10 months, a wild vacation and a great holiday season

Where to start, what a month! On December 3 we headed for my parents place in Florida and what a trip it was.  We created a lot of great memories but are certainly glad to be home. The boys were champions on the plane but we ended up with a nasty tummy flu for the first week of the trip. We were literally glued to the bathroom for 48 hours and the boys had a terrible case of diarrhea that lasted 10 full days.  We were scared of dehydration but they recovered and we enjoyed the remaining 2 weeks. My mom was amazing and I don't know what we would have done without her.  I have no idea how parents deal with 2 sick kids when they are sick themselves, it is pure hell.  While we were away the boys turned 10 months old and they are turning into "real people".  I know they are technically still babies but they are growing and changing so quickly it is hard to believe.

Fynn
Sleep this month has been really hit and miss, with more miss than hit.  I can't really blame you boys though because when all is said and done you will have slept in your cribs for less than a week out of the entire month.  The new routine seems to be down to bed at 6:15pm and up again at 9:30pm for a bottle, then up again at 12am and then up for the day around 7am.  It is not fun and we are going to do our best to correct things now that we are home. 
Eating has also regressed a lot this month.  With being sick you backed off of solids a bit and took a lot more bottles and purees. That being said previous to being sick you were eating lots of new foods including salmon every vegetable you could get your hands on and you are a carb addict just like your mommy.
Surprisingly you aren't walking yet and this makes mommy very happy.  You are still pulling up on everything, scaling furniture and getting into everything. You love walking holding my fingers but you lean forward and sit every time I let go of your fingers.
You love to talk my boy.  You carry on full conversations with whoever will listen and you have become Mr. Smiley (at times). You love showing off your cute gap tooth grin and when you are in a social mood you smile and talk to anyone around you. 
You are very clever and you seem to figure out any way to get yourself into trouble. You find everything and anything that is dangerous and this makes you very happy. You keep me on my toes and test me in every way.


Hudson
You have had the same struggles with sleep and food as your brother this month and we will be working hard to get you back on track this month.  Being sick and away from home have taken a little toll on you but you are a trooper.  You seem to have had the worst of the tummy flu and your hydrocele was acting up while you were away and we even ended up at the hospital.  You let the ultra sound tech know that he was pushing his luck and urinated right in his face.  It wasn't a great moment but I guess it is part of the job.
You are still our smiling little peanut but you do have your moments.  You loose your mind when we change your diaper and you have your fussy moments.  There really isn't an inbetween with you.  Most of your day is spent laughing and smiling but once in a while you let us know when you aren't impressed. When you wake up in the night for a bottle you scream so loud it sounds like someone is hurting you.  Mommy races to get the bottle in your mouth because it is so disheartening.
You move at rapid speeds like your brother but aren't walking yet either.  You love to follow your brother and he shows you how to get into "trouble".
We had a lot of great outings while on vacation and it has been great having daddy home with us for the past 2 months. Daddy goes back to work next week and it is going to be such a sad day for everyone. We have really bonded as a family and it has been such an amazing time.

 

 

Merry Christmas

 

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9 months (late)

Life has turned into a total whirlwind.  Days blend into nights and time is still flying.  Hubby is off for the months of November and December and I am loving having someone to tag team the boys.  We have daily outings and it is great to get the boys out and about.  We have started to house hunt for a bigger/better house and it seems like a daunting task. The boys turned 9 months this past Saturday and I haven't even had a chance to take their monthly picture.

Hudson

We have started to call you Hollywood Hudson.  You are such a flirt and you love to be around people (well except at Gymboree.....lol). You absolutely love your daddy and he makes you giggle all of the time. You also love playing with your brother and you often like to "borrow" his toys.
You hate to have your diaper changed, I mean hate.  You used to roll over and try to escape diaper changes but now you throw an absolute fit, you scream bloody murder and act like we are torturing you.  You also had a cold for almost a week and we barely saw you smile (my poor little buddy).
Your crawling has accelerated and you really book it.  You pull up on absolutely everything and you are very sturdy. You are more cautious than your brother and when you are done playing with a standing toy you carefully bend down and drop onto your bum.  You love to bop up and down when you are standing and sometimes when you are holding onto something you pull it towards you and slide onto your back (this scares mommy).
You LOVE cheerious. I think if we let you, you would eat an entire box. You still use your index finger to drag food towards you and we think it is hilarious. You like all of your purees and you are starting to like eating more foods that we chop up for you. You have a bit of a choke reflex but you are getting better.
Your sleep seems to have regressed a bit.  You used to sleep from 5:30pm to around 6am but now you wake up for a big bottle in the night. You go to sleep between 6:15-6:45, wake up for a quick bottle  (you barely even open your eyes) and then sleep until 7:00am (or even later). We haven't tried letting you cry it out because we are usually up when you want your night-time bottle so it isn't a big deal to give you a quick bottle.  I am sure we will probably regret it but I like the extra cuddle time. You are so busy during the day that having you so peaceful during the night just melts my heart. Your napping is so much better than 2 or 3 months ago and I love the fact that your morning nap is usually 2 hours.

 

Hudson and Fynn

 

I love you my sweet boy and you make me smile each and every day.

