I welcome the bedtime routine. It means a bedtime story, prayers, and hugs. One of the best parts of our day!

Baby Gate Down!

Six months ago we had sweet little 12 month old twin boys. They were fairly mobile in that they crawled to get where they wanted to go. They were content to clamor up and down the hall way and once Liam got the hang of it he even speed crawled. I could put them in their play room with the baby gate up and they would play happily with out any sign of protesting. Now lets fast forward 6 months...we still have the sweetest little twin boys, but they are 18 months old now and not only are they mobile, they are very seldom still.

Levi and Liam are doing all the normal things 18 month old toddlers do. I think the only difference is they utilize each other. If one learns something new the other usually picks up on it. And ooh this has been the week for learning new skills. I was picking up toys in the family room when Levi reached up, gripped the door knob, and walla open door! And of course this was an invitation for Liam to try too. I walked up on him later fiddling with the same door. Earlier that day, I was putting the little boys down for a nap when we had our first crib escape. I put Liam down first and went after Levi, because as soon as he saw Liam go into his crib he bolted down the hallway to hide. I found him behind the couch, scooped him up, and started back down the hallway when I heard a thump and a cry. I ran back into their room and there was Liam on his bottom in the floor red faced with tears streaming down his cheeks. He had crawled out of his crib! Yes, OUT OF HIS CRIB! Picking him up I checked him for any signs that he might be hurt. Thankfully, he was fine just a little startled from the fall. I kept him up a little while longer just to be sure. We do have two cribs so I have since switched Liam into the other crib thinking it's taller and doesn't have a built in changing table to hoist himself up with. Levi hasn't shown any interest in climbing out and wasn't there to witness Liam actually escaping. So maybe we're in the clear for a while.

Not only do the little boys have each other to practice and learn from they also have Tru. Especially Levi, he will follow Tru around the house like a second shadow. It's so funny to me that they will just sit and watch him do something and I can see them thinking and their wheels turning. Almost like they're filing it away for when they get older. They have watched Tru hop over the baby gate in the past and just recently have been getting passed the gate. With a little teamwork a loose baby gate comes down easily. I've watched them squeeze out and I've seen them just plow it down all together.

It's amazing to think about how much has changed in six months and how different they'll be in another six. I can say one thing that we will be doing some baby proofing around the house and getting some stronger baby gates. It seems like only yesterday we brought them home. They were so tiny and slept very little those first 3 months. I guess we've traded sleepless nights for busy busy boys and I wouldn't have it any other way. ~I would love to hear any of your stories about your multiples or singletons and the changes that keep you amazed and/or on your toes.~

A Beautiful Vue--A day in the lives of Liam & Levi

After I laid the little boys down for bed tonight I walked down our hallway and into the living room only to be met by a mess of toys, a couple mismatched baby shoes, random kitchen items(they love to play with our kitchen stuff), and a few more odd and ends from the day. There was a trail of these things from the family room to the kitchen. I started to pick up thinking to myself I know I picked these things up earlier. Now our little boys didn't do all the mess, but they did do most of it and just like any little boys their age they are curious and full of energy. I told Jo while I was tossing toys in the toy box that other than their nap after lunch Liam and Levi hadn't stopped all day. So what do two 17 month old toddlers do all day. Well let me show you just a little bit...

they "help" put away groceries...

they drive buggy carts...

they try their very best to open anything they might be able to reach after rummaging through the kitchen cupboards(see the open cupboard on the right)

and most of the time they are in too much of a hurry to stop and take a picture(see very blurry photo). Now that's just a tiny bit of their busy day. I don't think five little pictures could really sum it all up. When I look at that last picture of Liam it reminds me that our time with our boys, while they're young, passes in a flash and how I should cherish every minute of it. Even on our craziest days when my energy is spent and I just push the toys and clutter aside, I can still find joy just in the simple fact that I got to spend my day with our kids. Our boys make life so much more interesting and fun. What an awesome privilege we have to get a front row seat in watching it all.

