Where oh where...

"Where oh where has that Twin Mamma gone - oh where can she be?  With her blog abandoned and with no excuse, oh where oh where is she?"

About three months ago, I alluded to just how busy things had become in our house, and about two weeks later, I celebrated father's day with a note about my awesome dad, and then - silence.  

I think the problem was that I got SO excited to be a stay at home Mom, and started dabbling in everything. Blogging, freezer cooking, ancestry, playgrouping, hairbow making, consignment shopping/selling, and most of all photography.  All of these "hobbies" could have made for a full time job as it was, let alone the two wild and wonderful babers that I'm responsible for.  I had to choose just one, and it ended up to be photography.

So a little update is in order...  Grammy is STILL in residence here with us - for one more week.  Then we hit the beach for a much needed vacation.  And upon our return, she'll officially be going home.  I'm TERRIFIED but I do think we'll survive.  Boy will we miss her.  We would have never ever ever been as sane through this process without her.

I bought a fabulous camera in May, took a fantastic class through the local community college throughout the summer, and have built a little photo studio which has taken over what will eventually be our playroom. It's filled with light stands and umbrellas and strobes and all sorts of goodness of which I've just begun to learn the capabilities. I just finished up a set of portraits for the babies that I am so proud of and will be sharing lots of pictures soon.  Now that all of this research and purchasing is done, I'll have way more time to get back to blogging.

The babies are doing so so well.  They're growing up so fast!  Brayden is moving all over, crawling all over creation to get where ever he wants to go.  Julie's just beginning to seem motivated to move, but boy can that girlie talk!  She has mastered Dada, Mama and Baba.

We'll be doing a combined 6-8 month update (oops) later this week to give all the details on our sweet little ones.

It's so so good to be back!

My Dad

It’s almost Dan’s first official Father’s Day and the celebration has got me thinking about my own Dad. Although I didn’t always appreciate him as much as I should have, his unconditional love and support has been there from my very first day.

The earliest memories I have with my dad are of reading books all snuggled in the nook of his arm, exploring the worlds of my picture books.  Those colorful illustrations gave way to American Girls, Sweet Valley Kids, Box Car Children, Indiana Jones and every historical fiction book for children ever written.  Through the investment of his time, he opened up my imagination and creativity which is so much a part of who I am.

As I got older, I certainly offered my dad my share of “challenges.”  Boys, teenage hormonal drama, overspending, and unstable college majors all took their turn at changing Dad’s hair from dark brown to silver.  I’m sure I left him scratching his head wondering “what did I say that got her so upset?” on more than one occasion.  Looking back, despite it all, I know that more than anything, my dad wanted the best for me.  His reminder to “wear a coat” was only because he wanted me to be warm, and not really an intention to control my life (regardless what the rebel inside said at the time).

My dad has worked so hard all of his life in order to give me everything I could ever need or want, including my mom’s ability to stay home and care for us.  I know he thinks that because she spent so much time with us during the day when we were little, that she had the most influence on who  my brother and I have become.  And while my mother is a huge part of who I am, I think my dad underestimates what he has given me.

My dad believes in me.  He always always has.  He believed that I could be the best little mouse ballerina in the nutcracker when I was four.  He believed I could be the best singer in my high school choir.  He believes that I can have an awesome blog and religiously votes for me on Top Baby Blogs every day.  Whose Dad does that?  Mine – my awesomely supportive and proud Dad. 

Because my dad has so much confidence in me - because he truly believes that I can - I start to believe that it’s true, and that I can get through whatever challenges me.  I’ve learned to trust his words as truth and that gift of confidence is one of the best things a parent can give their children.

And most importantly, my Dad believes that I can do this Mom thing and will be able to give my babies all the love and care that they need.  Every step of the way he’s there.  He was waiting with a hug the morning before I went in for delivery, the day the babies were born.  He was there during my pregnancy when I was scared we were having issues.  He was there when I desperately needed him the other night when Julie was in the hospital, holding my hand and telling me it would all be okay..

As I sat there watching him hold my little girl, I could see his love for her spill out all over.  That love is the same love that he’s had for me my whole life, and I am so very lucky to be the recipient. 

Happy Fathers Day Daddy…

Late Night Breastfeeding Ramble

Warning:  This post is about breastfeeding.  I try not to post about it much, but just wanted to give you a heads up and an opportunity to back away now if you feel the need.

(a stream of conscious writing to organize my thoughts and clear my head)

This past week, Julianna had quite an accident.  It’s a really long story that I’m not comfortable going into much detail about quite yet, but needless to say it was an ordeal that included a lengthy experience in the ER and an overnight admission at Children’s Hospital.  When we arrived at 11 p.m., I hadn’t pumped since around 5.  This is pretty typical for my days recently, and not a huge concern.  As we reached a very emotional 2:30 am, I was feeling really engorged and even started leaking through my shirt (which NEVER happens to me).  Finally, I talked to a nurse who found me a pump and a lactation lounge and away I went.  Armed with a pair of 2 oz bottles and an empty 20 oz water bottle, my aunt and I took to the task of me pumping while she attempted to unscrew and empty the small bottles into the large one.  I was shocked at how quickly I filled those tiny 2 oz bottles that once took me ten minutes to fill in my early days!  So here we are like wild women, trying to just get me empty enough to be comfortable so I can get back to my sweet baby, and give that baby something to drink when she was ready for it.  I pumped about 10 oz total, and then stopped.  This was probably only half of what I had in me, but without a hands free bra, I wasn’t going any longer than I had to.  The next morning, I was up at 6, and by 9 am was pumping again – this time with a basket full of 2 oz bottles and my dear husband had the task of helping me.  I pumped to empty, and then resumed normal pumping later that day around 4 p.m.

