we are still here

For 9 months I have kept us all alive. I love the 9 month mark. I had no idea that it would just keep getting easier and easier. They have officially been out of my belly as long as they were in it. That's weird. I haven't realized how hard it really has been until now. It is still hard and I am sure I will say the same thing in a year from now.

Future Quote
"I had no idea how hard it's really has been until now"

I am in LOVE with Kate these days. She is so independent, plays by herself, laughs at Zack a ton, crawls anywhere and everywhere, sleeps 12 hours at night and takes at least one 2 hour nap a day, loves her dad, loves to be naked, can use her little fingers to pick up anything she wants, only likes to eat food she can feed herself, doesn't smile at strangers, giggles all day long, she is patient and has what I call SunBurst when you pick her up from her crib. Her whole body shakes with excitement. It's as if her little body can't hold all the joy inside of her.

A sunbrust. A little girl who lights up with so much energy her toes and fingers themselves can't hold still.

or

Kate when you pick her up out of her crib.

2 1/2 hours later

Made this for Kate at a church activity. Paid $2.50 for the material thought it was a brillant idea. Two and a half hours later... I would pay $30.00 dollars for a brand new tutu just to get those two hours of my life back.

one walker two babies

MOMSONCALL.COM

Momsoncall.com is a program that was written by two pediatric nurses that each have a set of twins. This is easily the best $30 dollars I have ever spent. This program gives you a daily schedule to follow for feeding and napping. The second day we started this program my life changed. I have shared this program with many other moms who have loved it. I have read EVERY sleep book out there and this program takes the best parts of all of them. If you know of any struggling first time moms use this program. It really changed my life.

momsoncall.com

This week.

Zack could not stop laughing at Kate.

It's the hood.

and it's all fun and games until someone gets their eye poked out.

dads

To a woman I think there is no greater joy than seeing your husband love, really love your children. Wade gets up every night with Zack at 2:00 a.m. to feed him, everynight!! Wade will be the first to admit that sometimes he and Zack "don't always get along". Zack loves his dad most when I am holding him and Wade is playing with him.

Translation

Zack is a mommies boy.

Kate loves Wade. He feeds her everynight before bed. They are cute together, she will get anything out of him in years to come.

And Why don't I feed my daughter?

Zack won't let Wade feed him before bed.

Memory Jar

If you have a friend or family member who has lost someone recently you should make them one of these. It's a memory jar, you take a stone or pebble out for each day of the year. My friend Becky Kimball gave me the idea, she has one for her sweet girl. I made this one for my mother.

Never Raise a Baby Around a Parrot

My mom sent this to me. Thought it was worth sharing.

As he was leaving ...

"Don't let the kids take advantage of you today"

I won't.

Came Home To This The Other Day

For months now Stacie has be taking care of Zack and Kate on Mondays. They love her. Zack even gives her hugs which he rarely gives to anyone besides me. It's nice to have friends that know you, really know you.

We will miss having you here every week.

Thanks love.

substance

There are days I find myself on the Internet for hours looking for something, anything. Then I read the Nie Nie dialogues. I feel satisfied and go on with my day. Love this girl, her perspective, her attitude, her desire to be a good mother. For Christmas she told her sister to not buy her children plastic toys. I love that.

Bed Time

For the first time in 71/2 months I put the kids to bed by myself.

I put the kids to bed by myself.

I put the kids to bed by myself.

I put the kids to bed by myself.

It feels amazing. Aimee is always asking me if I feel empowered by motherhood. I usually say not really. But if she were to ask me tonight I would have to say YES YES YES!! I managed to be home with two infants from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with no help. I fed them each 4 times. Changed 10 diapers. Bathed them both. Changed 4 outfits. Went on a car ride. Talked to the insurance company for 3 hours. Fed them each oatmeal, or tried. Did their physical therapy exercises. For Zack this means lots of tummy time which he calls torture time. For Kate she has to practice standing flat footed, she is already really into ballet.

Bath time looks something like this.

I hold Kate while we bathe Zack. I run down the hall and put Kate on the floor in Zack's room, I run back to the bathroom and get Zack out of the tub (I know, I know) Really it is 1 second. I lay him on the floor next to Kate while I diaper and dress him and put lots of lotion on his little dry body. Then I undress Kate and run to the bathroom and put her in the bath seat. I run back down the hall and grab Zack who is screaming at this point because he still hasn't grasped the concept that he is a twin and sometimes that means waiting for 3 seconds to be picked up. Off to the bathroom we go to bathe Kate while still holding Zack. When Kate is done we run Zack back down the hall and put him on the floor where he screams while I get Kate out of the bath tub. We dress her and diaper her on the floor while Zack is on my lap. The bottles are made and waiting for us next to their bouncers with a burp clothe near by. The music has started and I only have to stop feeding Zack once to burp Kate. I stop feeding Zack grab Kate put her on my lap grab Zack's bottle start feeding him again and bounce Kate on my knee until she burps, back in her bouncer she goes and Zack barely notices.

I think for their one year birthday party we will have a circus theme.