Wednesday, July 29, 2009

23wks, 1day

I am very sad because Shawn and I think it's time to start separating the girls at night. They're both rolling over in their sleep and tend to sleep on their stomachs and in the process they roll around quite a lot in the crib, often ending up right on top of each other. Amazingly enough they don't really seemed bothered by it, but I suppose it can be a bit of a suffocation hazard when your sister's torso is wrapped around your head.

They shared a family bed with me and Shawn for their first few months, transitioned relatively smoothly to their crib some time between 3-4 months, and have not spent a night apart since (Eliana moved to the crib before Bracha, who was not yet ready to part with co-sleeping. But by four months or so they were both in the crib). We have two cribs of course, we've just been using one for storage while they share the other. But with the way they move around at night...

It feels sad to me because I love peeking in on them at night and watching them together, often touching (holding hands, sucking each other's appendages, kicking each other in the head...) They're very good together; they're very tolerant of the unintentioned kicks, punches, and bites, and when one cries it doesn't wake the other.

But really, how can be sad that my babies are growing and developing and moving around. They already have individual personalities, it's time they get individual space.

On a similar note, they outgrew the bassinets we got from Yad Sarah (as beds for them while at my parents') not because of size (they always slept separately in those), rather because when Eliana rotated around in her sleep she's get herself stuck...quite literally. Poor girl. Now they have roomy "camping playpens" (ie, pack 'n plays, though not the technical term since they're not Graco) at Saba and Svata's. Pictures of that coming soon.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

22wks, 1day

Yesterday we gave the girls their first "tastings" of solid food. At their last Well-Baby clinic visit, we were told that around 4 months we could start giving the girls small amounts of solid food, like a teaspoon a day. The new guidelines from the Ministry of Health go with recent research that shows that these tastings actually help prevent food allergies. We only got around to starting yesterday, and here are the videos:



Monday, July 6, 2009

19wks, 6days

As promised, Eliana giggling.

19wks, 6days

Both girls had reactions to the shot, which they've never had before. They had their first taste of Acamoli (baby Tylenol) which Bracha quite enjoyed. Unfortunately I can't say the same for Eliana. But we're five days past and all is back to normal.

They're really been quite awesome lately. They're on very much the same schedule but neither demand an instant feeding unless they're really hungry which means, while they'd be happy to eat at the same time if Shawn and I are both home or if I do a double feeding, they're also fine waiting their turns. I really prefer feeding one at a time to get more cuddle time in with her, but I've also been known to simultaneously feed two daughters and myself while reading a book, so that's no biggie.

It's kinda frustrating to have gotten this whole parent-of-multiples+homemaker thing down so close to the end of my maternity leave. Right now I've got two wide awake happy-as-clams daughters, a load of laundry in the machine and dinner in mid-preparation. I wonder if it'll be any harder to manage all this when back at work. Thankfully I'm only going back two days a week. I wonder if the reason I have not yet really found myself professionally is that perhaps I am meant to be a SAHM. I love being with my children. When I have the energy, I even love taking care of the house (yes, even cleaning...sometimes). I doubt we could ever afford me to stay at home full-time, but I'm grateful that for now at least don't have to worry about working more than part-time.

Video of Eliana laughing soon to come!!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

19wks, 1day

We had a Tipat Chalav (Well-Baby) visit today. The girls are growing magnificently! Eliana weights 6 kilo and Bracha weighs 4. Both have more than doubled their birth weight and are on track height and head circumference-wise (on track for them that is...they don't quite match the clinic's charts but that's to be expected since they're twins.)

I think we must be very lucky. People have told me horror stories about their experiences at Tipat Chalav. The nurse we see is really sweet, non-judgmental at all, she remembers the girls very well each visit and is really glad to see their achievements and progress. She thinks it's great we cloth diaper, which, by the way, is going really well. Both girls are entirely on cloth at home though we use disposables when we leave the house and while at my parents'. Eliana is usually in BumGenius and Bracha wears pre-folds, just folded, no Snappi, in a newborn-size cover. We've got a stock of small (which Eliana fits in to but we hardly ever have her in) and medium covers. Our collection will have to grow as the girls do, but we'll probably stick mostly to the BG.

Anyhow, my TC visits are always pleasant...other than the part where they shove needles into my poor babies. Ina, our nurse, is always very sweet and gentle with it, but it makes me cry. The girls however are fine with it. Each lets out one good wail then stops. But they are fussy for the day after their shots, though so far thank God never any swelling, inflammation, fever, or signs of physical discomfort. Anyhow, they both seem to finally be down. Shawn's been in bed for a bit, poor guy is really tired after not getting much sleep last night due to a double crying session at 4am and his early morning start at work. I'm going to grab some supper, do some more straitening up, then join him, assuming the girls let me. I want to be "on duty" for the first half of the night, let Shawn get some sleep, and, if they wake up, comfort my babies the way only an Ima knows how.

19wks, 1day

Announcement: Bracha can now fully roll over back to front.

Oh, and both girls have started laughing!!