Thursday Catch Ups

This little blog has been neglected recently. We have been working really hard to finish up with kindergarten and I'm happy to say this is Tru's last week. We are actually finishing the last of his curriculum today! The plans are to do a little review & prepping for next week and start 1st grade the week following. I am overcoming being a procrastinator...steps right?

I wanted to update today on my 30 things before 30 list. If you havent read it just check it out! J & I have started working on the top of my list together...losing weight. The set goal for me is to be 100lbs lighter before my 30th birthday, which is a couple years away. My goal I have in my mind is to do it by next year's birthday. So far so good. I've lost 22lbs as of this morning and J's lost like almost 40! Isn't like a guy...oh well it's amazing! We are following Dr.Simeons "Pounds & Inches", drinking a ton of water and making some lifestyle changes. It's not always easy, but I just remind myself, when I have the urge to blow it, that I want the end result more than whatever I might be wanting at the moment. All in all it's going well,praise the Lord! Also, on that list are a few furniture projects I've wanted to complete and some things I want to learn how to do. I actually started one of the furniture projects yesterday, I'll post pics of it when it's finished. I want to relearn how to sew and get back into knitting. I've learned to sew before, I took a couple classes in school and used to love to watch my grandmother, I just haven't done it in a really long time. I do have a sewing machine and a good friend showed me a few things the other night. I want to be able to make clothes for the boys and maybe even for myself. If anyone has any advice for a beginner or books they recommend on sewing or knitting it would be greatly appreciated.

The twins are doing great. Growing like crazy, crawling and pulling up! Levi has been standing on his own a little here & there, but no steps yet. Both are cutting teeth and chewing and drooling. It is so amazing to think how much change a year can bring...they will be a year old next month! They definitely keep our days busy.
Speaking of twins I hear that nap time is over and so is my break. Good times!

{A Moment in our Week}

With the weather letting up some this week,high 90's, I took the twins outside to try out the backyard swing...

It's so funny to me how different they can be sometimes. Liam so enjoyed it, but Levi was ready to get out as soon as I put him in. Usually with Levi it takes a few times for him to get used to something. Good times!

Raining Change

Well it finally rained! It has been a very long hot dry summer with out any rain. There were a few spits of it here and there, but finally on Friday evening it came pouring down and then again early Saturday morning and carried on till lunch. Saturday was a wonderfully rainy day. It was nice to play with boys and watch it rain from our front door.



With August coming quickly to an end Tru and I are working on him finishing kindergarten and starting 1st grade next month. We used My Father's World kindergarten curriculum and it worked out great for us. I supplemented a little more math than it had, but all in all it was great. I think for first grade we are going to piece together different curriculum. I'm looking forward to this new season and school year. I've put together a schedule for all of us during the week and I'm setting myself some goals for the house. I've had my challenges keeping house and staying ahead of the laundry for as long as I can remember. But bad habits can change and I'm excited for change.
Speaking of change, the twins are doing something new every week! Liam is working on standing up on his own...



and Levi has two more teeth coming through on the top. I know my days are numbered until they are walking. They are already into everything. They are serious movers and when they are going it's not always in the same direction. So I've made their bedroom a "baby free zone" where they can play and move however they want and I can watch them much better that way. Like I said every week brings something different and I'm just learning to adapt quickly. It's good times here in our house!

{A Moment in Our Week}

~A single moment in our week...


They were watching J pull in the driveway. My lovely boys.

Twinsie Tuesday--Don't Be a Shut In!

Photo Credit

There are a few things I do to make these days outside of the house easier. First, be prepared. Pack your diaper bag with the essentials, even if you are taking a drive around town, you always need diapers, wipes, and food i.e. bottles,formula,snacks. Second, I always try to work an outing around their schedule. So I go out after they've had their bottle, baby food, and a change. Then I have happy full babies with clean pampers and fresh clothes. Third, call a friend. It's always good to have an extra hand and someone to chat with, but if no one is free, don't let being by yourself stop you. If you're a new mom take it one step at a time and don't overwhelm yourself. By that I mean don't attempt to do too much if you're not comfortable. Start small...a stroll, a drive, and trip to the grocery store. Whatever you do don't let yourself feel cut off.

