I started this blog when I was 13 weeks and 2 days pregnant. I titled each post according to how far along I was. Once I gave birth, I continued using the same format, but now in order to document how old the girls are. So when I started writing in this blog I was just about as pregnant as the girls are now old. That's pretty cool.
You know what else is cool? Having a follow-up with a pediatric neurologist after a NICU doctor tell you there's a major problem with your baby, just to have the neurologist say that. nope, your baby rocks, is totally fine and there's nothing to worry about (as with previous medical issues mentioned here, were I to want to go into greater detail I would, so since I din';t you can assume I don't want to and thus don't even bother asking questions).
Oh, and you know what else is cool, too? Leaving your husband to babysit (especially since he needs a chance to get used to being alone with both girls since yours truly has to go back to work in not too long) while you catch a movie with your awesome brother. I don't even remember the last tine I saw a movie and this was the first tine I left the kids with Shawn to do anything longer than run errands to the supermarket or the hardware store. It was so nice to feel normal again! It made me want to go out drinking and dancing. It reminded me that I am an individual, not JUST a mommy, and I think having a reminder of that every now and then works to remind me that I love being a mommy, that there's nothing I want to do more, that I choose this role. It makes me a better ima.
Now, if you don't mind, I have an Eliana in serious need of some quality cuddling.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
13wks, 5days
My babies are three months old! In honor of this momentous occasion, there are going to be a lot of picture posts tonight (hopefully this will shut Bubby and Zaide up for a bit...just kidding!)
Three months has, so far, not been as significant of a milestone as we were told it would be. We found two months to be a major milestone instead. That's when Eliana started, upon occasion, to sleep through the night and when we finally began sleeping more than five hours a night ourselves (which we had considered, the first two months, to be a relatively excellent night's sleep). It's still far from easy but at least we now feel we know what we're doing. It also became much easier once they started smiling. Knowing they're happy means the world to us. It helps us know we're doing something right.
Each girl has her own personality. Eliana is our wonder baby. She smiles a ton, and when she's not it's not that hard to get her to give a huge gummy grin. But she's also really sensitive and most nights has a little fussy spell that is her sign that it's time for me to turn off the lights, scoop her up, and sing her own special song (each girl has their own song which really seems to calm and sooth them).
Bracha is our little explorer. She loves to be held and cries to be picked up but once she is she perks right up and looks around not unlike a groundhog peeking out of its hole. These days she does agree to be put down more often, especially under the mobile in her crib. I swear she has conversations, ala Look Who's Talking, with those four colorful bear clowns.
Let's see, as for other updates (since I assume you want to hear about the babies, not just see them):
We joined the Materna (the formula they eat) Multiples Club and can buy powdered formula in bulk, at a 20% discount, delivered strait to our door, so on Friday two huge boxes containing well over a month's supply arrived at our apartment.
Eliana wears cloth diapers at home (Bracha, who is only now about the size of an average newborn, was swimming in them so we decided to hold off till she gets a little more meat on her bones so the diapers fit better). We can't be bothered to schlep wet or soiled diapers around when out so we use disposable when we leave the apartment. We may not be perfect at being eco-friendly but at least we're reducing our carbon footprint. On that note I hope to get a sewing machine in the not too distant future and plan on making some reusable changing pads in place of the disposable which we use at my parents', in the diaper bag, and at home on top of their changing table to help quickly clean up messes. I'd also like more carriers (we have a Cozy Wrap, a Baby K'Tan, and an Ergo already) since Shawn and I spend a ton of time wearing the girls, so I hope to sew some of my own. I'd really like to try a Mei Tai so I'll definitely make one of those.
Both girls are growing a ton. Bracha is more than double her birth weight and Eliana is only several hundred grams away from doubling hers. Bracha still wears the newborn clothes but now they actually fit her...some are even getting tight! Eliana is into the 3-month stuff and has an adorable wardrobe, especially with the summer weather now upon us.
Okay, I'm going to end this word-y post and star a new one full of pics to enjoy!
Three months has, so far, not been as significant of a milestone as we were told it would be. We found two months to be a major milestone instead. That's when Eliana started, upon occasion, to sleep through the night and when we finally began sleeping more than five hours a night ourselves (which we had considered, the first two months, to be a relatively excellent night's sleep). It's still far from easy but at least we now feel we know what we're doing. It also became much easier once they started smiling. Knowing they're happy means the world to us. It helps us know we're doing something right.
Each girl has her own personality. Eliana is our wonder baby. She smiles a ton, and when she's not it's not that hard to get her to give a huge gummy grin. But she's also really sensitive and most nights has a little fussy spell that is her sign that it's time for me to turn off the lights, scoop her up, and sing her own special song (each girl has their own song which really seems to calm and sooth them).
Bracha is our little explorer. She loves to be held and cries to be picked up but once she is she perks right up and looks around not unlike a groundhog peeking out of its hole. These days she does agree to be put down more often, especially under the mobile in her crib. I swear she has conversations, ala Look Who's Talking, with those four colorful bear clowns.
Let's see, as for other updates (since I assume you want to hear about the babies, not just see them):
We joined the Materna (the formula they eat) Multiples Club and can buy powdered formula in bulk, at a 20% discount, delivered strait to our door, so on Friday two huge boxes containing well over a month's supply arrived at our apartment.
