One Month

Post Weekend

Actually, I hardly even knew it WAS the weekend, since virtually every day is the same now.  

Which is fine, just that Saturday and Sunday (and for that matter Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday, etc.) have basically no meaning anymore.  It's weird.

So the weekend (which could have been any day) looked like holding two cute babies...

...including a little lump of a man, shown in his favorite "frogger" position...

...and a little Daddy-Daughter Nap Time...

...AND some sparkly new bling for mommy!

Just don't call it a "push present".  I hate that term.  It's so tacky.  And to me that's not what it's really for, anyway.  Yes, I endured nine-ish months of pregnancy, (a twin pregnancy, mind you).  And yes I did go through a labor and delivery that actually included three full freaking hours of pushing.  But to me this gift is not really for that.  Hubby did plenty during those months to help me out and make me comfortable, which is worth more than any piece of jewelry.  For me this ring is a keepsake, a beautiful way to mark the occasion of our twins' birth.  Would our twins have been enough?  You bet.  But of course diamonds never hurt.  ;)   Our culture marks every other occasion with gifts, often extravagant ones, so what makes a gift after childbirth so different?  You could use the "shouldn't ______ be enough?" argument for almost any event.  High school or college graduation?  "Shouldn't your diploma/education be enough?"  Engagement/wedding? "Shouldn't finding a partner for the rest of your life be enough?"  They are enough, but this marks the start of two new lives, the start of our family, no different from how my wedding ring symbolizes the start of our marriage.

Due Date

March 13th, 2014...this was my original due date.  Not that it really mattered that much once we found out that the baby was two babies.  Still...I can't imagine still being pregnant right now.  Instead of waiting with anticipation, we have gotten to enjoy these guys for the past three weeks!

I love them cuddly and little, but I also can't wait until they start interacting with each other.  Right now you can put them down right next to each other and they have no idea there is another baby, their own freaking sibling, right next to them.  Until they start flailing and hit each other in the face or whatever.  But they're probably used to that.

Brooklyn is still pretty calm, cool, and collected.  Although her new favorite thing is grunting and groaning.  She's a really good grunter, as she likes to remind us several times a day...and throughout the night.

Caden knows what he wants...which is mostly to be held 24/7.  He is definitely our little cuddle buddy.  He's gotten a bit less fussy, though, and I think his new Favorite Thing Ever is going to be the swing.  Cozy + constant motion = a win in his world.  Also he makes the most hysterical faces when he is awake.  

Two Weeks

Just two weeks ago our little family of four was meeting for the first time.  It seems both like a really long and a really short time ago all at once.  My former existence really does seem like a lifetime ago.  Time has almost no meaning anymore.  Before my schedule was so regimented: I woke up at 6:45, got ready in an hour to be at work by 8:00, noon meant that it was about lunchtime, 5:00 was getting-off-of-work time, which transitioned into making dinner and leisurely evenings...now the times on the clock only have meaning in terms of feedings and diaper changes, and it's never the same one day to the next.

So far in the past two weeks (or nine days since we've been home), things have been fairly calm as we have settled into this new balance...or imbalance as the case may be.

There has been a lot of sleepytime for Brooklyn...

...and for Caden.

This look says, "Uh, mom...what are you doing?"

And we've had a couple of adventures into the outside world for doctor's appointments. (Coming soon: the grocery store?  Church?  Something's gotta give so mama can get some time out of the house.)

And we've even had some playtime.

This is a typical scene...Caden freaking out while Brooklyn is absolutely the most chill.

"Are you okay, bro?"

"Seriously, dude...just relax and enjoy this playmat."

"There you go." *Pats comfortingly on the head.*

Yup, Caden is much more particular about things, and more prone to freak-outs.  I have a feeling that Brooklyn is going to be like a little mother to him.  I love that they have their own little personalities already.

The Twins: A Birth Story (Part II)

If parts of the twins labor and delivery were a blur, I don't even know how to describe the next few days in the hospital.  All the days blended together as we spent pretty much all of our time in the same room, doing more or less the same things.  Tyson and I noted that it didn't even feel like we were in Madison, but on vacation at some strange hotel.  Where they gave you babies.  Mornings were actually incredibly relaxing for us, as Tyson and I mostly forbid visitors before noon, and got to lounge in bed feeding and cuddling babies while watching The Today Show (live from Sochi!), and eating surprisingly yummy hospital breakfasts (yay room service!).  It also gave me a chance to shower and feel somewhat human again every day.  And each day got a little bit easier...the first day it was enough just to shower, but by the next day I was able to do a little something to my hair, and by the end I was showering and going to the bathroom almost independently, and doing my hair and makeup.  Like a champ.  In general though, I don't really remember individual days, just a conglomeration of moments.

Yup, there really are two babies.  Don't look at me (no hair or makeup quite yet), just focus on them.

Poor Caden had to spend the better part of his second day under the Bili Lights to prevent him getting jaundiced.  He HATED it (which is the understatement of the year).  We had figured him out enough by this point to note that he loved being held and cuddled, and had an extreme dislike of having all of his clothes off...suffice to say he did NOT have a very good second day in this world.

Luckily holding daddy's hand helped, at least a little.

After Caden got away from the light, I was able to get some cute photos of them in new outfits that the grandparents had just bought.

"Hey Caden, wake up!  We're on the outside!"

Got some cuddles in with my girly girl...

...and daddy liked being skin to skin with his cuddle buddy.  He got extra cuddles after his ordeal with the Bili Lights.

And then they let us take these two little people home.  And here we are.  There were two (!!!) babies inside of me, and now they are out of me and in the world...it's all pretty crazy.

Caden now outweighs his sister, at 5 lbs. 12 oz., which means that he gained 11 oz. in just the past five days.  Brooklyn weighs 5 lbs. 11 oz., so they are back to being within just an ounce of each other again.

They are almost two weeks old...which also means that Tyson and I are coming up on two weeks of (virtually) no sleep.  We're on a new level of zombie-mode, just getting through the days and nights.  And I'm going stir-crazy, having only left the house to go to a couple of doctor's appointments.  And this C-section thing is a little nuts since I can't do normal things, like go up and down stairs.  Or lift them in their car seats.  Or even drive. But they are pretty damn awesome.  And adorable.  And we love them to pieces.