That's right...it is humanly possible to leave the house with your twins. It's not always easy. It's not always fun. But actually getting yourself out the house and going somewhere will help with your sanity. Even if you go for a stroll around the neighborhood or a drive around town the fresh air and the reminder that there is life outside your twin enclosure...it is good for you and your family!

9 months ago today...

Nine months ago today I was sitting in a hospital bed at this very moment with two sweet babies in each arm. They were tiny and new. We were tired and even though we had been parents for 5 years before their arrival, I felt very novice and a little uneasy. We had waited for months to hold them and kiss their little cheeks. We had heard their hearts beat and I had felt their kicks and tumbles. They looked nothing like I thought they would look like. Liam with his dark hair and super high squeal. Levi with his long body and cotton top hair. For twins they looked nothing alike. They were up most of night that first night.

Nine months ago tomorrow I was completely exhausted and a little overwhelmed. My nerves were on end and J was very kind and forgiving to my snappy attitude. We came home a couple days later with two healthy baby boys and started our life as a family of five. We took it day by day by day. Sleepless nights, a massive amount of diapers,hours of crying and a lot of dirty laundry has passed these past nine months. But most importantly so has baby cuddling, precious firsts, sweet gummy smiles,and the knowing that countless more blessings are ahead. These little boys have brought so much joy to our family and I can not imagine our life with out them!

Twinsie Tuesday-- Preparing for your Multiples

This Twinsie Tuesday I want to talk about 5 things to do before your twins hit the scene. There are few things I found through experience that helped make our life with our little ones much easier.

~Our fraternal twin boys about a month old. Levi on the left & Liam on the right.~

1.)Stock up on the Diapers
My twins combined go through 14-20 diapers a day, but during the first 3 months it was more like 16-22 combined daily. Especially while I was nursing them. One thing I wish I would have done more was buy different size diapers and wipes every time I made a trip to the store. Even once a week or every payday would have helped. When people would ask what we needed I would always say diapers. Also, along with a baby shower we were blessed with a diaper/wipes shower around the time the twins were a couple months old. The diapers we received lasted us almost 4 months! You can never have too many diapers.

2.)A little Formula doesn't Hurt
Ok let me start out by saying I completely agree with the breast is best campaign. Nothing is better for your twins than mommy's milk. I was determined to breastfeed. I even pumped the week after they were born during a quick trip to the ER due to complications with my c-section incision. It took alot of patience and a couple trips to the lactation consultant, but we were getting the hang of it. The main issue was that Levi took almost a month to get back up to his birth weight. He was not gaining the weight fast enough for our pediatrician at the time(we use someone different now)and after multiple VERY stressful visits to her office I gave in and began supplementing with formula. I was working on about 3-4 hours of sleep a night. Add the pressure from our pediatrician, along with few other factors I ended up switching to full time formula by about 2 months. I wouldn't change anything because our boys are healthy and happy,but looking back I wish I would've tried a little longer. I would suggest even if you aren't going to use formula to have a couple cans on hand for emergencies. Now if you know you're going to use formula right off and you don't qualify for any government assistance, we pay ALL out of pocket, I would stock up while you're pregnant. Formula, just like diapers, is not cheap and multiples go through it quickly. In the beginning we were buying about 3 regular sized cans of the store brand formula a week. That's about $50-60 a week just on formula.