Eliana wears cloth diapers at home (Bracha, who is only now about the size of an average newborn, was swimming in them so we decided to hold off till she gets a little more meat on her bones so the diapers fit better). We can't be bothered to schlep wet or soiled diapers around when out so we use disposable when we leave the apartment. We may not be perfect at being eco-friendly but at least we're reducing our carbon footprint. On that note I hope to get a sewing machine in the not too distant future and plan on making some reusable changing pads in place of the disposable which we use at my parents', in the diaper bag, and at home on top of their changing table to help quickly clean up messes. I'd also like more carriers (we have a Cozy Wrap, a Baby K'Tan, and an Ergo already) since Shawn and I spend a ton of time wearing the girls, so I hope to sew some of my own. I'd really like to try a Mei Tai so I'll definitely make one of those.
Both girls are growing a ton. Bracha is more than double her birth weight and Eliana is only several hundred grams away from doubling hers. Bracha still wears the newborn clothes but now they actually fit her...some are even getting tight! Eliana is into the 3-month stuff and has an adorable wardrobe, especially with the summer weather now upon us.
Okay, I'm going to end this word-y post and star a new one full of pics to enjoy!
Friday, May 15, 2009
12wks, 3days
While I was holding and feeding Bracha, Eliana was smiling away watching us. I just had to get a video (please excuse the silly voices):
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
12wks
I spent the day in the Emergency room.
Eliana has a relatively minor medical problem. I don't want to go into the details, but it is something that will require surgery eventually and meanwhile needs to be monitored to make sure there are no complications. So when our normally angelic baby was screaming, not crying but really shrieking, this morning, Shawn and I were concerned. We tried to get an appointment at her regular pediatrician's but were unable to until the evening. So after some debate it was decided that I would take her to the kupah (health fund) clinic and have her checked by the pediatrician on duty there. Shawn meanwhile was going to take Bracha to a check-up she had back at the hospital they were born at, and then on to a wedding we had both originally planned to attend, at least the chuppah part.
The pediatrician said we should see the pediatric surgeon on duty, who said she does seem to be in pain and we should check back with the pediatrician to make sure there was nothing else that could be causing her discomfort (ear infection, fever, etc.) If the ped says nothing is wrong then, the surgeon said, we should go to the ER where they can do a lot of tests in one place. I decided to take her to the hospital where her regular pediatric surgeon works (he's the department head). We got there at about 3pm and didn't leave till nearly 11pm. Shawn and Bracha joined us after her appointment instead of going to the wedding but after a couple of hours I sent them both home to sleep. My family all pitched in waiting with us, my brother and both my parents were over at various points.
Anyhow, long story made short, Eliana is thank God fine. It's likely that she was suffering a bit earlier but things straitened themselves out. If such a thing happens again we are to go to the doctor and they will again likely send us to the ER for immediate testing. If she seems to be in even worse shape we are to skip the pediatrician entirely and go straight to the ER.
We are so lucky she is such a happy baby. Besides for it being a pleasure in general, it also makes it very easy to detect when something is wrong with her. Sometimes she has her fussy days, every baby does. But when she shrieks in pain and acts unusually irritable like she was doing earlier we know it's something to worry about.
Now, to end with a picture of my awesome baby:
Eliana has a relatively minor medical problem. I don't want to go into the details, but it is something that will require surgery eventually and meanwhile needs to be monitored to make sure there are no complications. So when our normally angelic baby was screaming, not crying but really shrieking, this morning, Shawn and I were concerned. We tried to get an appointment at her regular pediatrician's but were unable to until the evening. So after some debate it was decided that I would take her to the kupah (health fund) clinic and have her checked by the pediatrician on duty there. Shawn meanwhile was going to take Bracha to a check-up she had back at the hospital they were born at, and then on to a wedding we had both originally planned to attend, at least the chuppah part.
The pediatrician said we should see the pediatric surgeon on duty, who said she does seem to be in pain and we should check back with the pediatrician to make sure there was nothing else that could be causing her discomfort (ear infection, fever, etc.) If the ped says nothing is wrong then, the surgeon said, we should go to the ER where they can do a lot of tests in one place. I decided to take her to the hospital where her regular pediatric surgeon works (he's the department head). We got there at about 3pm and didn't leave till nearly 11pm. Shawn and Bracha joined us after her appointment instead of going to the wedding but after a couple of hours I sent them both home to sleep. My family all pitched in waiting with us, my brother and both my parents were over at various points.
Anyhow, long story made short, Eliana is thank God fine. It's likely that she was suffering a bit earlier but things straitened themselves out. If such a thing happens again we are to go to the doctor and they will again likely send us to the ER for immediate testing. If she seems to be in even worse shape we are to skip the pediatrician entirely and go straight to the ER.
We are so lucky she is such a happy baby. Besides for it being a pleasure in general, it also makes it very easy to detect when something is wrong with her. Sometimes she has her fussy days, every baby does. But when she shrieks in pain and acts unusually irritable like she was doing earlier we know it's something to worry about.
Now, to end with a picture of my awesome baby:
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
11wks, 3days
A bunch of new pictures of the girls for your viewing pleasure:
The two girls laying head-to-head in their crib
Bracha and Eliana staring in fascination at their new mobile
Eliana giving a huge grin
A rare delicious photo of an adorable baby (who sadly is usually not all that photogenic)
Bracha giving one of her brand new smiles (it's a little hard to see in the picture that she's smiling but she is...she had these great lopsided grins)
The two girls laying head-to-head in their crib
Bracha and Eliana staring in fascination at their new mobile
Eliana giving a huge grin
A rare delicious photo of an adorable baby (who sadly is usually not all that photogenic)
Bracha giving one of her brand new smiles (it's a little hard to see in the picture that she's smiling but she is...she had these great lopsided grins)
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