Fynn

You have turned into a little momma's boy. You constantly crawl to my feet when I am sitting on the couch and you want to come onto my lap. You and your brother are obsessed with trying to get to the laptop, our phones, and the remote control.  It just makes daddy and I realize that we don't need those things when we are around you.
Like your brother you love to stand and pull up on everything. You are sturdy but are a bit more of a dare devil than your brother. You dive from one toy to the next and if one standing toy is near another you stretch and move from one toy to another instead of dropped to your bum and crawling over to the other toy.
Your night sleep is about the same as it has been for the past several months. You sleep through the night every couple of nights but usually get up for one nightly bottle. Sometimes it takes you a little while to settle back to sleep but usually you go right back down. For a couple of weeks we thought your naps were becoming more predictable and longer but some days you fight sleeping all day. On these days you become overtired and you whine and fuss like you used to do (not my favourite). Unlike previous months you will however sleep in the car or in the stroller so that is usually our plan of attack when you just can't get settled. We have started rocking you longer which is a big no no (oh well, whatever works).
Your top teeth are completely in and they are ridiculously cute. You have a cute space between them and we lovingly call you Mr. David Letterman.
You love food, it seems like you would eat anything we give you and your appetite seems endless. You love eating avacado and anything else that is messy and this drives daddy crazy. You love feeding yourself and it ends up in your hair and you need a bath every time you eat.
You hate Gymboree class and mommy wants a refund. You have no time for anyone who isn't mommy or daddy and you barely even look at other people. You do warm up to people after awhile but we only really see your true personality emerge when you are at home with us. You tolerate your brother, who loves to follow you around and takes interest in everything you play with. Sometimes you even smile and laugh with him but you are a hard nut to crack. Usually when you brother decides he would like to "borrow" what you are playing with you just crawl away but sometimes when you are really focused on what you are doing you dig your heels in and make sure he doesn't get it from you.
I love you my Prime Finnister, my Fynny boo boo, my Fynndigler. You are my boy and I love to see you each and every day. 


Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends

This is Insanity

Okay, I know I have already written a post that says this exact sentiments but I am living in a mad house.  These boys are like wild animals that don't stop.  They literally never sit still. Even when they are eating they are batting away the spoon, kicking their high chairs and yelping at the top of their lungs. Short of moving into a bouncy castle I don't know what else we can do.  We were given an octogon shaped "pen" from another twin mom and that isn't even helping. First of all I am not 100% comfortable with the idea of it but I figured I would give it a whirl, at this point I would try anything.  Anyways the "pen" quickly became a cage and my boys became cage fighters.  They aren't intending to hurt each other, at least I hope not, but they are mauling each other all the same. Plus they pull up on the bars and then leap face first into the ground.  I tried padding the cage with pillows, I lined the entire octogon with them. That didn't work because it left about a 2ft by 2 ft space for them to play and they hated it. They are pulling themselves up on every and any item and they seem to be drawn to dangers that I hadn't even considered.  Seriously, one of them was trying to chip paint off the wall to eat it yesterday.  They both dart off to opposites side of the house whenever they can and are extreme dare devils.  Then they look at me with shock and disgust when they fall.  By the end of the day I a sweating buckets, by the way I have gained weight so figure that out, and a nervous basket case. I decided I was at my breaking point trying to keep them entertained and alive so I splurged and signed them up for Gymboree.  Well they HATE it.  Seriously, even my little guy who we now call Hollywood Hudson, because he never stops smiling and flirting, cries the entire time we are there.  They literally are rendered motionless as soon as we enter the room.  It is a total mind beep because I don't get what would be setting them off.  The room is like one giant play mat with slides, tunnels and toys.  They refuse to crawl and cling to me for dear life.  When the "teacher" comes around to them they look like deer in headlights.  How can they be so terrified, they have each other and they love being around their cousins so I don't think they are affraid of the other kids.  I am with them the entire time yet they are almost shaking they are so frightened.  Theie favourite thing to do at home with me is to walk while I hold their hands, they could do it all day long.  The minute we walk into that Gymboree room their legs turn to spaghetti and they refuse to put any weight on them. They don't participate in any of the activities because they are stiff as a board and refuse to be put down.  I thought after the first couple of classes they would come around but we have been to 4 classes now and nothing has improved.

Calling all Infertiles with Egg Donor Sisters

I have recently been interviewed for a magazine article and they are looking for other infertiles who have become pregnant using their sister's eggs.  If you are one of these women or know someone who is and would like to be in a magazine please message me.
Thanks in advance.

Happy Halloween!

 

 

Men are Born Selfish?

So let me preface this with the fact that I have a great husband.  He is funny, like really funny, and fun to be around in general.  He is also a good father who supported me through all of this infertility stuff and never once made me feel guilty for the money we spent or the hoops we had to jump through. 
Now that that's out of the way let me get to the point.  I believe men are born or maybe socialized to be selfish.  Yep, all men.  I am not saying it is always a bad thing but I think it is a thing.  Maybe it is instictual or primal and they can't help it but I guess us women are just more evolved....lol.
Case and point. I can spend the entire day with my boys (6am-5pm) and literally not pee.  Not because I don`t have to pee but I just don`t prioritize it.  Instead I wash out bottles, tidy up toys, run the laundry and the list goes on.  I know what you`re thinking, I am a saint, and yes it is true. Yet, the moment my husband gets home he changes out of his work clothing and adjourns himself to his throne.  That`s right, here I am still in my pajamas, hair not brushed, teeth not cleaned and he heads to the bathroom.  Don`t get me wrong he isn`t heartless, he does blow air kisses to the boys as he passes.  Next he complains about how hungry he is.  It must be noted that he works at a Golf Club with a 4 star chef and he gets free food.  I, on the other hand, generally have toast for breakfast, some sort of microwavable lunch that I don't have time to eat and maybe a bite of a granola bar. It isn`t that I can't eat or shower, it is just that I always have something else to do during the waking hours, that seems more productive (facebook....lol).  In my opinion the boys go down before 6 pm and generally do not wake up until 6 am so I can eat, pee, and do personal stuff then.  However, maybe his way of doing things isnt the worst idea, I just could not do it myself but maybe there should be a more even meeting of the needs.  I would say that as soon as the boys were born their needs, no matter how small or important, have always come first.
Then again he does a lot of things that are considerate, like going to Dairy Queen. Actually come to think of it I didn't even like DQ before we met.  Plus it isn't like he is coming home with nothing for himself.  I guess a better example would be the fact that when the boys were little he always did the 3 am feed (this was huge because it allowed me to sleep from 12am-6am) and now he does the morning feedings. He also does the majority (like 95%) of the cooking, doesn't mind vacuuming and mopping the floors and gives a mean nightly back massage.
Maybe what I see as selfishness is actually more well balanced and one day I will burn out and he will continue on the way he is going and be just fine.
Maybe this male selfishness is also why he also never ever puts the toilet paper on the roll, oh wait that is just because he is lazy.....lol.