Since this time, I have seen a dramatic drop in my output – about 50% of what I typically produce.  Could it be that my body thinks that my babies are done and has decided it doesn’t need to produce as much because of the few times I didn’t pump completely?  Julie’s accident was of course tremendously stressful, so could it be stress effecting my body?  I’ve been so close to my edge lately that I’m crying at the most frivolous things – like the Chinese takeout order being wrong or my mom suggesting a nap schedule.  Somedays feel like I’m not only loosing my identity, but also my mind!

 I have been so busy that I’ve hardly had the time to drink the water as I need to, and I’m sure this has some effect as well.  On top of everything, the night after I got home, I woke up sick in the middle of the night, and have had a terrible sinus infection since.  Could the infection cause a temporary drop?

Regardless of the how or why, it’s clear that my milk is not doing well these days.  I can’t help but begin to wonder if it’s time to turn off my pump, and pull out the formula checks.  My babies are used to formula and tolerate it well enough – it’s just that I DO believe that breastmilk is what’s best for them, and provides so many benefits.  If I didn’t believe it with all of my heart, I wouldn’t be tethered to the pump for at least 2 hours a day.

I know it’s possible to come back from all this – drink more water, take the fenugreek, Gatorade, probably cut back on my caffeine to help me relax, and most of all, pump more often.  I know all of these things, but yet I’m beginning to question if it’s WORTH fighting for.  My babies are almost 6 months old – my initial breastfeeding goal.  I’ve helped give their little bodies a jump started immune system and done my very best this long.

The thing I guess I question most is the value…  Is pumping for two hours each day worth only being able to produce half of my babies daily needs?  What happens if I drop even farther – is a fourth of their needs worth two hours?  An eighth? Will quitting give me more freedom and less stress, making me a happier twin mamma – or will it give me guilt for not hanging in there longer? 

As I’ve said so many many times before, the hardest part is when you want to do what’s best for your family, but “what’s best” is so unclear. 

Most likely, I’ll keep on for at least another week, when the babies have their “half birthday” on the 22^nd, and see how I’m feeling.  We’re going to a wedding this weekend and the babies will be with my family, drinking mostly milk frozen from my early days.  Hopefully coming back with a cooler full of milk pumped from this weekend will help me keep up with their demands for the short term, and will buy me some time to make my decisions.  Maybe a weekend away will leave me a little rejuvenated and help my stress as well. 

This mom stuff is not easy huh?

Twin Tips: Toys for Twins

I'm one of those geeky twin moms who would like their kids to coordinate but not always "match."  It works out well since I have one of each, and we love to find outfits in similar color schemes or in coordinating patterns or with matching characters for girls and boys.

Since the babies were born right before Christmas, it was the perfect time to pick out some super toys for the little ones and yes, maybe I went just a little overboard.  I thought I'd share some of my favorites that come in "coordinating" colors for your little ones.

My kids love their "Bunch-O-Fun" toys from Bright Starts.  I believe we picked these up at Burlington on the cheap and they're definitely a favorite.

We searched high and low for a foot and wrist rattle set, and I picked these garanamials wrist rattle sets from Walmart and the babies really enjoyed them for making all kinds of noises when they moved.

This was one of my favorite pre-baby purchases - a special Lamaze toy for each.  Mortimer the Moose for Brayden and Marina the Mermaid for Julianna.  They're awesome because they're super colorful with lots of ways for babies to interact.  They rattle, crinkle, have tabs for rubbing and places for chewing.  I love the attachment loops that make these easy to switch in and out for something new on the babies play gym.

I picked up these Babies First Doll and Babies First Bear out of boredom when my babies were delayed a week.  I must say, while they are soft and sweet, my kids are less than interested.  Maybe someday, but thought I'd include them as they do coordinate. 

These Take'n Shake toys from Bright Starts are cute, small (perfect for diaper bags) and are a nice distraction.  At 5 months, my twins are getting the hang of pulling them themselves and enjoy the reaction as they vibrate.

We received these teether toys from Kids 2 Grow as a gift at our baby shower and they sure are adorable!  Soft for cuddles but a great surface for our chewers.

Our babies have a ball with these "mesh" ball toys.  I love seeing their little tongue move in the holes as they try to fit the ball in their mouths!  They collapse, so they're perfect for a diaper bag take along.  We grabbed these from target, but for the life of me I can't remember a brand name.

Anyone else have any favorite twin toys that coordinate?  I'm always looking for new options!

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Julie and Brayden Update: 5 Months

A little late on our five month update, but better late than never! 

Feedings:  Bottle feeding hasn’t changed much in the past month, except that we were instructed by our doctor to try putting 3 T rice cereal in each of Brayden’s bottles to reduce his reflux.  We think it may have helped a bit, but not enough difference to justify all of the rice he was taking in.  We may be discontinuing the rice in the near future.  Hopefully, pushing forward towards solids will give them more of what they need that it’s okay if we loose a few drops here or there.  We’re still doing 1T  of rice in the overnight bottles.  Solid foods are going well – so far, we’ve tried Rice Cereal by spoon, banana, applesauce, peaches, and oatmeal.  If we do cereal, babies are eating about ½ a container each, but could take a whole container if I’d let them.  I’m looking forward to starting to make my own food soon – just have to find the time to buy the equipment.

Daytime: The babes are up most of the day with a few quick naps in the middle.  We try to spend lots of time on our tummy to help Brayden’s Torticollis as well as to encourage Julie to roll over.  Brayden is a rollin’ fool and it hasn’t dawned on Julianna that it’s something she should consider attempting.  I’m not worried that she’s not strong enough, because when she arches her back, she could likely get herself out of her bumbo seat if I’d let her. Feedings are 6am (B) 9am (J and sometimes B), Noon, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm, 11pm  

                    

Nighttime:  We still have the best sleepers in town.  Both are going to sleep around 11, and then sleeping all through the morning.  Brayden does get a bottle with Dan when he leaves, but usually we don’t have babies to play with until around 10 am.  One of my favorite things in the world is Julie’s sleepy pose – with her hands behind her head like a little pinup girl.  Brayen rolls constantly and will no longer sleep on his back.  Of course this makes me a nervous wreck, but I keep trusting what everyone says – that if he can get onto his tummy, he can make sure his airway is safe.  Just thankful to have full nights of sleep (although it still never seems like enough)!

