Escape Artist

No, not from her crib. From her diaper. I think I've written recently about Ellyson pulling off her velcro-closure cloth and disposable diapers while she was in bed. Well, that problem had a simple solution: either use the snap-closure cloth diapers, or make sure she's wearing bloomers or pants with her disposables. Until now.



Yesterday morning, Jack walked into Ellyson's room. She was standing up in her crib and proudly proclaimed "diaper". She was naked from the waist down, holding a tangled heap of diaper and pajama pants. Yeah, I don't even know what to do about that ...

Sick Days

Carter was home most of this week (Tuesday through Friday), sick. Thankfully, Ellyson showed no symptoms, so I was at least able to send her to Mothers' Morning Out on Tuesday and Thursday. Carter started with a fever Monday evening. I kept thinking it seemed to be on the verge of improving, but by Wednesday night, it was obvious I was wrong. By that point, I was paranoid about it being the flu. (E and I have had our flu shots, but no one else has. Carter actually was scheduled to get his on Thursday. But I thought maybe that's why she and I hadn't picked it up from him ...)

So he saw the doctor on Thursday morning. His strep and flu tests were negative. The pediatrician said his throat looked like it had strep, but since the test was negative, it must be just some other form of bacteria. His tonsils and lymph nodes were swollen, so she put him on a steroid for the inflammation and an antibiotic for the infection.

24 hours (and a three-hour nap, and a 14-hour nighttime sleep ... all on our bedroom floor) later, he had improved enough to not help me fold the clean laundry. Don't worry: that underwear had just gone through the hot-wash cycle of the washing machine. :)

Word of the Week: Shoes

... which, in E speak, sounds like a cross between "go" and "car" ...

This apple fell pretty far from the tree. I'm a girl who lives almost exclusively in flip-flops and running shoes. I'm just not into shoes. I think Jack has a bigger shoe repertoire than I do. In fact, I know he does. But Ellyson is all about the shoes. And she's particular, too. One day, I put plain white sandals on her. She wasn't having it. She went to the laundry room, pulled out her shiny pink sandals, brought them to me in the kitchen, and began changing her shoes.

Like Mommy, Like Daddy

Just in case there is any confusion over who looks like whom ... because, you know, there hasn't been any ... a baby picture comparison. You just have to imagine a little more fat on the twins, since Jack and I both were born weighing 2-3 pounds more than the twins weighed at birth (Jack weighed two pounds more than Graham, and I weighed three pounds more than Grant).

 

Christina, less than a week (still in the hospital - note the bracelet ... back in the days when a c-section meant you had to stay in the hospital for practically ever)

Grant at about 10 days old

Jack at two months old

Graham at one month old

Not to be left out ... while I still believe Ellyson looks a lot like my middle sister, here you see a definite resemblence also.

Jack at two years

Ellyson at 18 months

Carter is a seemingly equal mashup of the two of us. He has my dark eyes, hair and skin ... but everything else about him looks like a Dillard! I can't find a photo where he really resembles either of us!

Again, Jack at age 2

Carter, this summer

I'm the brunette ... in case you aren't sure

Two Months

Wait, what? It's true - G&G are two months old today. Here's where they are in life:

Grant (first because he's 41 minutes older):

• Nurses every 3-4 hours. Has one nightly stretch of about six hours of sleep. He is a good, strong nurser who requires no assistance - in other words, I can put him in a front carrier and let him nurse without having to help him.
• Clothes: still newborn. He wears some 0-3M but only for some wardrobe variety (for instance, I didn't anticipate needing long-sleeve newborn clothes for babies born in July ...); they're still a little baggy on him. Diapers are still 95% disposable (one cloth every two days, which is how often I wash the cloth), and size 1.
• Size: Probably about 10 pounds. I'll have an update from the doctor next week.
• He is our morning person. And our snuggler.
• I usually dress him in the darker or more brown outfit, to coincide with his darker complexion.
• Eyes are turning brown. Hair is still dark, thick and fuzzy. (Will he have Jack's curls??)
• No definite sign of a birth mark yet, so maybe he won't have the "angel kiss" that C and E have. Theirs both were in full force by this age. He may, possibly have a mark developing on the back of his head. But it's under his thick hair ... and it may just be that we notice it after he's been lying down.