Bored?

I hate to say this but Maternity leave is a bit boring. Okay, it isn't that I am saying I have a ton of free time on my hands because they boys are full on but I mean my mind isn't really being stimulated.  I am a true believer of "if you don't use it you loose it" and I am loosing it. I am not going out of my way to think of creative ways to fill the day so I am getting in a bit of a rut.  I am 100% grateful to have the time off with my boys and I truly love being with them it is just that I don't feel like I do enough.  I am not really interested in going to the mall because the boys are too active and I feel like it isn't fair to keep them strapped in their seats for long periods of time. I can't really get them out at the mall because I can't hold them both at the same time so it seems pointless. It takes me about 30 minutes to get us packed up to go and the boys are usually on different nap schedules so unless the outing is worth it I would rather just go for a walk.  Now that they are eating real food it isn't like we can just take a bottle and go. Plus my boys nap in their cribs so we are kind of tied to the house.  We go for a lot of walks while the weather is still good but I would like to do something different. I could go to the zoo or other places that cost money but again the boys would be in the stroller and I am not sure how much they would get out of it. I guess what I need is a group of mom friends in the neighbourhood to hang out with.  I did join a mommy group and met a few girls but they are in a totally different position than me.  They only have one baby and their kids are a couple of months younger.  It isn't that big a deal but they can do a lot that I can't. They generally opt to spend the afternoon at the mall (like 4 hours at a time) because their babies sleep most of the time. They also go swimming (I can't do it with two babies) and do baby yoga (sounds like heaven). I guess I will have to pursue my local POMBA again because I need to meet mom's of multiples.

Top ten reasons my husband shouldn't do laundry

1. He doesn't sort (he keeps all colours together, whites and blacks included)
2. He never remembers to put the wash into the dryer (he rewashes everything at least 2 times...ugh). Some of our towels smell like mildew
3. He puts towels with clothing
4. He doesn't fold
5. He waits until he has at least 5 loads
6. Everytime I go to use the dryer there is a load in there. Either half dry or needing to be folded
7. He puts everything in the dryer (wool and suede included)
8. He acts like he should get a hero biscuit for even attempting it
9. He uses the last of the detergent and never lets me know
10. He throws it on the floor in the bedroom  instead of putting it away

8 months (a little late)

Well my little dudes are no longer my little babies any more.  It feels like they have really turned a corner this month. As I have mentioned in previous posts they are mobile and it is an entirely new world. The pace of life has become so fast it is hard to keep up.  They are so much fun but also so much work (the best job in the world). They are the loves of my life and I love watching them grow and learn new skills.

Hudson
Your personality sure is emerging. No longer do you smile all day long and take the passive role.  You are now a little man in motion and you are giving your brother a run for his money in more ways than one. You are still full of smiles but you also let us know when you are frustrated or if you need some extra attention.  You are constantly on the move and you have even invented your own little move we call the "side saddle". It is a mix between a sitting and crawling position where you balance on one side. It is your signature move, and it is hilarious. You learned to crawl last month and you get faster by the day. You also love to pull yourself up onto your knees, thank goodness you are becoming a little more careful because at first you kept bumping your head and mommy was a nervous wreck.
You are a good little eater and you seem to like most foods (everything but peaches so far). Fruit and vegetables seem to be your favourite and although you eat meat at least once a day the texture isn't your favourite. You also love eating cheerios (although daddy calls them chokeous) and your technique is hilarious. You take your index finger, balance the cheerio on the tip of your finger and then place each one on your tongue individually.
You still love your Jolly Jumper and it feels like you are going to catapult into space when you are jumping. You laugh so hard it cracks us all up.  You and your brother love to bounce together and it is the cutest thing ever.
You boys have really discovered each other this month and you love "talking" and interacting with each other. You follow each other around crawling everywhere. You also crawl over each other  instead of going around one another. It looks very uncomfortable but it doesn't seem to bother either of you.
You are much more vocal this month and your noises are hilarious and at times ear piercing. You yelp and screech with happiness and our house sounds a bit like a three ring circus. Your noises aren't really word like but hopefully that will come soon.
We have had a bunch of sleepovers at Grandma and Grandpa's house this month and you have done so well. You guys love to hang out there and I think they love having you.
You are still a good sleeper but unlike previous months you occassionally wake up in the middle of the night. Daddy and I got into a bad habit of giving you a bottle and then suddenly you came to expect them. We decided that this wasn't a great idea so we went back to our original "sleep training" (I hate that term!) and we hope you are back to consistently sleeping through the night again soon. You are still having 3 naps a day although I think you are ready to go down to 2. I acually like that I can go out in the afternoon for a couple of hours with you so I haven't worked on consolidating your afternoon naps. You guys are so easy to put down at nap time it just hasn't seemed to be very important. You are still going to sleep around 5:30pm and waking up for the day between 5:30-6:00 am (with the occasional bottle in the night).
You have two bottom teeth now and they are so darn cute. They are coming in at different times so they are a little uneven and so adorable. You also have more hair this month and I can't wait until I can style it.  One day I put some of daddy's "product" in it and you looked like daddy's mini me.
You have had a couple of melt downs this month and they came to us as a big surprise. We got so used to you being our happy little guy that when you became so upset it was a real shock. For a couple of days in a row you decided you hated the bath and had a total melt down. You also decided that you hated your high chair.  We decided that maybe you were overtired by the time you got to dinner and bathtime so we moved everything up a half an hour and that seemed to do the trick.  Now you are back on track.
Grandpa has been calling you "The Goose" because he says you eat everything and anything and that it goes right through your system (if you know what I mean). I literally change 4 diapers from the time you wake up until you go down for your first nap.
Life is very busy but we are enjoying every moment with you!