Schedule:  My thoughts that we had a schedule?  The babies were just kidding.  And my plans of waking up at 6:30 each morning to clean?  I was just kidding about that one too. J

6:30 a.m. – 4 oz bottle for Brayden, then back to sleep.

10 a.m. – Julie wakes up for a 5 oz bottle and stays up

11 a.m. – Bubble Guppies and Mike the Knight

Noon – 4 oz/ 5oz bottle and maybe another nap

3 p.m. – 4 oz/ 5oz bottle

4 p.m. – Fussy time for both babies.  We occupy them by being active on the floor, singing songs and playing with puppets.

6 p.m. – 4 oz/ 5oz bottle, plus cereal and some sort of fruit or veg

9 p.m. – 4 oz/ 5oz (Julie typically crashes in her swing at this point)

11:00 p.m. – Bottle and Bedtime

11:15 p.m. – SLEEP

Outings and Events:  I feel like we’re constantly running somewhere these days!  We're always on our way to visit Great-Nanny, head to a doctor's appointment, or to Physical Therapy.  Good thing the babies are good in the car!  We took two big trips this month, to Baltimore for the Preakness race.  We learned the lesson of a lifetime about communication when we realized that the babies suitcase, overpacked full of clothes for every occasion and surprise, had been left in the nursery – four hours away.  After some serious contemplation, I hit the stores and bought enough sleepers and clothing to outfit the babes for the weekend.  The hardest part was finding seersucker (Dan’s fashion requirement for the event) but I luckily was able to find a cute green seersucker dress for Julie and blue seersucker shorts and solid polo for Brayden at Gymboree.  Mamma got a workout jogging through the mall 20 minute before it closed!

We also ventured to Massachusetts for Dan’s cousin Eileen’s wedding.  We had a great time, and the babies were SO well behaved.  We hardly had a peep out of them for the ceremony, and with the exception of a few pterodactyl calls from Julie, all was calm throughout the beautiful event.  The babies met so many of Dan’s cousins, aunt’s and even their Great Great Aunt Jean (who I absolutely love).  It was so nice to spend time with the family, and get away for the weekend.  The long car ride to Albany (where we spent our nights at Dan’s parents) was pretty tolerable, although did have many diaper-change pit stops.  We learned that we’re more flexible than we knew climbing into the backseat between their carseats to feed while the car was still moving, and that we’ll be investing in travel video monitors before our trip to the beach in September.

Milestones:  Brayden is our little “Rolie Polie Olie” and rolls every which way.  Julie still hasn’t showed any interest in rolling, but trying to not worry about her too much.  She is SUCH a verbal child!  She babbles and squeals and smiles all the time.  I can’t believe how different they are!  Brayden has become a little quieter lately, but will occasionally give us a holler, especially when Julianna isn’t around.  Both are doing really great with the baby foods, opening their mouth when the spoon comes their way, and actually getting most of the food in their tummies.  Julie’s a major bubble blower and makes raspberry sounds constantly.  Brayden still giggles all the time.  A few of his favorite things to giggle about are: “Achoo,” “Chopped,” and “beep beep” said in a  low voice.  Julie’s only given a few giggles – usually when hair brushes against her face.  Maybe she’ll be my serious one? 

We’ve started really playing with the exersaucers and the babies love it.  Brayden adores the one we have with a piano under his feet.  He’s totally realized that he can control the sounds and I love watching his face light up with excitement.

I am the luckiest girl in the whole entire world.

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Lazy Blogger

I have to admit - I'm a lazy blogger.  And I just wanted to write a post to justify and beg forgiveness.   'Cause ya know - I have a reason.  So here are my excuses for my recent absence in the blogosphere - some are definitely better than others.
- I have twins - this is the ultimate excuse.
- Brayden's Torticollis has been taking up lots of time with PT, Doctors Appointments and Stretching
- I've been making an effort to see the important people in my life a little more often,  I have seen every one of the people in my bridal party this past month, even though 50% of them live out of state.
- We've been traveling quite a bit, to Baltimore for Preakness, and will be going to Albany this weekend for Dan's cousin's wedding.
- I FINALLY pulled the trigger and bought an awesome camera (Canon T2i) and can't wait until tomorrow when it arrives.  I've been full of research.
- I'm struggling a bit with the babies in my frustration in my inability to soothe them simultaneously.  The stress is getting to me!
- Dan's computer was broken for a bit, so he was using mine whenever it was free.
- I've been trying to research my ancestry, and learn how to make hairbows.  I have more way more interests in new hobbies than I'll ever have time for.

Reasons why I will continue to be absent:
- I've signed up to take a photography class one night a week.
- We'll be having new challenges as the babies become more mobile, and I attempt to start making babyfood.  Oh the new stages we'll enjoy!

I know, excuses excuses.  My mom says "you can't do it all Heather" but boy will I always try.  Someday I'll get really serious about my blog.   In the meantime, I'm glad it's here, waiting to listen about my success and struggles, and all the celebrations along the way.

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Twin Tips: Diaper Bag Checklist

Before our babies were born, I loved reading people's posts on what to put in their diaper bags.  It's funny how what you EXPECT you'll carry, is really not what you carry at all.  I think diaper bag contents are a very personal thing, but preparing for your own unexpected is what diaper bag packing is all about.

One of the best gifts I got when expecting was from a dear co-worker.  It was a small diaper bag, packed with all the essentials, and a note from her own experiences, on what her bag included.  Although we already had a large bag purchased, Amy's system employed both the big bag and the little bag to make packing quick and convenient.  Although I didn't realize it at the time, her system is ingenious.