Graham:

• Nurses every 3-4 hours. Has one nightly stretch of about six hours of sleep (last night, went nine hours!). He is not a strong nurser, and unlatches if not assisted - in other words, I can't put him in a front carrier and let him nurse without having to help him.
• Clothes: still newborn. He wears some 0-3M but only for some wardrobe variety (for instance, I didn't anticipate needing long-sleeve newborn clothes for babies born in July ...); they're still a little baggy on him. Diapers are still 95% disposable (one cloth every two days, which is how often I wash the cloth), and size 1.
• Size: Probably about 10 pounds. I'll have an update from the doctor next week.
• He is our evening person. And the more independent (doesn't need to be snuggled) of the two.
• I usually dress him in the lighter or more blue outfit, to coincide with his lighter complexion.
• Eyes have turned a vivid blue - so much so, that E's eyes no longer look blue to us (maybe green?). Hair is still light and thin.
• No sign of a birth mark yet, so maybe he won't have the "angel kiss" that C and E have. Theirs both were in full force by this age.
• Doing very well with holding up his head, as you can see in his tummy time photo above. I only have to give periodic head support now when I'm holding him.

Don't talk to me.

I've previously alluded to the frustration of fending off well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning "twin" comments (and many-small-children comments) from strangers. I want to be very clear about this: I'm talking about strangers. This commentary doesn't apply to family, friends, friends of family, preschool teachers or people who see us every week at church. I'm talking about the random strangers who happen to be at the store/park/restaurant the same time as us, who feel the (need? right? obligation?) to comment about my children.

Yes, I have many small children. Yes, I have my hands full. Yes, I am getting some sleep, but not a whole lot. Yes, babies sometimes cry ... and having you stand in front of them, watching, waiting for them to magically stop, will not make them stop. Yes, I can tell the twins apart (are we looking at the same babies?!).

The other week, I took the twins (and only them) to Wal-Mart in search of some nose drops for Grant. I hate Wal-Mart, but it's the only store with baby supplies, in the vacinity of our pediatrician office. I faced no fewer than a dozen comments about the twins. Twice, I made 180-degree turns to abruptly end conversations. Once, I even skipped an item that was three steps out of my reach, because there was a well-meaning twin talker standing in my way.

People literally stand in front of the stroller/shopping cart, gawking at them. Like they've never seen twins before. They stand there, blocking my path. Then they start asking questions about them. Are they boys/girls/both? Are they identical or fraternal? Can you tell them apart? Do twins run in your family? Are you getting any sleep? How old are they? Boy, you must have your hands full! I hope you have help. And somehow, all these questions come flying out of one mouth in a single breath. Meanwhile, I'm stuck. Because the twin talker has planted herself (almost always a woman) directly in my path. The worst is when the aforementioned questions are followed up with, "oh, my daughter's ex-husband's new fiancee's sister has twins!" And that, ladies and gentlemen, is when I make my turn in the other direction. As soon as you tell me you know another set of multiples, I am out.of.there!

Once, I was walking past the baby section of the store (shocking that I'd be in that area) when one employee shouted to another "ohhh, we've got twins coming through!" Like a cat call. Took me back to my college days, walking up Lumpkin Street with frat houses across the way. Seriously? Did she expect a reaction from me? As I did in college, I ignored it and kept walking.

I don't mean to sound unappreciative. Every once in a while, I get a look of sympathy from another mom. Or a simple "how cute" from a stranger who is not looking to discuss my fertility with me. Or a sincere "how are they sleeping" from someone who actually knows us. But really, in general, if I'm out in public with tiny twins - and especially if there's also a toddler and/or preschooler in tow, I really do not want to risk taking time to talk to anyone ... and especially not everyone who remarks about them. I mean, it's only a matter of time before someone starts pooping, crying or throwing a tantrum.

Super Daddy!

I just wanted to take a moment and give a shout-out to Jack because he has done almost all the grocery shopping since the twins were born. (Coupons and all!) I think I only went once, and it was with no children in tow. He has learned the code on my printed list (I pull my list from SouthernSavers.com and then tailor it to what we need), and even double-checks coupons before buying.

Ellyson understands the juggle of grocery shopping with a baby on your chest.