Fynn
You have also had a very busy month. You learned to crawl just after your 7 month birthday and you haven't stopped since you first took off. Mommy was a bit surprised that you learned so early because your adjust age would have been less than 6 months old. Hopefully that doesn't mean you will walk early. You are pulling up on EVERYTHING, mostly to your knees but a couple of times you have been able to get up on your feet (lord help me).  You are so quick that mommy can't take her eyes off of you for a second. You make a break for the front door, hanging cords, and anything remotely dangerous whenever you can. You are still my wild little man and you keep me on my toes.
I am happy to say that you no longer whine (well, no more than any other baby). You smile all of the time (with the exception of when you are around strangers). Daddy and I always notice that you can smile all day long with us at home and as soon as we go out you become very serious. It's funny because you are our silly guy but everyone assumes that would be your brother because he loves all people.
You love to eat and you can gobble down so many cheerios it is amazing. You love rice crackers too but those are the two only solid foods (that aren't pureed) that you can swollow. I have given you chunks of avacado and banana but you aren't too sure about the texture. You eat three "meals" a day and you haven't disliked anything we have given you. You can go through 3 baby bullet servings in one sitting (with various cereals mixed in).
You and your brother seem to be on similar sleep schedules (well the amount of sleep not necessarily the time that you sleep). You are easy to put down and you have slept through the night quite a bit this month (previous months you seemed to always get up for a night bottle). It is a mystery because you ALWAYS sleep through the night at grandma and grandpa's house (I am not sure why). Daddy and I talked about putting you down in the pack'n'play here at home because we wondered if you preferred it to your crib.
You also have new sounds this month and my least favourite is an ear piercing shriek that you have begun to make. It sounds like you might be in pain but it is generally followed by a smile so we know you are just playing around with your voice.
You now have 4 teeth, 2 on the bottom and 2 almost in on the top. They make you look so much different, like a little boy instead of a baby. Your gums look red but they haven't really changed your personality. You are rough and tumble and you have bumped your lip more than a couple of times on the floor this month. You cry for a second and then you are back to your crazy ways!

My boys, what a great month! I have been more tired this month than ever before but it is so worth it. I feel so fortunate to have you everyday and I never forget how lucky I am. I have been looking for some more things to do with you and would love to hear suggestions from any moms. I would love some suggestions of activities I can do at home and some programs that other twin mom's attended.

Busy????

What a month! I used to cringe when people (strangers) said "twins, you must be so busy". I hated that it was the first thing people always said to me and I would think to myself, "not really because I am on top of things". Now I want to eat my words! This twin thing is a lot of work and I now know it is just the beginning. People foolishly told me that the first 3 months are the hardest. To be honest I loved every second and I was on autopilot. Yes we were sleep deprived but we had a schedule, we were disciplined and most of all we were so happy to be parents. I mean like deliriously happy, we were content just staring at the boys and we couldn't get over the fact that they were ours. The next months flew by so quickly and things were very smooth. Yes Fynn  liked to fuss but he is a baby and that is to be expected. They slept when they were "supposed" to and things just seemed to fall into place. People would often stop me when I was out by myself (with the boys) and tell me how brave they thought I was. They also commented on the fact that I didn't look tired, well I wasn't I was getting my regular 8 hours of sleep a night so why would I be. Even my mother (who is amazing but not one to tell you when you are doing a good job) said she was amazed at how I handled things. Well the other shoe has dropped this month. That's right it is no longer "easy", I have lost my stride and am literally exhausted by the end of the day. Tonight for example I still have my boots on and I can't even imagine wasting the energy to bend over and take them off, I might even sleep in them. You see this month the boys are officially mobile. I mean they move, and they move quickly.  We have a little house and this isn't helping the situation at all. Not only do they crawl but they both pull up on everything in sight (both to their knees and Fynn occassionally to his feet). What the heck am I going to do when they can walk, I am sooooooo screwed

This made me laugh!

Check out this blog (http://strikingmom.blogspot.ca/2012/10/october-2nd-2012-striking-mother-log.html?m=0) of a mom who went on strike, hilarious. She is going to be on the Katie show today.....lol

Support Needed

One of our blogging sisters needs your support.  She is 23 weeks pregnant with twins and just found out one of her precious babies has a very rare congenital heart defect called Hypo-plastic Left Heart Syndrome with mitral and aortic stenosis (HLHS). Without intensive, ongoing medical intervention he will not live. With intensive, ongoing medical intervention he might live.  She was finally feeling relaxed in her pregnancy and now the rug has been pulled from beneath her. Her head is spinning and she needs everyone to rally around her.  Please reach out to her and show your support, every little positive comment makes a difference  http://infertileinafertileland.blogspot.ca/2012/10/in-heartbeat-everything-changes.html

Ungrateful?????