So today, I'd like to pass her gift on to you, and share the scoop on how I diaper bag for twins.

First, I have two bags - a small bag Eddie Bauer Bag with lots of pockets, and a large bag - the Chicco Cubes tote.  The small bag goes with me everywhere, and the big bag "refills" from the car.  Typically, I repack the small bag every time we go out, and the large bag stays in the car, and is only refilled if we take something from it.  I know it sounds like more work, but it really isn't!  Especially with twins, I'm already laden down with so much gear and baby that having a little bag is perfect, but still always have the security that the big bag's there for backup if needed.

Small Eddie Bauer Bag

Large Chicco Cubes Bag

So now for the good stuff - what's IN my bags!

Here's a sneak peak and a detailed list:

1 - Diapers:  We need two sizes and typically put four of each size in the small bag for a total of eight.

2 - Wipes: For little bums

3 - Diaper Rash Cream:  Luckily, we have not yet had to deal with serious diaper rash, so I bring a sample size pack - just in case something surprised me.  These samples came from new mom Similac packs and Motherhood Maternity goodie bags.

4 - Rubber Gloves:  For the occasional poopy diaper that makes you freeze in horror

5 - Ziplock Bag:  To contain the filthy clothing that the horrific diaper just leaked on.

6 - Changing Table Liners:  To protect your precious little one from other babies horrific diaper germies

7 - Receiving Blanket:  Used as an impromptu changing pad on the floor of a bathroom, to cover a carseat in the rain, or (obviously) to cover a babe when it gets chilly.

8 - Face Friendly Wipes:  I've got pukers, and don't like the idea of putting bum wipes on their sensitive little faces.  Johnson's smell nice and are resealable, and I believe Boogie Wipes are basically the same thing.  Babies R Us carries a bum wipe that's also safe on faces in their travel size section, but the non-resealable package urks me.

9 - Pacifier Wipes: Helpful for when the only bink you have has fallen on the floor of the pediatrician's office.

10 - Hand Sanitizer

11 - Cloth Diapers: For burp cloths, spit up, and for rolling up and propping under bottles for self-feeding while at restaurants.

12 - Formula Powder in Bottles: Once I realized how expensive Similac's "to-go" bottles were, I figured I could easily make an inexpensive alternative myself.  I pre-measure and pack for simple mixing on the go.

13 - Bottled Water for Formula Powder: I love Aldi's 10 oz bottles which are perfectly sized for my diaper bag, and two 4 ounce bottles (and a sip for me).

14 - Nipples: We pack the disposable ones from the formula samples just because I don't "miss them" in my regular rotation.

15 - Pacifiers: One spare for each

16 - Toys:  We like thin puppets, a small klinky toy (keys) and our blinky multi-colored strobe light rubber chick toys from Easter.  Just enough to keep them occupied, but save space.

So there you have it - all of this fits in my small bag (amazing huh?) and most is replicated in my large bag with just a little more diapers, a larger pack of wipes, changes of clothes for each baby, more toys, more water, etc.

And since it's so important to refresh those diaper bags regularly, I have a checklist by my door for easy reference in confirming bag contents.  Feel free to download my Twin Diaper Bag Checklist and use yourself!

Looking for more great Twin Tips?  Check them all out here!

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Julie and Brayden Update: 4 Months

Feedings:  Brayden is drinking about 4 ounces of milk, about every three hours during the day and goes about 8 hours without milk overnight.  Julie’s taking 5 ounces every three hours, and goes about 10 hour overnight.  We still do one formula bottle every night and I am back to pumping around every 4 hours.  We’re still doing 1T in the overnight bottles and may be increasing Brayden’s bottle rice intake at the doctor’s direction to help with his reflux.  We’ve also introduced rice cereal by spoon regularly, with each eating about 2 T of rice mixed with milk.  We’ve also introduced baby banana and they share ½ a container when we offer it.  They still have quite a bit of the tongue thrust reflex, but like to lean towards the spoon and get in about half of what we offer. 

Daytime: Babes are spending even more awake time.   They like to get cozy, and sit on our tummies when we’re laying flat, with their back’s on our theighs.  The babies got their first puppets for Easter (a Duck and a Bunny) which they love.  With the bunny we sing Little Bunny FooFoo and the one about a Rabbit in the Wood.   With the Duck, we sing Five Little Ducks (the one “with a feather on his back” and the one that “went out to play over the hill and far away).  Favorite toys include the mesh balls, the Blue Elephant/Yellow Giraffe sensory toys, the Play Gym (now reaching for toys and putting in mouth), and have gotten super active on the bouncy seats.   Feedings are 6am (B) 9am (J and sometimes B), Noon, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm, 11pm  

                    

Nighttime:  I do realize how lucky I am here – I swear!  I have the best sleeper babies ever…  Nowadays, both babies are going to bed at 11pm, with Brayden waking up around 6am to eat with Dan (sometimes 8ish when not woken)  and Julie sleeping until 9.  Maybe she’ll be a “prompt” person throughout her life, because she ALWAYS wakes up at 9am on the dot!

Schedule:  I think I would say, we officially have a schedule!  Celebrate good times!

6:30 a.m. – 4 oz bottle for Brayden, then back to sleep (Mamma stays up and cleans)

9 a.m. – Julie wakes up for a 5 oz bottle then goes back to sleep.  Sometimes Brayden would like milk too – sometimes not.

11 a.m. – Wakeup for Bubble Guppies and Mike the Knight

Noon – 4 oz/ 5oz bottle and maybe another nap

3 p.m. – 4 oz/ 5oz bottle

4 p.m. – Fussy time for both babies.  We occupy them by being active on the floor, singing songs and playing with puppets.