Word of the Week: Moby

I bought a Moby wrap this week. Technically, a week ago. But I bought it on Amazon (of course!) so it wasn't in my possession until Monday (ordered on Friday - not bad!). I was perusing the aisles at a baby store when I picked up the wrap (I'd considered it while I was pregnant, but it seemed complicated to use). On the back was a picture of twins wrapped in one Moby wrap - in other words, the manufacturer says it can be done. A quick Google search brought up dozens of pictures, blog mentions and YouTube instructions for wrapping twins in a Moby. SOLD! So much more secure than the sling I was using to carry them both in a pinch. And the wrap will hold them upright with heads supported, fully positioned for nursing while walking (an invaluable benefit when keeping up with busy toddler and preschooler schedules, play dates and parties, not to mention trips to the zoo, aquarium, park and maybe even Disney).

This week, I sported the twins in the Moby at Krispy Kreme (pirate day), the county fair and around the house. Twice in one day, I heard "do you have two babies in there??" (Separate post to come, regarding all the "twin talk" from strangers. Until then, remember folks, don't talk to the parents unless you know the family. If you don't, we don't really want to be approached by you.) Having two hands free these days? Priceless. Having two hands free while simultaneously keeping the twins soothed? I thought it wasn't possible.

Yes, it's more complicated to use than my Snugli front carrier or my simple sling. But everything is more complicated with twins. That's just part of the package. The learning curve on the wrap wasn't too rough, though I'm still a novice.

Both asleep and tucked into their separate sides - perfect height for nursing. If only a certain lazy difficult nurser would hurry up and learn to do it unassisted! (Don't worry. They aren't nursing below, despite what it may look like.)

Growing

When did they become big enough to have their own Boppy pillows??

Wordless Wednesday

Cloth Trial

Yesterday I put the boys in cloth diapers for the first time. I was surprised by how well they fit already! Don't worry - I'm not going to make a habit of this. 1) I only have a few diapers adjusted to newborn size, and am not going to plunder any more from E's stash. 2) I am doing 10 loads of laundry per week already, and have no desire to take on an additional 2-3. So the boys probably won't do cloth diapers full-time until Ellyson is out of them.

But I do think it's nice to see that they fit some 9-pound (ish) littles just as well as they fit a 24-pound (ish) toddler! (Please excuse the boys for screaming. They'd just been bathed and are always unhappy when I'm dressing them post-bath ... not to mention they were overdue to nurse. Ellyson was a little more eager to show off her diaper.)

On the Road Again

For a few days last week, we had our first run at a post-twins business trip for Jack. And thankfully, he didn't almost die on his way to the airport this time. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't in the back of my mind. And we both aknowledged the fact before he left ... there were many similar factors between that trip and this one. But his trip went safely and smoothly. And the four of us left at home did all right, too. I had a small advantage: Carter actually wasn't home during Jack's trip. He was beaching it up with Nana and Papa Jack. So it was just me and the three littles. But I even managed to take the three of them to the preschool Chick Fil A spirit night! I figured if I couldn't do it without Carter, I couldn't do it with him! So we went.

I did learn that Ellyson is at least the same size troublemaker at home, that Carter is. At least when I tell him to stop doing something, he usually listens. Not E. I can't tell you how many kitchen cabinets, diaper packs and toy bins were unloaded while I was nursing babies last week. She even tried plating her own snack when I was busy with the babies. (Yes, those are baby carrots! I found a vegetable she will eat!!)

Dancing Queen

For whatever reason, Carter has dubbed "I Do" as Ellyson's song. He loves the song, but he loves it for her. So one night, we turned up the music and let them dance. Hilarity ensued. And I apologize once again for the sideways video.

Grandkids' Photo

Here are some better shots of Nana and Papa Jack with all the grandkids. Don't worry about E falling ... after she climbed off the sofa, I held her in the middle. I am hiding behind the couch, holding her in the second photo. So despite appearances, she isn't about to fall.

 

 

Friday Funny

So, Jack made a doctor appointment so that we can ensure we don't end up with any more G&G type surprises.

When he scheduled it, the lady asked if I would be present. He said no.

She then responded with "we really like for the wife to be there for the appointment."

To which he replied that "the logistics are a little tough. She'll have her hands full with our four children ..."

(chuckle on the other end of the phone)

"... note the reason for the visit."

