Look at me!

I can barely believe it when I see my "baby" Kennedy (technically not the baby by 2 hours and 10 minutes) sitting up in her bumbo seat.

The twins are now 3 months old and changing fast. They are sleeping from (okay, sleeping might be an overstatement)...they are going without eating from 7 pm when they happily go to bed to 5:30 am when they decide it is time for breakfast. They immediately return to sleep until about 7:15 or so. Thus, we are all getting more sleep on...um, well...most nights. Karsen is addicted to the pacifier (aka baby crack) and occasionally decides during the night that she must have it NOW. So the sleepy parents wander over and replug her every so often. How often dictates how much sleep the rest of us get. And here I thought I was saving myself from a battle over the thumb.

By some crazy genetics, both babies still have blue eyes. Kayla never had blue eyes, they were dark from the start and are huge brown saucers now. I seriously doubt that either little one will keep them, but I am trying to enjoy them everyday that I have them since it is such an anomaly to me. Karsen, if I have to admit it, gets referred to now by the street gawkers as red headed. My dad had red hair so technically this is possible, but I still can't see it.

Speaking of folks on the street who insist on commenting on twins, may I explain the definition of identical? Identical: The SAME in every way.

In all seriousness, I get asked on every single outing if 1) they are identical and 2) if they are a boy and a girl. This is almost always from the same person in that order. #1 if they are identical how in the world do they have the different everything you are commenting on (hair, size, etc). Please see the definition of identical. #2 If they are identical as you seem to think, how would they be a boy and a girl. Have you ever compared the anatomy of a boy and girl? Hmmm. See definition of identical. #3 If they were identical twins of opposite gender then yes, I am the type of mother that would dress both of them in matching pink outfits - who cares about the boy's sense of identity. If it didn't happen so often, it would be as amusing as it sounds.

Mommy, I see God.

If you need a good laugh, hang out with kids. Yesterday while driving to our first Citadel tailgate (the football may be nothing like A&M, but the festivities are not all that different), Kayla starts shouting from the back of the car - "mommy, I see God, I see God". Confused I turned and asked the intelligent question - say what? and Kayla explains, there is God, right there mommy while pointing out the window.

She had spotted a lawn statue of Jesus and was as absolutely as excited as if God himself were standing there in the flesh. Clay and I couldn't contain ourselves, I love the wild abandon of 4-ness.

Little does she know, I see God everytime I see my girls...

Sleep, sleep come back to me...

Everyone knows that when you have a baby you will, for a time, sleep less. Now, when you have 2 babies does that mean 2x less. When you add 2 babies to 1 four year old, what is the nth degree? When you add 2 babies to 1 four year old to 1 husband and 1 dog, let's face it, there is just no hope. I search in vain for 8 hours.

Of course that is not to say we haven't come a long, long way. The babies no longer eat every 2 hours. In fact, they now go to bed between 7 and 8 and sleep some part of the hours until 4 am when they eat again. They go back to sleep until 7 when they wake for the day. The problem with this schedule is that 1) I don't go to bed between 7 and 8. 2) It doesn't account for the "other" night time needs (you know - Kayla, Clay, Noble, my ridiculous appetite, the over flowing milk supply, the raccoon that breaks into the porch...).

I actually dream of sleep. While falling asleep last night, my final thought though was "boy, I wish I could find time blog..."

How fast it all goes...

What a week last week was. Tuesday Kayla officially turned 4 and the babies reached their 2 month milestone. We have had 2 parties, 3 sets of shots and one visit from Peaches and Papa Bear and one from our beloved friend Blannin. Things have been so busy, my own brothers have been completely unable to reach us by phone to wish the birthday girl well. However exhausting, the minutes continue to race by. Some moments I fight the urge to wish the time away (...if only they could sleep longer, if only they could play with toys, if only she could make her own...) and some moments my heart breaks that whole stages are gone forever.

This was the first birthday that Kayla completely dictated. She insisted on cupcakes (Ariel in the end) for her friends in her class on her "actual" birthday and a party with her other friends at the Splash park on Saturday, complete with pink and purple balloons, etc. Clay's parents, a.k.a. Peaches and Papa Bear, were here for a long weekend. Kayla has loved having them in town to party with and us parental types have been able to enjoy a nice meal or two while visiting with actual grown ups. For those that love stats - Kayla weighed in at 41 lbs (75th percentile) and is 41 inches tall (90th percentile). She will start Pre-K next week. Unbelievable. There is NO way I am old enough to have a 4 year old.

The babies now smile and coo! It makes all the work worth every single second. Kennedy weighed (and I say weighed because you know a week later they have grown) 11 lbs and 1 oz (75th percentile) and is 22.5 inches long (50th percentile). She is ever alert, but relatively easily entertained much like Kayla was. Karsen weighed 11 lbs and 12 oz (90th percentile) and is 22 inches long (50th). A little higher maintenance, she needs to see or hear someone at all times. She is a happy baby, but she will snuggle in and make a nest at the first chance -- choosing to be with people rather than play solo every time.