6 p.m. – 4 oz/ 5oz bottle and Rice Cereal (maybe a little “nanners” too)

9 p.m. – 4 oz/ 5oz (Julie typically crashes in her swing at this point)

11:00 p.m. – Bottle and Bedtime

11:15 p.m. – SLEEP

Outings and Events:  Our babies are still really really good when we go out.  Big trips this month included the babies first “out of state” experience to attend Aunt Megan’s bridal shower in Buffalo, New York.  Both spent the afternoon with Dad and Grandpa Coleman and behaved beautifully.  We also celebrated Easter in all of our Sunday best. 

Milestones:  Both babies are grabbing at things, and are doing much better at strengthening their necks with Tummy Time and sitting up in their Bumbo Seats.  Brayden is wearing some 3-6 month clothes, and Julie is in all 3-6 month clothes.  Brayden has begun rolling over – both from Back to Front and Front to Back.  Way to go little boy!!!  Brayden also likes to giggle when we blow raspberries on his tummy.  Julie loves to play Patty Cake and squeals with happiness.  We joke that the babies sound like “pterodactyls” because of the loud noises they tend to make from time to time.  Julie is an extremely happy baby when she wakes up and very rarely cries. Their eyes are still both blue, so fingers crossed they’ll be staying that way!

Each day with them is truly a joy…

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Alexa and Lillian: Travel the World

This week we were super excited to host two special young ladies – Alexa and Lillian, who are traveling the world to see how many places they can visit in one year.  Their mom is the author of Mom-A-Logues and you can follow their trip by visiting her blog.

Welcome to Pittsburgh girls!  Our city has been voted as the country’s “most livable city” and we have to agree that it’s a great place to live.  We have fantastic sports teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, and the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team.  Pittsburgh is located at the intersection of three rivers – the Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio.  To cross these rivers, there are many bridges and sometimes Pittsburgh is called “the city of bridges.” 

Pittsburgh has been a very important place for a long time!  In the 1750’s, George Washington even started a war to protect Pittsburgh from the French!  Our city was also very important in the production of steel and many people came from around the world to work in the mills to make this important metal.  Pittsburgh still celebrates the foods and traditions of many of those who made our city their home.

Although we don’t produce much steel nowadays, there are tons of other important products that are created or developed in Pittsburgh.  If you’ve ever enjoyed Heinz Ketchup on your french fries, you’ve tried a product made in our city!  Other big businesses include PNC Bank, UPMC Hospitals, American Eagle Outfitters and even a Google office.  We have excellent colleges such as the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University who are doing some amazing things with robotics.  Recently, there have been many movies filmed in Pittsburgh and it’s great to see our city on the big screen.  Pittsburgh has many museums given to the city from Andrew Carnegie, a very famous Pittsburgh resident of the past.  We have a symphony orchestra, theaters, a zoo, and many other fun things to do!

A great video to see even more of our awesome city can be found here.

You arrived at our house the last week in April – what a perfect time for a visit!  We were so glad to have you with us and were excited to show you around our city.  We spent quite a bit of time indoors because we had some wild weather during your stay!  Temperatures ranged from the 30s all the way to the 70s during your visit!  Don’t worry, we made sure you were nice and warm in the fuzziest of pajamas, but helped you find your shorts and sunglasses to enjoy the sunshine.

You were a great help with our twins – Brayden and Julianna!  You guys must have lots of experience babysitting because the babies smiled and smiled at you. 

We worked on making some hair bows, and you each took turns wearing your favorites.

One afternoon, we got out the ukulele and sang some songs.  You have fantastic voices girls!

Over the weekend, we all went to my brother Sean’s graduation from college.  

You really had fun spending time with our family. 

It was awesome having you girls join us this week, and we wish you safe travels for the rest of your trip.  Next stop - Maryland!  Keep an eye on your mailbox for a little souvenir from your visit!

If you would like to host Alexa and Lillian in your hometown, contact their mom Dawn at http://www.mom-a-logues.blogspot.com/

Party Crasher

So no, I've never crashed a real party (or at least I don't think I have) but am excited to be crashing my very first Ultimate Blog Party!  You see, I found a pin on a fellow twin mom blogger's pinterest that looked too cool not to click, and found the link.  I was so pleasantly surprised to see I was just in time to participate and figured I could quickly write up a little "about us" and join the celebration!  My fingers are in a furry, racing the clock before Julie rouses herself from her slumber and wants to eat - so forgive any errors or typos!

Who Are We:


Heather is a new mom to boy / girl twins (Brayden and Julianna) who were born December 22nd.  While still feeling completely overwhelmed by the whole "I'm really a mother" thing, I'm getting the hang of it (I think).  I am a former "professional Girl Scout" running programming for girls here in Western PA for the past five years. I love to spend time my time outdoors, in the kitchen, or in the car on my way to a fabulous vacation.  I am learning photography, the art of consignment sales and how to make hair bows.

Dan is the love of my life, fabulous Daddy, engineer, product manager, and grill master and dog groomer.  Jack of all trades and my partner in everything.

Julianna has also been known as "Wiggle Butt," "Julie Bean," and "Beanie Baby."  When not being completely adorable, she likes to moonlight as the Poopy Princess and get her toes painted.


Brayden is everybody's little buddy, and truly an "old soul."  He's curious, a huge flirt, a complainer and completely incredible.

And this here is our little home on the web.  A place for me to have a "project," a place to share my experiences, and my hub for finding other mom's whose experiences make me better.  If you're visiting from the Ultimate Blog Party - thanks for stopping and welcome!  Leave me a comment as I'm looking forward to getting to know you!

Twin Tips: Clothes Pin Diaper Tracker

Every mother who has ever nursed (or attempted to nurse) knows the importance of tracking diapers.  It's as if babies have a daily "quota" to reach of wet and dirty dipes so that you know that they're getting all the goodness they need.  In the middle of the night fog, this tracking becomes especially hard.  When other caregivers (like husbands) get into the mix - the diaper tracking gap is almost unavoidable.