Okay, so I should start off by saying that my husband is a great dad and prioritizes our family.  However he isn't perfect, okay neither am I, but we are talking about him. The truth is, I do things the right way and he needs to follow my lead at all times (that's reasonable right.....lol). Okay I am kidding a bit, but not really.  I spend the majority of time with the boys (he works 6 days a week for a minimum of 10 hours per day). Therefore I have established "the routine" and generally am responsible for the day to day running of the household (kids included). Due to the amount of time hubby is away from home, on the rare occasion that he is home early from work early he generally offers to take over bedtime (Hallelujah for that). This is when I usually head to the grocery store and get errands done, not glamorous but a break all the same. I do my best not to leave too many instructions but it's hard.  I guess it would be better to just let him have daddy time and be happy to have a competent spouse who is willing to step up. Well, sometimes competent isn't good enough. 
So this is my vent session on how my husband rebels and refuses to follow my direct orders....lol. I am laughing but it is very frustrating.
The following are my grievances in no particular order:
1. He feeds them in their bouncy chairs instead of their high chairs
2. He refuses to brush their teeth and gums because he says it isn't necessary because they only have a few teeth
3. He fed them strawberries even though I asked him not to (I know that generally people think they are safe but I am a worrier)
4. He doesn't ever get on the floor and play with them. He picks them up plenty of the time and has them on his lap or sitting next to him but he never gets down and plays with them.
5. He doesn't give them a bottle before bed because he says they shouldn't need it because they have just recently eaten. Needless to say the nights he put them down I have to go in an hour later and give them each a bottle. He acts surprised every time, so annoying!
6. He won't mix fruit or vegetables with any cereals because he says it looks disgusting.
7. He used to question my sleep schedule (he used to question if the boys needed to have a specific bedtime when he wanted to participate in social outings) until I let him take the wait and see approach and they had an epic meltdown.
8. He doesn't feed them anything messy (Cheerios/Mum crackers)
9. He throws the laundry on the nursery floor even though the hamper is 4 steps away from the change table.
10. He refuses to let me use a soother lanyard (not sure what they are called) to clip Fynn's soother to him. Therefore I am always reaching under the crib and searching the house for soothers.
11. If Fynn wakes up at night (he hasn't lately but had to document this one) he feeds him but never changes his diaper.  That means by morning time his diaper is about a million pounds. He says changing his diaper will stimulate him way too much, although when I do it he goes right back to sleep.
12. ****this will not generate sympathy but still aggravates me so why not mention it********
When he wakes up with the boys in the morning (he gets up at 6:00 am and lets me sleep until 6:30 when he has to get ready for work) he doesn't have time to change their diapers and they he barely feeds them any of their bottles. Plus he has them in their bouncy chairs watching cartoons (I try to avoid having the t.v on). ***side note he makes time to stop at Tim Hortons and get a offee and breakfast sandwich on the way to work**

Okay, now that I have made him look like a terrible father, my job is done......lol. I know I am not perfect and I would hate for him to analyze my skills and choices. However, I am a woman so I get to complain.
I feel much better now!

My dirty little secret!

We use a Jolly Jumper......judge away.....lol. The boys love it and I like to see them happy.  Plus if it delays their walking then that is a bonus (I am kidding of course).  Excuse my cold, I sound like a 70 year old smoker and wish I knew how to take the volume off the video.

Weekend Away!

Well I think I am one of the very few mothers of twins that can say they had an entire weekend away without their 7 month old twins.  It was great to get away but I missed the boys like crazy.  Of course I knew they were in amazing hands with my sister and mom but I still missed their smiling faces.  They are at such a fun stage and it is hard to miss a moment. It was however great to spend time with friends, eat some leisurely meals, and even sleep in. I feel like G and I have lots of time together at home but it is much different when you are away.  We stayed at a gorgeous Inn for the weekend where Graham was the Best Man at our good friends' wedding. It was a lovely wedding with all of our closest friends attending.  The Inn is located 2 hours from our house and it is right on a beautiful lake.  The bride and groom decided to forgo the honeymoon suite for a bigger double room so they gave it to us.  They even insisted on paying for both nights (they said it included in their wedding package).  We enjoyed our time away but were very excited to get back to the boys. I think the boys are sick of mommy hugging them because I can't help but squeeze them all of the time since I have been home.  The best part of everything is that my mom and sister followed my "schedule" to a t and the boys came home right on track.  There literally hasn't even been one hiccup since we have been home.  This is a big contrast to our visit to my in-laws cottage. 

 

In other exciting news my baby Fynn is crawling, that's right crawling.  He had been rocking for a couple of days and even took a few "steps" crawling but now he can crawl all the way to whatever object he desires.  He doesn't do it all of the time but he can when he wants to.  I am so screwed......lol!

Seven Months

Fynn on the left and Hudson on the right                                         Happy Hudson talking away

Naked time before bath time

       
                                                                                                             Fynn getting ready to take off!


Well we've had another great month my boys! Again we had a lot of firsts  and this parenting thing continues to change on a daily basis. You boys are a LOT more active and you keep me on my toes.  Gone are the days of napping in your car seats (did that used to happen) and being happy spending more than an hour stilling in your stroller.  Now you are happier moving, stretching and playing.  Thank goodness for naps and an early bedtime or mommy wouldn't be able to keep up. 

