Some of these confessions are going to build off of previous ones.. Some of new.. Some aren't really even confessions and are facts of our life. Here we go:
Confession Number 1: Going in public with twins automatically gives people the right to play 100 questions with you...At least according to them!
This confession is a continuation of Confession Number 1 from my previous post. Here is an example. Today we ran out to do some errands and we each wore a baby. When people saw me or Brayton apart they would just smile. If we walked up to one another, that same person who had just smiled at us, is now full fledge drilling us... "Are they twins?" "Girls? Boys? One of each?" "How old are they?" "Who is older?" "Are they identical?" "My first cousins wife on my dads side had twins!" "You must be so busy!" "Oh, wow!" Seriously, I think I could fill a book with all the comments people make... I can't even imagine what the parents of triplets go through... Or even parents of twins with other children. Come on people! I know they are cute, I know twins is a special thing, I KNOW I am blessed (although there are very few people who actually say that), and I KNOW I have better things to do than spend 5 minutes talking to every third person that passes me by! Just in case you didn't know, I have a limited amount of time to get out of the house, to my destination, run my errands and get back home before you see two hungry, angry babies and you are REALLY cramping my style with your 100 questions!
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| Totally not implying that moms with one baby have lots of time on their hands.. Just found this funny with regards to the above! |
Confession Number 2: My babies are 10 months old, and I am still the only one to have put them in their carseats to go in the car.
OK, Brayton has a couple times, but I usually go check it before we drive!
Why you're crazy! Such a control freak! Take a break! Develop some trust! Yes, I hear you muttering those things to yourself as you read that. I am okay with that, you are welcome to call me those things, in fact, I invite you to because they are true! I all too often see people post pictures of their kids in their car seats with their chest clips at their belly button, with their straps twisted, with the winter coats on, forward facing too early, etc. etc. etc.... Unfortunately, I am often not brave enough to say anything to those people because I don't judge choices other parents make, and I don't want anyone to think I do, but it scares the shit out of me to think people are okay with their kid riding in a car like that. Maybe they truly don't realize the consequences of it, maybe they don't think it can happen to them. All it would take is one wrong move, on the part of anyone out there, and that kid, the one buckled in totally wrong, might not be okay. I swear parents, I am NOT judging you, but my heart would break for you if something happened to your child that could have been so easily prevented.. Now there are people who take car seat safety to the extreme, like me and I appreciate that. And when the time comes, I will take the time to educate anyone taking my children in their car (if that even ever happens, says the crazy Mom) on how they need to be secured. Now, here you are muttering again, well, she thinks she knows everything! No, no I don't. I am certain I have made mistakes, in fact I know I have but I still take every effort to make sure they are as perfect as they can be when securing them in my vehicle. I also hope that anyone who sees me doing it incorrectly, would correct me.
Here are some articles for you:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/mom-shares-car-seat-concern-after-sons-death-11-month-old-cameron-ejected-when-chest-buckle-broke11282014
http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-factsheet.html
"While 96% of parents and caregivers believe their child safety seats are installed correctly, research shows that 7 out of 10 children are improperly restrained"
http://www.seatcheck.org/news_fact_sheets_statistics.html
Confession Number 3: The days are flying by, all merging into one and I just want time to slow down!
I am SOO thankful to be a SAHM and get to spend every day with my girls. At this time in our life, it would probably be beneficial for me to be working, but the thought of having to leave them puts a huge pit in my stomach and I will sacrifice income and the things that come along with it to be home with these babies every day. Sure, it is causing some stressful, challenging life circumstances for us that could otherwise be lessened, but I have learned to live minimally in the few years past. Living on a Caribbean Island helped me learn a lot about life, who I am and living simply and for that I am grateful. I do wonder how I would do it if I were working though.. There are days where I don't do anything but clean, cook, laundry, and busy work stuff around the house during the day while they are sleeping (which is usually between 2-5 hours!) and by the evenings (the time I would normally be home, spending time with them if I were working) I can't seem to get everything done and spend the QT I want snuggling my babies. Between cooking dinner, making lunches, cleaning up, dishes, bed preparation and last feedings, the time from 4 pm - 11 pm seems to come and go in a flash. If I had to compile all the 'stuff' I do all day long into that time also, how would I do it?! I give so much credit to those working Moms who find the time! I hope its not something I have to discover too soon!
Confession Number 4: We are still exclusively breastfeeding, combined with Baby Led Weaning and it's going great!