Natasha is another of the blessings I can't believe keep coming. She is WONDERFUL with the girls and just enough type A that she surprises me with an organized linen closet or the like in addition to keeping our entire house happy. I somehow haven't found that her presence extends the day, but I have found that it makes it more enjoyable. Since she started, I have managed to slip in a pedicure and a haircut in addition to the birthday party planning and runs to the grocery store. For those who have asked - She is 26, not Russian (although she says she gets that question all the time), engaged to be married next May, a photography apprentice and a super gentle, kid-loving soul. We are getting along great. If only life worked where I could have a nanny and not a job! With 6 more weeks before I have to go back, I try not to think about it.

The Citadel freshman come in for their orientation week on Saturday. Clay is excited to get started. I however am not looking forward to him leaving for PT at 445 in the morning or teaching a class that doesn't end until 6 p.m., but I embrace the TGFN (thank goodness for Natasha) attitude and accept my fate.

I have slews of pictures of all of Kayla's parties, but our home computer is in the sick bay and I can not download pics to my work computer. I promise more as soon as I put the computer back together from its tragic launch through the window...

Much love,
Heather

Kayla Party Pics

Kayla's big 4th birthday at Splash Island!

Uncle! Mercy! Wave the white flag...

I don't know the official battle cry for surrendering to three kids, but whatever it is we declare it. After 6 weeks of 24/7 with no professional help we give up. We hired help. Natasha starts next Tuesday for a few hours each week until Clay goes back to work full time at the end of July and then she will be closer to full time when I return to work in late September. I need sleep. I need a shower that lasts more than 3 minutes. I need to eat sitting down and with no one in my lap. I need to go to the grocery store alone. Not every time or everyday, but some of these things some days...maybe...well, a girl can dream...

Clay is working 8 to 4 or so, Kayla is going to adventure camp at her preschool and the babies are working me over at home. To get all of us air, I started walking the neighborhood in the morning . It takes a full hour to get all three of us dressed and ready, 40 minutes to walk and an hour to get us back into the house, changed and settled. By then half the day is gone and I am shaking from hunger (because I only ate 3 courses of breakfast - its an absurd amount of food I am consuming, but that is a different problem) and desperately longing for that allusive shower previously mentioned.

I admit it, I feel like a parenting failure that I can't do it all alone, but I am thankful I have a job with great maternity benefits and a husband that surrendered before I did (so he can't complain about the money!) Natasha tells me that out here it is offensive to call a professional nanny a babysitter, so nanny it is (I would call her a hot dog if she would come help me) and I am thrilled to imagine the moments ahead when someone else gets puked on. (Read: Karsen still has reflux issues).

At this 6 week milestone I would like to announce amazing accomplishments -- like Kennedy can roll from front to back and both babies can sleep a 5 and half hour stretch from 9:30 to 3 and Kayla can name reptiles or spell them -- but I am too tired to really indulge in the amazing blessings that I am drowning in and can only promise you that I will try to get your formal birth announcements there before Christmas.

Our kitchen update is almost done (no, we did not plan for it to still be going after the family expansion) and the guest room is completely available. You are invited to come hold a baby... while I collapse. For now, I have to run as Kayla tells me every single day here birthday is "almost tomorrow" and I have yet to plan a party (with pink cupcakes with chocolate in the middle and butterfly cookies and 2 pieces of candy...). Its my one goal for today. This is the best I could do for pictures, I will try to get some more soon.

I admit defeat,
h

A whole Month!

I can not believe that we have all survived our first month as a family of 6 (you have to count the darn needy dog)!

Today was the one month check up. Kennedy weighed in at 9 lbs 4 oz (50th percentile) and 21 1/4 inches long (75th percentile). She is long and lean and strong, but we still call her floppy woppy because when she gets comfy, she just crashes and won't do a thing to hold herself together. Karsen, is our chunky monkey because she is the cuddliest butterball you can hold. She weighed in at 10 lbs even (75th percentile) and 20 1/2 inches long (50th percentile). As you see, they continue to insist on all things being opposite. But, the percentiles are great and we continue to be astounded that they are larger than most of their singleton, full term counterparts.

Now, I don't want to jinx it so dare I admit that after living through several nights of letting the girls get off the dual schedule and winding up awake every 1.5 hours or so, we have had 2 consecutive nights of 5 hour stretches (10-3) of sleep. It has to be the first time I have been horizontal for 5 hours since the two pink lines appeared. Surely such sleep is sacred. I do try occasionally to heed that repetitive advice you get from every single sympathetic person who insists you should "sleep when they sleep", but in all reality the moment two babies are quiet and asleep there is a hierarchy of needs - bathroom, drink, food, laundry, mail, etc. - that never dwindles in your 15 minutes of free-handedness to allow nap time before someone needs something again. When the allusive "nap" thing does happen, it is nature taking over and sleep catches you while holding a baby, a water cup and leaning in some strange position on the arm of the couch. Which is my new definition of multi-tasking. Wouldn't CEB be proud.

My grandmother visited this weekend. At 80 with now 6 great grand kids she was a lot of help rocking babies while Brian entertained Kayla and we celebrated the 4th of July with the girls first trip to the beach.

Here are a few pics to prove that everyone at our house is alive, healthy and while severely tired, happy. Maybe not everyone - check out Kennedy's expression when Karsen the cuddle bug moves over to hold on to her...again.