Fynn
Holy cow Mr. Finnister you are a busy guy.  It is nearly impossible to change your diaper these days because you literally NEVER want to stay still.  You roll like crazy and grab anything that is within reach. You have decided that you are ready to crawl and although you haven't actually done a propper step forward you are able to get up on all fours.  Generally you shift back and forth a couple of times before you squirm backwards.  Unfortunately that gets you further away from whatever object you are trying to get to so you get frustrated. Your whining is getting better but there is a reason we lovingly call you Finicky Fynn.
This month you also got your first two teeth. Wow, I couldn't believe it when Dr. G pointed out that you were cutting a bottom tooth.  It turns out that it was actually two teeth that were coming in at the same time. You look so grown up with your two new little chiclets.  It also feels like one of your top teeth might be in soon too and I bet that changes your look once again. I am not sure if you were any fussier than your usual self.  You did had a couple of nights were you woke up 2 times throughout the night but we aren't sure if that was because of your teeth or if it was just coincidence. 
You now LOVE your jolly jumper.  That's right even after all of the physical therapy warnings mommy lets you jump in a jumper. You love it and beam from ear to ear. You are so proud of yourself and it is great to see you so happy.
The one thing you don't love to do is sit.  You are actually pretty sturdy when mommy places you in the sitting position and you can stay up for 5 or more minutes (then you loose your focus and dive forward).  You never try to get yourself into the sitting position and when you are walking holding my fingers and I try to sit you down you stiffen your legs and refuse to sit.  I think if you could you would stand at all times.  You love walking with my fingers and mommy is worried you will be an early walker (your cousin walked at 9 months and that scares mommy a lot!). Although you aren't pulling up on things at all so maybe we have a while before we have to get ready for that.
You are getting increasingly vocal, especially in the morning and before bath time.  You yelp and laugh and I love hearing you and your brother throughout the house.
You have found your smile my boy and it comes out so much more often. You have even smiled at a stranger or two....lol

Hudson
It has been so much fun watching you continue to be more outgoing and vocal this month.  You have caught up to your brother in all areas and it looks like you might be the first one to crawl. You are constantly up on all fours and ready to move.  You have taken one or two "steps" forward in the crawling position but then come crashing down.  You just smile and then try it again. Like your brother it is almost impossible to change your diaper because you can't stay still. You roll and squirm and you guys are way too strong to be babies.
You also got your first tooth this month. It is on the bottom and it feels like more are soon to follow. You are such a little trooper and we barely even saw the signs of any discomfort caused by the new tooth. One night you woke up a couple of times with a little whimper but were quickly soothed with a cuddle and some tylenol.  Mommy has been giving you some pain relief medicine nightly before bed just in case for the past two nights.
Like your brother you aren't very interested in sitting. You are okay in the highchair and in mommy's lap but you aren't too sturdy on your own yet.  When mommy sets you up like a tripod, using your arms to stabilize you, you can sit for a couple of minutes but eventually you topple over. You don't seem comfortable but we keep working on it. We are doing a ton of tummy time and you get stronger every day.
You are still my smily guy and I love seeing you so happy all of the time. You love your daddy and he makes you laugh so hard, it is hilarious.  You love "talking" to your brother and whenever you get a chance you man handle him.  You love to explore and you grab everything.  Your favourite thing to explore lately is faces and you aren't gentle....lol. Mommy has had to make sure your nails are trimmed so that you don't hurt any of us. You also LOVE to pull hair. Mommy is sporting a bun now most of the time but when she forgets she gets a quick reminder.

I love you my beautiful boys and I can't wait to see what this month has in store for us!

Mommy's Night out!

I had my first night out since having the boys on Saturday night and I am just now STARTING to get back into the swing of things.  Don't get me wrong I have gone to a couple of movies and dinner with my husband (which were nice) but Saturday night was my first night out with the girls. It was also the first time I participated in adult drinks (lots of them), dancing, and even a stripper (yuck).  It was my girlfriend's stagette and we had a blast.  The only problem when you are a mommy and you drink is that you are on duty the next day.  It isn't your childrens fault that you were letting loose the night before and they don't get that you have a pounding headache.  Was it worth it?...........heck yeah........will I do it again soon?........not on your life!

We have a tooth, and it's a boy!

Yesterday we went to our first appointment with our new pediatrician and it went very well. Not sure if I mentioned it before but I strongly dislike my previous pediatrician.  He made off colored jokes (usually I don't mind some but not in a professional setting) and crossed the line about my sister being our egg donor (asked hubby if my sister was hot and then said they should have just got a hotel room and saved all of the expense). The boys are doing well and a lot the little concerns are clearing up (they had some fluid in their testicals and Fynn had a bit of a hernia). Then he asked me if they had any teeth and I quickly responded no.  Well insert foot in mouth because sure enough my baby boy Fynn indeed has his first tooth poking through.  I guess I thought it would be bigger or more apparent.  The boys wiggle so much and barely stay still for a second so it is difficult to get a good look in their mouth. I have felt around and thought I felt some harder spots but then thought nothing of it. Anyway, just a sliver of the tooth is showing and I am so excited for him.  I know I say it way too much but these guys are really growing up.
In other news my sister in law (hubby's brother's wife) is pregnant and due in January.  Lord knows how anyone keeps a secret as long as they did (she was 16 weeks before they announced it) but she found out today she will be having a boy. Side note, they got pregnant the second month they were trying (bitch....lol). This is great news but I won't lie I was kind of hoping for a girl. I know every child is amazing and all of that unicorn and fairy dust shit but it would have worked out so well for me. That's right, it's all about me.....lol. Clearly I will love my nephew and it will be great to have another playmate and family member for my boys. However,on hubby's side there are no girls. His father is an only child, his father's father was an only child, hubby has two brothers, we have the two boys and  then their is one nephew . So let's just say that side needs a little estrogen.  I was so hoping to soften those men up just a a little bit. I guess in a perfect world I could have another baby and this time it would be a girl.....yeah right.