3.)Rest
I'm sure everyone has told expecting parents to rest before your little one arrives, but with multiples you had better do it. Rest as much as possible. Don't feel guilty, because once your bundles of joy arrive sleep is virtually non-existent the first few months. I am blessed because my boys began sleeping through the night,10:30 pm to about 5:30 am, at about 31/2 months. We were putting our faith out there and speaking over them before they came out that they would be good sleepers...praise the Lord for good sleepers! I did have opportunities to feel guilty though, because I was home with Tru and he still needed my attention. So when I wasn't able to nap,which was more times than not, Tru & I would play Lego's on the couch or color or snuggle up with a good book together all the while giving my body the rest it needed to grow our two healthy boys. Sometimes we have to be creative while meeting our needs and our families' needs. Once your babies do arrive rest when they rest. Don't worry about the house. Setup something for your older children to do and rest. This is something I should've done more often.

4.)Plan for a full Pantry
So the months before your double bundle arrive work on stocking your pantry with healthy snacks and staples to help you stay nourished toward the end of your pregnancy and the arrival of your precious ones. I made sure that Tru had snacks that were healthy and easily accessible in the pantry and fridge so he could serve himself before and after the twins came. There were days at the end of our pregnancy that I found it literally difficult to get off the couch. Also, after your babies come and you're in the feed,burp,change,sleep mode you will want things that will be easy to get to for you and your family. There were days in the first couple months after the twins came that I would barely have time to eat before the next feeding so a granola bar, a package of nuts, or string cheese was helpful to keep my energy up.

5.)Schedule Help
Help is something you will most likely need, but may not always feel like you want at first. It was hard for me to ask for help from people other than J. It was easier to take help from my immediate family, like my mom and dad. My parents came a couple weeks before the boys were born and did my grocery shopping and cooked some meals for the weeks to come. It was great! But when it came from others I had a difficult time with, it was my own fault. Nevertheless, take help in any way you can. Most people want to help especially when the little ones first come home. So when someone asks to help...tell them what you need. There are plenty of things that people can do...cook a meal for your family, take your older children to the park, or fold some laundry. For me it was a matter of how comfortable I was with the helper. J's parents brought their RV and stayed a month. They were very patient with me because I didn't always feel comfortable with them doing things for us. I had to take the help for my family's sake. In the end they did some laundy and mostly cooked for us and would take Tru for the night freeing our hands a little more during the day to bond with the babies, while still making Tru feel loved and secure. It blessed us tremendously!
If you have any other ideas that worked for your family while preparing for a little one or questions please leave a comment. Have an awesome day!

*Also, an UPDATE from yesterdays post*
~Tru lost his first tooth last night! Can't stop it our little boy is growing up!

Ode to Nap Time

Nap times are essential in this home. The twins usually need two naps a day, a morning and afternoon nap. During the week I use those nap times for homeschooling Tru, cleaning house, laundry, prepping lunch & dinner, and anything else that needs my attention. But on the weekend when J is home I get to use nap times for whatever I like. Free time for just J & I to hangout and watch a movie mildly uninterrupted, remember Tru is still up. Our arms are free to do whatever we want. It's a nice restful moment for all of us. I even venture out sometimes, without any children, and J is happy to oblige me. Basically it's free time for whatever I want. Now I will say this, one of my other favorite times of day is walking into the twins room and seeing the excitement on their sweet faces and their little arm outstretched longing to be picked up. It melts my heart every time. But for now I'm going to take advantage of this Saturday nap and enjoy the couple hours I have. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Saturday nap in progress!

{This Moment}

Following a very neat Friday tradition--"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember." ~Soule Mama check her blog out...it always inspires me, http://www.soulemama.com

Twinsie Tuesday--Research, Read, & Relax

Something that has helped me with my twins is being informed when it comes to being a parent of multiples. Especially in the beginning and you're new to the idea of having twins. I wanted to know everything I could about what was ahead for us and our family.

The first thing I did after finding out we were expecting twins was hopping on the Internet and research every website I could find. I just went and googled "having twins" and of course there were a ton of results. And I found alot of helpful sites, but the one that I used the most was Raising Twins. They have a lot of helpful information and even a list of more sites to check out. Here's the address if anyone is interested http://www.raising-twins.com. Researching isn't limited to the Internet though. Take advantage of anyone you know who has had twins. Most parents of twins are more than willing to sit down and share and encourage expecting parents. They've been there and understand. Also, there is usually some sort of Moms of Multiples group everywhere who would be happy to help be a resource.