As a mother of twins, record keeping becomes even harder to keep track of two babies, and their different "outputs."  This is where my mother's genius idea came in handy! So simple, but the perfect solution.  CLOTHES PINS!

Behind out changing table, we have a lamp that has the cord hung externally, but any rope or ribbon hung from the wall would do.  We labeled each clip with B1 B2 or J1 J2.  B1 stood for Brayden #1 (wet) and J2 stood for Julianna #2 (dirty).

Caregivers would move one pin from top to bottom for each diaper change, and we would tally the pins in the morning.  So simple, but a total lifesaver for sleep deprived families.


Don't forget to vote for us!

Happy Easter!

It's the babies first Easter and I've already been filling them with tales about how the magical bunny will be visiting them tonight.  Come on - how can I resist the opportunity to buy some special things for my little bums? Here's a quick pic and list of inclusions in the babes VERY first Easter Baskets.

Brayden's Basket (left)

- Garanimals Wrist Rattles

- Garanimals Ankle Rattles

- "I love you More" book*

- Banana and Apricot baby food pouches (for the future)

- Bibs

- Binkies

- Green Snack Holder (target)

- Underwater Adventure DVD

- Green Bunny Ears

Julie's Basket (pink)

- Garanimals Wrist Rattles
- Garanimals Ankle Rattles
- Piggy Paint Toenail Polish
- Tights 3 Pack
- Socks
- Strawberries and Apples baby food pouches
- Bibs
- Binkies
- Pink Snack Holder
- Nursery Rhymes DVD
- Purple Bunny Ears

Hope your Easter is filled with faith, family and friendship!

Ten Tips for Kids Consignment Shopping Success

I've already shared some of the great deals I snagged at my recent consignment sale visits, but wanted to share my top ten tips to remember before hitting the sales floor.

1.  Find Your Sales and Make a Game Plan: One of my favorite mom bloggers pointed me in the direction of http://www.kidsconsignmentsales.com.  This awesome site is super convenient for finding the sales in your local region.  Next, consider your game plan.  This past week, there were five sales in our area, so strategy is a must.  Consider opportunities to shop a pre-sale or half price day late in the sale in order to make the most of your time.

2.  Go As Early as Possible: Not only will you have your "pick of the litter" with the clothes, toys and gear, but you can also snag some of the best deals this way.  Because sellers each price their items independently, there may be duplicates of the same items at a range of prices.  For example, one recent sale had six almost identical items (a popular battery powered ball blower toy) in stock.  Prices ranged from $5-$15 for the toy, with the highest priced item not necessarily the one in the best condition.  Earlier shopping allowed us to pick up the best quality item for $8.  Many sales offer pre-shopping events for new parents, new grandparents, military veterans and their families, organization members, consigners and volunteers.  The early bird catches the worm and some of the pre-sales require online registration so check the sale's website for opportunities.

3. Bring a Bag:  Sales are unlikely to have shopping carts so think creatively about how you'll tote your items around while shopping.  We hung lots of clothes on the handle of our stroller, and used an ikea bag for overflow.  We have a Mommy Hook and plan to get a second one for our future sales which was perfect for hooking toys with handles and loops.  A cart on wheels or wagon would be especially helpful.  We even saw women with clothes baskets attached to their belt loops with strings that they dragged around the sale.  What creative problem solvers!

4.  Get to Know Your Sale: What are your options for pre-sales?   Do they have a policy against strollers?  What payment methods are accepted?  Do they have a half-price sale and if so - what are the details.  I really recommend scouring all the links on the sale's website (FAQs, Info for Shoppers, Videos etc.).  You'll get a good look at what to expect.  When you arrive, consider chatting with a volunteer.  Most sales have a "holding area" that you can utilize so you don't have to carry around your large items.  They can also provide great details about bathrooms, checkout procedures and any sale discounts.  One piece of advice learned from my own failure is to really ASK about the half price sale.  Do not assume that because it says "half price" that all items are discounted.  Some sales put red dots on sale items, some put dots on items exempt from discounts.  Communication is really key for getting all the deals you were expecting at checkout.

5. Be Prepared for Anything:  You won't know what to expect before the sale - so expect the unexpected.  Our first sale was fairly small, and we walked right up to the checkout counter.  So boy was I surprised when, while shopping new mom pre-sale at our second sale (which was huge), we encountered an ENORMOUS line.  I'm talking 2 hours waiting in line to get through the checkout process.  Lucky for me, I had extra formula powder and the babies were pretty well behaved.  Also when shopping with kids, realize the possibility that there may not be a bathroom as many sales are held in usually unoccupied buildings.  Both my babes got changed in a corner behind a sales rack, and I was glad to have an extra blanket to protect them from the floor.

6. Shop for Everything You Need: There are certain pieces of clothing your kids will always need.  "Dress Clothes" for example will likely be part of your child's wardrobe in every size.  My family goes to a horse race every spring, so I will be shopping ahead for both babies for lots of seersucker and khaki pants to prepare for the seasons ahead.  Use my Baby Clothes Inventory Sheet to keep up with your current stock and identify future gaps in your needs.

7.  Grab a Half Price Deal: On half price day (available at many sales) you can really get some of the best deals.  Yes, things may be slightly "picked over" and you'll unlikely find the hot item Bumbo Chair.  But when you have every thing you really need you can shop half price for future sizes, or great items at low prices for gifts or even potential resale.  Remember these sales have everything - clothes, books, toys, bedding and other necessities and you'll be glad later that you got such an incredible savings.

8. Come with an Empty Car: Yeah I hear ya - you don't plan to buy anything big.  But you really never know.  We ended up having a FULL back hatch of my SUV and an exersaucer riding home on my mom's lap. Do yourself a favor and make room before you shop!