6 month check up (our appointment was 2 weeks late) Fynn 17.2 pounds
                                                                                        Hudson 16.4 pounds

What's in a Name

So, this week I got a shocking and less than positive email from my mother-in-law.  Apparently she has been stewing over something terrible I had done. She went on a rant for two full paragraphs about why she is so upset with me.  So here it is, I referred to her ex husband's "girlfriend" as Grandma. I posted a picture on Facebook of Hubby's dad with his "girlfriend" and captioned it "grandpa and grandma" because that's what we call them.  That's right, how dare I.  Let me start by saying that this "girlfriend" has been in the picture for 18 years and has been amazing with the boys since the day they were born.  She has cooked, cleaned and come to stay (things my mother-in-law did not do).  I actually like my mother-in-law and have been more than happy with her hands off approach.  She too loves the boys but in a different way.  She doesn't drive and has a group of very close friends that have been there to spend time with and support her since her divorce. Let's just say she is still bitter about the divorce.  I am actually not sure why, she left him and she hates him so it isn't as if she wants him back.  I wish she would get over it and move forward.  I guess the reason it is still so painful is because they JUST made the final settlement.  When the initial divorce and support was decided they agreed that it would be reassessed when Hubby's dad retired.  Needless to say he just retired so it has been ugly.  She says he was hiding money and he said she was bleeding him dry.  Anyways, he will continue to support her until the day she dies so she is set (so I am not sure why she is so angry).
The email basically told me that "the girlfriend" let's call her N is nothing to Fynn and Hudson.  She doesn't share a last name or any blood relation.  She said N was a disgusting person to allow us to call her Grandma because she has her own "real" grandchildren.  It makes me sick.  If she really loved the boys wouldn't she be happy that they had more people who cared about them.  Furthermore, since she isn't able to help me out (she is legally blind, smokes heavily, has bad knees, and is pretty overweight) isn't she happy that someone is.  Let me clarify that N was not in the picture until after Mother in law and father in law divorced.  She has never said one bad thing about my mother in law and she highly respects the relationship my husband and his brothers have with their mother.  She would feel terrible if she knew she had caused any strife at all. Mother in law also said that if she finds out my three year old nephew has ever called N grandma she will have a corinary (I guess she better call the paramedics).   I also annoys because the boys will get the situation when they are old enough. Of course they will know that Mother in law is hubby's mom and that N isn't. They will see the relationship we have with each family member and have a bond with them individually.
I didn't really know how to respond to the email, hubby said to pretend it never happened. He said that it was crazy and didn't deserve to be responded to. I just responded that I was sorry it hurt her feelings and it wasn't my intentions.  Then I explained that the boys love her and that she has a special bond with them.  Gosh, I never anticipated things to progress like this.
By the way, to add fuel to the fire.  Mother in law used one of my pictures on facebook as her profile picture and edited one of the boys out of it. You heard that correctly.  She chose the grandson that she thinks looks like her, and that she favors and cut the other one out of the picture.  Um, that is disgusting.  I guess she is trying to get my reaction!

6 months

   
I seem to have drooled on my pants                  The cutest Woody and Buzz ever

Holy cow, I can't believe it has been 6 months since I had my guys.  I remember thinking how huge 6 month olds looked when I first had the boys and now they are the big guys.  This month has been a fun one and I loved getting to know my boys more this month. You now go to sleep between 6-6:30 pm and generally have one wake up (boo to the cottage ordeal or you would still be sleeping through the night) and then are up for the day between 6-7am. You eat between 6-8 of formula per feeding and two bowls of rice cereal mixed with either yummy sweet potato and yellow squash.
It has been bittersweet month but one that I will cherish.  Bitter because I know I will never get to have a newborn again and sweet because of all the exciting developments my boys have had. I have loved my boys from the moment I met them but as I get to know them more the love gets deeper because I don't just love them because they are my babies, I love who they are and the experiences we have shared.

Don't mess with my bro

Fynn

You my boy have had a great month.  You have settled down  and you have really mastered this napping thing.  Mommy actually thinks that you need more sleep than she had originally anticipated and the more naps you have the better your awake time is. You go down for naps and bedtime easily now and you sleep in the most adorable position (butt in the air), Mommy thinks that you get more sleep now because you are a tummy sleeper and when you used to sleep on your back you just weren't comfortable.  You sure do travel now in your sleep. You literally move from one side of the crib to the other.  Sometimes mommy moves you in the night because you look uncomfortable but you move right back to where you were. For some reason you like to have your face pressed against the bars or squished into your crib sheet.  It is so adorable when you wake up and your face has little wrinkles from being pressed against things. You have also learned to turn your aquarium on when you are up from your nap and sometims mommy finds you laying in your crib just watching the fish swim by.
  It is funny to think that just 2 short months ago I worried that you weren't playing in your excersaucer, now you take that thing prisoner.  You play with it with such enthusiasm and excitement.  You smile from ear to ear and you attack it.  You can't decide which toy to play with first so you just go for them all.  It is quite a site and it is impossible to watch without grinning. 
You continue to be vocal but luckily for us now it is cooing, laughing and happy sounds.  No longer do you whine (as much) and you love to tell us stories.  You screech with excitement and I love it.
We had a set back this month when we visited Grampa's cottage. Our routine was off and one night you literally didn't sleep all night.  By the time we got home we were all exhausted and we had to start getting our routine back on track.  It literally took 2 full weeks to get back to normal and now you are back to only one wake up in the night. Mommy is not in any hurry to travel again but we will make up for that in a couple of years,  Let's not even talk about "the poop saga|" that happened on the way home, I think daddy is scarred for life.
You love to stand my boy and your legs are soooo strong.  We joke that you look like a little baby bodybuilder.  You can stand on your own for about five seconds holding onto something for balance but then you tilt over. When given fingers to balance I think you could stand all day!  You are also working very hard to crawl and you can travel from one side of the play mat to the other but it isn't exactly crawling. You actually use your head in the process and it is unbelievable to see.  You don't have much interest in sitting but when mommy props you up you can sit for about 20 seconds with no assistance, then you dive forward or straighen up trying to stand up.  Mommy is quickly realizing how much trouble she is in when you and your brother can move. 
You also love to reach out and grab things and to be tickled.  You knock everything in site over and you laugh loud and hard and it is pretty hilarious!
I love you Fynn and I am so lucky to be your mom.  We have found our groove and I really get a kick out of you.  Thanks for saving most of your smiles for me, they literally fill my heart.