She told him they can "just send home a consent form that [I] can sign."

Made me laugh out loud.

 

(And here is your birth control for today.)

Word of the Week: Cuddle

One of these boys is a cuddler. Can you guess which one?

Four Generations

Last weekend, Jack's grandparents met Grant and Graham. Daddy Jack will be 92 in December and is the original "Jack Shepard" - hence the boys' middle names, Jackson and Shepard. (We couldn't name one twin Jack Shepard Dillard IV, so we split the name between them.) Unfortunately, I don't have all four generations in one photo; Jack was behind the lens.

 

Wordless Wednesday

Anniversary Fun

For our anniversary last Tuesday, Jack took a day off work (and we kept the kids home from school) so we could have a family day together. Yes, we get the weekends. But there are always a hundred other things we need to do on the weekends - so this day was just for the six of us. So we took the kids to the aquarium. Where one lady asked "wow, are they all yours??"

The kids loved it. We've been three times now: right after Carter turned one, right before he turned three, and last week. He and Ellyson both enjoyed it. She kept gasping and squealing and pointing to the fish. Carter informed me that the whale sharks are his favorites. They both enjoyed the dolphin show, too. So we upgraded our admissions to annual passes. We'll probably not renew our zoo membership next spring, and will use the break from the zoo to visit the aquarium a couple more times.

An attempt at all four kids and the tank in the same shot ...

This is how you nurse babies at the dolphin show (before it begins).

 

 

We also resumed our tradition of a small cake (the first year, I got a replica of the top layer of our wedding cake) to celebrate. Last year we didn't do it because we were on vacation, but we were back to it this year.

Labor Day

A week ago, we celebrated Labor Day by way of a cookout and water fun at Jack's brother's house.

Ellyson keeps up with the boys!

And we even grabbed the opportunity for the first photo of Nana and Papa Jack with all five of their grandchildren. Please excuse E; it was after her bed time. I think Jack got some better pictures on his camera, but this one pretty much captures what the process entailed.

Birthday Parties

I've been really late posting pictures from more summer birthday parties. We've been to three that I haven't posted yet.

The first was for a family friend. Jack and I took C and E, while Nana watched the twins for two hours. (That was the first time we left them.) Ellyson clung to her daddy, but sat at the table like a big kid.

Next was a preschool friend of Carter's. I took the three boys while Jack stayed home and E napped. The twins slept in the stroller, through the whole party. Carter finally got worn out and had a meltdown, complete with refusing to say goodbye to the birthday girl. He fell asleep before we made it a half mile down the road.


Finally, we all celebrated the birthdays of three children for a set of family friends. All their kids have birthdays within a couple months, so they just throw one big party (the kids are 5, 3 and 1 on their birthdays this year - the same group of people would be at each party, and they live about an hour away from most of the people coming, so it works well for everyone). Carter and Ellyson both played hard, and G&G slept until it was time to nurse. (BTW - I have developed a method of using a sling-style carrier to carry both babies at once, and can use that position for semi-discreet public nursing ... about as discreet as I'm gonna get with two babies! At least, until they grow a little more and no longer fit in the sling together.)

After leaving the last birthday party, we made an impromptu visit to Jack's college alma mater. We were already 2/3 of the way to the campus, and who knows when we'd be back in that area, so we stretched the day with the kids. We both had forgotten how many hills are on that campus (didn't help we had four little ones in tow this time).

 

We also showed Carter the restaurant next to campus (under a new name) where Jack proposed to me. He didn't quite understand that concept ... he kept thinking we'd gotten married there.

 

Word of the Week: Confession

My name is Christina, and I am addicted to chocolate chip cookie dough.

I won't even admit to how many sticks of butter I go through per week, making it. It's embarrassing. But at least I am making it from scratch. That's a little healthier than the packaged cookie dough, right??

Size Update

Would you believe it if I told you that these two little boys ...

are the same exact size (height and weight)? I saw it with my own eyes.

And they're almost exactly the same size as this little boy ...

on the day he was born? (Pictured at three days old, wearing a 3M sleeper.)


Grant and Graham, at six weeks old, are 8 lb, 10.5 oz and 20.75". That means they're still in the fifth percentile for height and weight, and they're only 2 ounces heavier than Carter was at birth.