9. Consider Consigning: What a great way to make some money to reinvest in your shopping!  I am the absolute worst at letting go of adorable clothes.  It is easier for me at least, to give up clothing that I purchased second hand.  I think of it as "clothes sharing" - someone owned it before my kids, and someone will own it after my kids.  Coming in with that expectation makes parting a little less sorrowful.

10.  Get Ready for the Next Sale:  Don't forget to sign up for the sale's mailing list to be sure you're ready for the next event.  Most hold events twice a year and mailing list signups are available at checkout.

Now grab your purse and get shopping!  If you're already a veteran consignment shopper, leave a comment and tell us about your BEST consignment sale deal!

Just about the cutest thing I've ever seen!

So I've already collecting fun stuff for my kiddos to do via pinterest and other bookmarks.  I'm excited about making them busy books and busy bags to keep them occupied once they become "restless" toddlers.  I know - they're tiny for now but I'm trying to stay ahead of the game.

I recently found this AWESOME printable from myfantastictoys.blogspot.com  and I just had to share.  Gnome paper dolls, paper bowling, finger puppets and more - for FREE!

If you didn't know already, Dan and I are big fans of gnomes.  We even dressed up as gnomes a few years ago for Halloween.  Simplest costume ever by the way!

And of course, I was THRILLED to know, that all gnome mamma's have twin babies.  It was destiny!

Shop Till You Drop

Spring means sunshine, green blooming flowers, and apparently (in Western Pennsylvania at least) consignment shopping.

Before having kids, I'd heard of these sales - but barely.  An acquaintance of an acquaintance worked at one, and I'd catch a fleeting glimpse of a yard sign advertising a sale at intersection.  We had thrown around the idea of visiting one of these sales while I was pregnant, but decided it was way too close to our vacation to bother.  If I'd only known then what I know now!

I've seen blog posts on other sites about consignment shopping, and wile I'm certainly no veteran to the experience, and some tips for new shoppers.

We visited five sales over the past two weeks, and have fully stocked up on equipment, toys, clothes and accessories to last us into the fall.  For just around $300, I have outfitted both babies with almost all of their non-consumable needs for the next 6 months.  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

Some of my favorite buys were:
Step 2 Wagon: $6
Brand new Swimsuit from Gymboree: $4
Brand new hat from Gymboree: $3
Ralph Lauren Khaki Pants for Brayden: $2
2 Bumbo Seats + 1 Tray: $35 total
2 Exersaucers in excellent condition: $40 total
Searsucker Dress for Julie for Preakness: $6
Little Einstein DVDs: $2-3 each
Little People Play Sets: $4-6 each

We may NEVER shop retail again.

Stay tuned for when I reveal my "Top 10 Tips for Kids Consignment Success!"

Julie and Brayden Update: 3 Months

Feedings:  Babies are still drinking about 4 ounces of milk, about every three hours during the day and go about 5-7 hours without milk overnight.  We do one formula bottle every night and I am pumping around every 6 hours.  The midnight bottle still gets about 1 T of rice cereal.  In general, not much has changed with their feeding in the past month, except that Julie occasionally seems to forget how to drink.  She has seemed to stopped with the projectile split-up, which is super.

Daytime: Babes are spending more and more time awake during the day.  This is good for babies, but tough for Mamma.  They’re both pretty pleasant and seem to finally have realized that there’s a second baby in their midst.  Brayden has liked to be held quite a bit lately, and we’re getting better at pacifying them both.  Both babies have discovered their hands, and are able to gnaw on their fingers for a little self soothing.  Favorite toys include the Swing, the Play Gym, the crib animation toy, the Winkle and the Glow Seahorses.  Babies also just got Bumbo seats, have been introduced to their Sophie the Giraffes, and Wubbanubs.   We typically feed around Midnight, 6:00 am, 9 am, noon, 3, 6, and 9.  

Nighttime:  This is the biggest change to report!  Both babies are sleeping in their cribs almost full time.  They are able to be put down while awake, and put themselves to sleep after eating.  The babes rarely wake up in the middle of the night, and are even able to share a crib without disturbing each other.  What HUGE strides we have made this month!

Schedule:  While there’s still not a whole lot of a schedule, we’re getting a little more regular with patterns.  Here’s where we currently stand:

6:30 a.m. – 4 oz bottle, then back to sleep

9 a.m. – 2-3 oz of milk, then back to sleep (Mamma stays up and cleans)

Noon – 4 oz bottle and start the day

3 p.m. – 4 oz bottle and a nap

6 p.m. – 4 oz bottle

9 p.m. – 4 oz bottle (Julie typically crashes in her swing at this point)

11:30 p.m. – Bottle and Bedtime

12:15 a.m. – SLEEP

Outings and Events:  Leaving the house has been made easier with my extension in times between pumping.  I feel like we can leave for more than a three hour stretch!  We have gone to the museum, multiple trips to the grocery store, Grammy’s House, multiple consignment sales and Grove City.  Apparently my babies love to shop because they typically sleep through the entire experience without a peep.  I am one lucky mamma!

Milestones:  Babies are much better at “self soothing” during the night and can put themselves to sleep.  They’ve both discovered their hands and use it instead of a pacifier frequently.  Both seem to have more purposeful smiling, when you enter the room and talk to them.  We’ve begun to outgrow our 0-3 months clothes and fit nicely into 3-6 month outfits.  Brayden’s hair has grown back almost completely!  Julie loves to play in the bathtub and kicks like crazy to splash her mommy.  We’ll often leave her legs uncovered which she loves to give her kicks.  We’re finally getting past the “colic” stage and hopefully by next month will be done with nightly crying sessions completely.   

Twin Tips: Baby Clothes Inventory Sheet

If there's one skill I can proudly share my abilities for, it's process development.  In my former professional experience, I loved nothing more than figuring out how to make something more efficient.  I love to consider all the options, and come up with a streamlined process that makes things easier for myself and all involved.