                                           






                       Nothing like a bath on the dock!






Fynn is Fly!


Hudson
Wow, bubba what a month for you.  You are no longer our quiet little observer.  You are fiesty and full of life and energy.  Your legs literally don't stop moving from the time you wake up. Actually you even kick the side of your crib when falling asleep and sometimes in the middle of the night.  You are a good sleeper and are back to sleeping through the night, with the cottage debachle a thing of the past.  You are now a talker and you love to tell stories like your brother.  You are testing sounds out and it cracks me up.
You are also a big slobber puss and love to suck you hards!
Until this month you had barely put weight on your legs but half way through the month this changed.  Now you do everything in your power to get one of us to hold you in the standing position for long stretches.  You lock your knees and don't want to give up your position.
You have a thing about blankets and love to cover your face with them.  It makes mommy so nervous we no longer put a blanket with you in your crib (even though we used the crochet blanket). At first we thought you ended up with blankets over your face and head by accident but it has become clear that it is purposeful.  You rub the blanket against your cheeks, suck one end of it and then put the other up covering your face. Your favorite blankets are the muslin ones so luckily they are very thin but mommy has to watch you whenever you are holding a blanket just to be sure.
You also have discovered mommy's hair and love to pull on it.  Actually you love to pull on anything in your way, especially mommy's face.  I think you just love to remind mommy of when you need your nails cut when you grab onto her face.  Mommy now understands why new moms chop their hair off, because not only do you pull on it any chance you have but mommy never actually does her hair and she hates it in her face tickling her.
Speaking of tickling you love to be tickled, you giggle and squirm and it is so adorable.
What an exciting month for you and I love to see this new side of you.  You are changing and growing and I love seeing you come into your own.

Howdy partner

They are both cute!

My boys are both adorable to me and they melt my heart with one glance. I have to say though that people (women particularily) flock to Hudson.  He has what they call the Hudson Smolder and he bats his eyelashes.  I love that he gets their attention but it makes me want Fynn to get the same attention.  Fynn doesn't give away smiles and when we are around other people he comes accross as very serious.  He saves all his smiles for me and I love it.  He literally smiles with his entire face and it lights up the room.  It still bothers me though that people go on about how cute Hudson is, without acknowledging Fynn.  When I post picture on Facebook I will have a page full of compliments on Hudson and one or two "like"s on Fynn's picture (and those are from my closests friends who I have mentioned this to before).  Even my neices and nephews say they like the way Hudson looks better. 

How can anyone not think this face is cute????

Hands Full

If you are a mother of twins you will know that you hear the comment "you must have your hands full" about 10 times a day (if you manage to leave the house). I always appreciate the concern and interest but let's face it, it can get old. Plus I never know how to respond other than to agree that it is hard but very worth it.  One of my girlfriends who is expecting twins (naturally, who knew that actually happened.....lol) just posted the best comeback on her facebook page.  I am totally going to steal it, she said when people tell her she is going to have her hands full she just responds "if you think my hands are full, you should see my heart"  I LOVE THIS!!!!!

Yep it's a Birthmark

Let me start by saying my boys are perfect to me in every way.  I love them fussy pants and all.  I think they are the cutest babies ever to be born (I know I am biased) and I wouldn't change them for the world.  So why does it bother me when people ask me about Hudson's birthmarks.  It certainly doesn't bother me that he has two strawberry birthmarks (Hemangioma), in fact they make him unique and himself so I love them.  I just hate being asked about them constantly.  I know it is such a silly complaint and there are parent's who have children with serious physical disfigurements so I don't want to minimize their struggle.  I just think it is so rude to comment on them.  I would never ask questions or comment on anyones appearance unless they asked.  Yes I compliment outfits and haircuts but I would never point out any anomalies.  That is why when I am constantly being bombarded with rude people asking what caused them and why he has them I get annoyed.  I worry that he will be self conscious of them and in turn his self esteem will be impacted.  Hubby assured me that boys aren't as sensitive and I have nothing to worry about.  I definitely don't want him to sense my annoyance when people ask because that might make him think there is something to be ashamed of I just have to note how gross I think people are (kids excluded). It even further annoys me when they tell me he is still cute despite them. Um people, they are just freakin birthmarks.  I just want to point out their flaws (big nose, fat ass etc) and ask them why they have them and what caused them.  I know I am being petty but don't mess with my kids people. 
Just had to vent. 

I am addicted to Etsy!!!!

Is anyone else addicted to Etsy?  I have had some hits and some misses but overall I like the idea of supporting small business people (women) and getting one of a kindish items. My husband dreads everytime he gets an email from Etsy because he knows I have made a purchase....lol!
Below are my latest purchases but I have bought the following: bow tie and suspender onesies, a t-shirt for hubby for Father's day that said "Daddy since 2012", a personalized key chain also for hubby that said "We love you daddy" with the boys' names and birthdate, bottle props (don't judge me please) and Grandpa t-shirts. I know it is ridiculous but I love it....lol!