The Internet and talking with other parents is essential, but I think that having some good books about twins is a must. I found it good to have them so that whenever a thought or question came to my mind I would have the a book on hand to answer it. I looked and looked for the right books but in the end I bought 2 off Amazon that worked for me. The book Twins 101 is set up as a quick read, which J appreciated, and it's a wellspring of great tips. The author is not only a doctor, but a mom to twins, too! The tips in the book cover pregnancy through early childhood. I especially liked the survival tips. Also, the book has a great list of twin resources in the back.



Multiple blessings is a book about multiples from pregnancy through childhood. It covers everything for you, from what to expect while pregnant with your multiples to early childhood. There's even a chapter that discusses the logistics of getting out of the house with your little ones...trust me you'll appreciate this part! I am still referring back to it for ideas and encouragement.

So after all the researching and reading I suggest just relax, because once your little ones get here relax mode comes in small spurts. And when they do come...relax and enjoy your sweet babies. Being a parent to twins is a true blessing that few people get the opportunity to experience. It is not easier to be the parent of multiples, it requires double the work because you are doing everything times two. But keep that in mind because the hugs, kisses, and sweet moments come multiplied too!

Twinsie Tuesdays...

Twinsie Tuesdays are all about twins and this first post I thought I would talk about the number one advice I received from every parent of multiples that we know. That is GET THEM ON A SCHEDULE/ROUTINE. It's been almost 7 months ago since our precious boys came into our lives. It has gone by so fast, but at times felt so slow. The first few months were literally a blur. I don't remember much because in the first few months I did nothing but feed, change diapers, feed again, change more diapers, and oh did I mention feed? I was on auto pilot mode.
The arrival of our precious boys marked the departure of my sleep and ushered in a little chaos. The most important thing for our family and the new babies was routine. With our first baby we were on his schedule we could feed him when HE wanted and we worked on a sleep schedule later at about 5 months or so. But with the twins a routine and scheduled feedings brought peace and stability to our family life. We spent a lot of time before the boys arrived praying and believing for our twins to be good sleepers and because my husband and I worked hard on sticking with a schedule the twins started sleeping through the night between 3-4 months. And let me tell you the first time I slept uninterrupted was so wonderful...it brought life back to my body and I felt so refreshed. With one baby I experienced some sleep deprivation, but with two it really was much more difficult.
I know we had it easy when it came to twins and the first few months, but the lack of sleep wasn't pleasant to ride out. So let me pass on the best advice we received...Routine and a Schedule, I think, are vital to parents expecting multiples and make parenting newborn multiples easier and more enjoyable. But a good nights sleep always helps!

Amber Vues

Amber Vues is pretty simple...me,Jo,the boys, and everything in between. Let's start with the boys. My five year old is quickly approaching six at the end of the summer. It's always been in my mind that he's still little being 5 and all, but with his sixth birthday coming up on us so quickly he doesn't feel so little anymore. We are homeschooling him for a number of reasons and I am really seeing some progress with it. It's not always easy, the homeschooling thing, but it's definitely worth it as well as rewarding! The twins will be 7 months old next week and they are amazing. I frequently look at them and think it must be a dream...two babies at once! Really? Two babies? Being a parent to twins is like parenting on steroids. It requires double the work, but the rewards are greater and doubled too!
My Jo is a great guy and my best friend. We don't claim to have a perfect marriage, but we are committed to always sticking with our marriage. When it comes to Jo he is hard working at home and at work. He is very easy going, laid back, and a people person. Jo loves being a daddy and he's good at it. I think we compliment each other and I couldn't ask for a better partner in life!
As for me, all of the above makes up my life these days. And on top of that I have a lot of interests that I'm always trying to find time for. I think that's the challenge in my life is balancing out the daily grind and still finding time for the things I enjoy. I think most women can relate to that. I think keeping it simple and staying optimistic will always keep my vue of things successful!