Now as a stay-at-home mom with twins, my "job" is caring for them around the clock, and there's definitely room for process development and improvements!  As I go along this journey, I'd like to share my "twin tips" that seem to make things work a little more smoothly for me.  For twin moms - try them out for yourself.  For moms of singletons - many will work for you as well.   For those of you who aren't moms, these little ideas might answer the question "how on earth do you do it?" that I get asked ever so frequently.

First up, the Baby Clothes Inventory Sheet.

Long ago in a time that now seems very far away, I was a planner.  My friends picked on me relentlessly about how I had "control issues" and tried to plan life to the most minuscule detail.  The birth of my twins has broken the planner in me mercilessly.  I finally gave up after creating a google spreadsheet (linked to a form document, accessible from my Droid) that tracked my ounces pumped, times and amounts consumed, and "outputs" of my twins.  One document I created during my time as a planner - and now being resurrected for use during my consignment shopping - was my Baby Clothes Inventory.

It's amazing the sheer amount of STUFF that twins need.  One unique challenge for mothers of multiples (boy/girl especially) is that it all becomes a blur when considering the amounts you have in what size, for what gender.  For example, it seemed like I had a TON of fuzzy sleepers.  And I did - but they were all in size newborn for Julie (hand me downs from a friend) and in size 0-3 months for Brayden (which we'd purchased because he was expected to be a big baby).  Had I not had my handy Baby Clothes Inventory spreadsheet,  I would have been out of luck and left struggling when Julie quickly outgrew her clothes.

Now, I am using my inventory to assist with consignment shopping, in order to help plan for the future while snagging great deals.  Download my Baby Clothes Inventory template HERE.

A few notes of use about this document:

• You can't edit it in Google Documents.  To download a usable copy,  go to "File" (under the title) and   then "Download" which will start the download of the Microsoft Excel file.
• The spreadsheet is designed for Boy/Girl twins with a column for N (Neutral) especially helpful for things like yellow newborn clothes and the sort.
• Each item tallies at each size level.  This total is the total number of Boy+Girl+Neutral.  This will prove that yes, indeed, you have a TON of fuzzy sleepers.  

If anyone is interested in this and has a tough time with excel, please feel free to email me and I'd be glad to make changes for you if needed.  

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Wiggle Butt

We don't know how she did it - but Julie scooched her little self over to be next to Brayden this morning. What a lovely sight to wake up to. Brayden didn't even seem to mind. :-)

Perfectly Painted Pretty Little Piggies

"This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home.  This little piggy had roast beef..."

Julie and I have been playing this game for a few weeks now, and she's just starting to giggle and smile as she feels the tickle on her toes.  And her toes are of course - perfectly adorable.  But my years of fantasizing about all the girlie things my daughter and I will do have gotten the best of me, and those tiny little toes are just a bit too tempting to resist.  I couldn't help it - they had to be painted.

I waited until she was three months old, I didn't want to be unreasonable of course!  And yes, my mother has warned me that babies put everything in their mouths - including their toes.  Considering this, I figured it was important to go in search of a baby friendly nail polish as my personal fave OPI was chalk full of toxins and chemicals certainly not toe-sucking friendly.

When I came across Piggy Paint I thought I may have found exactly what I was looking for.  A great variety of colors, reasonable prices, and (most importantly) baby safe.  Their slogan is "natural as mud," and the paint contains no toxins or harsh chemicals.  It's biodegradable and water soluble making it eco-friendly.  It's so gentle, it will come off with rubbing alcohol, and is unlikely to stain carpets.

I gave it a try and loved the results!  We ordered both paint, remover and a paint pen, which made painting teensy tiny toenails a breeze.  The color had great saturation and looked super after a few coats.

Here's what I picked:

The Cuddles and Kisses Gift Set

Angel Kisses Paint Pen

For our first pedicure attempt we used the Angel Kisses Paint Pen and I think Julie loves it!  Here she is today checking out her own fabulous feet.

Perfectly Pink Piggies

I'm totally a fan and can't wait to continue the fun of showing off her pretty paint job throughout the summer. Next time Julie and I play "this little piggy" - that last little pig will finally have something to cry "wheeeee" about on his way home.

This review is not endorsed, or encouraged by Piggy Paint nor was I compensated in any manor for my opinions.

Mamma's of Multiples

Tonight I attended my very first "North Pittsburgh Mothers of Multiples" meeting and had a lovely time.  Usually, it seems like it's more effort and stress than it's worth to get out of the house.  The stress doesn't balance out the stress relief of going out.  Tonight was different though.  It was totally worth going out.

So I've been thinking about joining since I was pregnant, but I was working, and waddling and it just didn't seem like it'd be the best time to go.  I figured since we're now out of the pure chaos stage, it was time to get to it.  So I took a shower, put dinner in the crock pot and was on my way.  My wonderful hubby even knew how much I needed the break, so he came home at 5:00 and my sister came over to give Dan some "back up" while I was gone.  Yes, someday he'll need to know how to manage them himself.  That day has not yet come yet.

At the meeting, I got to know a few of the Moms and asked lots of questions about their experiences.  The more I read other twin mom blogs and meet other mothers of twins, I realize how rare the fact that I delivered at 38 weeks really is.  So many of these moms had to experience the heartbreak of NICU life, and I am so truly blessed to have had my sweet babes come home exactly 60 hour after their birth.  God is so so good...

What do mothers of multiples do at such meetings?  Apparently, have fun and relax.  Of course on occasion, I'm sure they do much more important serious things like discuss sibling rivalry and twin developmental stages, but tonight's meeting was just some much needed fun.  We decorated cup cakes!  Here's a few that we made...

Mum Cupcakes

Sunflower Cupcakes

So super fun and I was actually proud of my creative capabilities for once!  I came home refreshed and actually eager to hold, feed and snuggle my little ones.  And the best surprise of all - my incredible hubby cleaned my mess up while I was gone and now, I feel like I'm not drowning underneath the chore list.  He really is the best.