I feel very fortunate to have been blessed with an excessive milk supply in which to provide my babies. They are still breastfeeding and will continue to until they are ready to stop. I am in support of extended breastfeeding and the positive impacts research has shown it has for children. No, I don't plan on breastfeeding until they are 3 and 4 years old, but we will continue to nurse after one year. When we began solids, I did quite a bit of research and learned about Baby Led Weaning. The ideals behind it are babies who are breastfed have control over the amount they eat, when to stop, how much and how quickly they get milk and that control should be continued into their solid feedings. BLW does not do any pureed foods, and from day 1 of solids babies are given finger sized, soft pieces of food and allowed to feed themselves. This gives them the continued opportunity to have that control over their food intake. With BLW, it is also said that "food before one is just for fun" and that BFing should still be their primary source of nutrients. Since we began solids, the girls have done a fabulous job experimenting with food, at their own pace. They have discovered their gag reflex, how to deal with it, how to pick up and chew on food, and are learning to love a wide variety of foods. I think my favorite part of this is that all 4 of us sit down to dinner at night, I put their food on their trays and they eat while we eat. There is no spoon feeding, or forced eating at all. They talk, play, make a mess, watch us eat and we have family time. It is wonderful! To go along with this, we are making every effort to keep sugar out of the girls diet for as long as possible, which the exception of natural fruit sugars. I know I can't do it forever, and I have learned sugar is in everything, but I have also learned that our 'need' for bad food is learned. There are alternatives and I hope to continue on this path for a while. I think the hardest part will be getting support from everyone else.
Confession Number 5: I still write everything down!
While the girls were in the NICU I started a journal of our daily happenings because there was so much going on and so many changes that I wanted to keep track of everything and it also helped me to remember when I got the chance to send the new information to Brayton in St. Kitts. Once the girls got home from the NICU, I really wanted to keep them on a similar eating every three hours schedule and needed to remember when I gave them vitamins or other important information that my post pregnancy mom brain simply couldn't remember. At that time I began writing down what time they ate and for how long. 10 months later, and I still journal what we do, developmental milestones, or anything else I feel important on a daily basis. I also still write down what time they eat, for how long, when they got medicine and what is was, when we have poopy diapers (had to start that after starting solids because they became less frequent and I could never remember who pooped when!) and when and how much I pump..... Yes, I still pump daily..
Confession Number 6: I miss a sense of community in my life.
The life circumstances in St. Kitts make it impossible not to be part of the wonderful, yet small, community that we Rossies have there. The Prep School also presented me with an amazing community of people. On the island, you were always surrounded by people who were going through the exact same thing you were. They understood what it was like to live there, the financial challenges, the perks, the downsides, the relationship challenges, and everything in between. We all supported each other, and it was always easy to find someone or many people to surround yourself with. I miss that, and I think that is why I miss the island, and especially the Prep School, so much some days. Since moving to Ithaca, I have met some great Mom's who I am very thankful for but being alone most of the time and having two babies has made it challenging to get out and involve myself in the community here as much as I would have liked to. I miss having people to talk to and hang out with and I miss having people who are going through similar life events around me.
Confession Number 7: I can't imagine not having twins!
I have had a lot of people who only have one baby, or have two at different ages say to me, "I can't imagine having two babies at the same age!" I often like to respond with, "I can't imagine NOT having two babies!" When two is all I know, it's all I know, and I can't imagine it any other way! Is it hard? YES! Are there days when I feel defeated and exhausted? YES! Are there times when I think I could be doing so much more? Many! One thing that I think Moms of one baby have the benefit of is more cuddle time, extra snuggles, and Mama and baby one on one time. While they have that benefit, cuddle time, snuggle time and Mama and baby time with two is simply incredible. Double the love, double the cuddles! I do have to admit though, there are times when I would love to just snuggle in and cuddle and often can't because I have another baby that needs me. When it comes down to it, I will sacrifice that bit of extra cuddle time (which I always find time to make up for!!!) for having two perfect little girls who NEED me, all day, every day!! Beyond anything regarding me, the love my girls have for each other is simply amazing. They have a forever best friend and to me, that is the biggest blessing of all!
Confession Number 8: Winter Sucks... Enough said!
Remember that time, the parking lot was filled with slushy, wet, snow, you had two babies in the car, it was 20 degrees outside, and you have to get them, the diaper bag and yourself into each of your errands spots.. That was all after spending 30 minutes finding your car under the snow bank because you haven't left the house in so long it's buried in... Yah, I'll take warm back any day now!!
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