15 month check-up

Or at least it would have been a 15 month check up if we had not been in the hospital at their 15 month birthday. Oh well! Everyone is well and we finally had our check up.

The stats:
Addisen weighed in at 20 lbs 12 oz and was 30".
Parker weighed in at 19 lbs 12 oz and was also 30".

The girls are in the 5th percentile for weight (but is the 25th percentile when adjusted for prematurity). The doctor is not at all concerned about their size and even felt that they would be smaller after our last round of illness/hospitalizations.

She was pleased with their diet and extremely impressed with their verbal skills. She said that they are around 20-24 months for verbal ability right now. Gee, I wonder where they get that from?! *notice my sarcasm there?* HA HA!!!

They got a TB skin test, their last Prevnar shot and one last Comvax. Very few tears were shed this time and they walked out of the office on their own like the big girls they are rapidly becoming.
:)

Its not wrong to...

...put your babies down in their cribs for a 'break' at 5:45 PM while you enjoy a half glass of red wine in the peace of the office, is it? Well, is it?

I mean, they have been fed, they have been comforted, they have played (probably too much play) but they insist on screaming bloody murder and whining all over the house. Not to mention that you still have bath time, lotion, PJ's, milk and teeth to brush totally by yourself.

I have to say- I hate this time of day more than any other time. I enjoy watching them giggle and splash in the tub but drying two babies off by yourself, dressing them alone (often involving one baby running off naked and getting into total mayhem because you are distracted with the other baby), keeping them both safe in and out of the tub totally unassisted and then having the evening fussies without an extra set of hands makes life HELL.

Just had to get that out of my system...now, back to my wine. Coffee. I mean coffee. ;)

The better to eat cookies with, my dear!

Teeth...what a 'sore' subject for most mothers, huh?

Parker has 11 teeth with #12 coming in. Addisen has 7 with #8 right behind. Teeth.

The better to eat cookies with, right?

Comfort food

I have been on a role with cooking 'comfort food' for dinner. When we all started eating real food again after the stomach bug, the first thing I made was a casserole. I am not a huge fan of casseroles, especially anything that involves chicken, rice and a can of soup. But, for some reason, this Campbell's recipe appealed to me and we devoured it. Try it for yourself tonight and let me know. Its EASY! I should note that the recipe calls for canned chicken. Well, I refuse to do that. I used 2 chicken breasts cut into 1" chunks, sauteed in olive oil with garlic, salt and pepper and used that instead.

Chicken & Broccoli Divan
4 cups cooked broccoli flowerets (I used frozen broccoli)
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 can Campbell's Broccoli & Cheese Soup
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (I used more than this because I adore cheese)
2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:
Heat the oven to 450°F. Place the broccoli and chicken into a 2 qt baking dish (like a Corningware). Stir the soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese. Stir the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Stay tuned in the coming days for my YUMMY meatloaf recipe. What makes it so great, you ask? I mean, its just meatloaf! Here's a hint: balsamic vinegar and foccacia bread crumbs. Mmmmm!

Be blessed

So, I left our hospital trip story unfinished and to be honest, it just doesn't matter anymore. After Tuesday passed away last week, things have been placed in a new perspective for me. They are healthy now, we survived...moving on!

I have been doing a lot of reflective thinking and I hate to even say this but when I was pregnant, I was mad that I was having twins. When we had our first ultrasound at 8 weeks and heard those tiny heartbeats, of course we were thrilled for two healthy babies, but I was mad deep down. Angry. Worried. Scared. My best friend has twins. She was 20-something weeks pregnant with her boys when we saw those two tiny hearts flickering away on May 1, 2007. I had been helping her with her pregnancy, listening to her struggles. Watching the agony. I didn't want to be high risk. I didn't want a hard time. I didn't want the hardship of twins. I wanted a nice, easy pregnancy, a "normal" delivery and "normal" relationship with my newborn- whatever 'normal' is, right? ;)

Then, just as soon as I would think those thoughts the maternal guilt would kick in and I would be left thinking "how could I be angry? We are LUCKY to be pregnant at all without help. Be blessed Jessica, be blessed"...throughout my pregnancy, I had to remind myself of that fact. Be blessed.

During my post-partum depression I struggled a LOT with these same feelings of not being 'normal' or fitting in with my moms of singletons. I struggled to understand them or even empathize with them. I didn't care what their struggles were- I felt like I had more. Again, I would feel terrible for thinking that way and remind myself that I was blessed. Be blessed.

As the girls have gotten older and more active, I have found myself struggling to keep up with them, to show each of them enough attention, to nurture each individual personality and soul. I have found myself feeling that same lack of empathy for others, the same lack of sensitivity, the same feelings of 'why me?'. This time, I did remember why-- I have been blessed. That's 'why me'. I am blessed.

I am blessed with a full family. I am blessed to have two healthy active girls. I am blessed to have amazing daughters that don't care if I spent 5 minutes more with her sister after lunch because I will spend 5 minutes more with her after dinner. I am blessed that we didn't have to spend our life savings on in-vitro. I am blessed that my best friend has twins too and went through it first. I am blessed that I can call her anytime any day to ask how on earth I am supposed to go grocery shopping alone. ;)

So, I guess in a funny way, I have had to learn to be blessed. I have had to learn to accept the 'twin factor'. I am not saying this to be a martyr. I am saying this for several reasons:
1) its my blog and I want to say it :)
2) Tuesday's passing has reminded me to be blessed everyday
3) perhaps another new twin mom is experiencing these feelings and needs to know she isn't alone
4) because I feel like I have come full circle on the idea of having twins
5) because our flu/trip to the hospital really doesn't matter in the big scheme of things

Having said all that, I am still the same feisty woman that rolls her eyes when people stop me at Target and ask if the girls are twins. I am still the same mom that thinks its inappropriate to touch my children just because they are twins- and will tell you so. I am still the mom that thinks comments like "double trouble" and "boy, you've got your hands full" are rude, lacking in originality and are totally uncalled for. I am still the same mom that thinks this is HARD @SS work and can throw temper tantrum side by side with her twins at 6:00PM every night. ;) But man, what a blessing to have them here, healthy, happy and stomping their feet on the floor with me.

Be blessed.

Wagie Ride for Tuesday

On Saturday, February 7th, we enjoyed a wagie ride outside for Tuesday Whitt. We have nothing but cold and rain for several days now, but on Sunday, we had blue skies, sunshine and 65 degrees!





Did you do a wagie ride too? Share your photos with mommyoftwins2006@gmail.com. She is putting together a slideshow video for this family.

Prayer break

I want to take a break from my usual ranting, raving, and total nonsense blog to pray for a fellow blog family. The Whitt Family has recently lost their daughter, Tuesday. Tuesday is a twin sister to Piper and has two older brothers as well. She was diagnosed in July with an aggressive neuroblastoma and has battled bravely until her passing on January 30th. She was 2 years old.

I can barely get through this post without choking up and I have been sobbing for 2 days. Sobbing. For a family I have never known. I have not prayed before in my life like I prayed last night for this family and for God's mercy. I hit my knees hard last night.

Tuesday's Celebration of Life Ceremony is on Saturday and there is a call for a "Waggie Ride" for Tuesday. Waggie rides were her favorite thing to do and everyone is having waggie rides on Saturday to celebrate this tiny angel. I have the little button on my page now and please feel free to snag it and pass it along.

I don't know how to enter a link into a post, but this is the family.
http://www.half12.blogspot.com/

There are many ways to donate to her memorial fund as well as leave support for this family.

Please keep them in your prayers as they embark on the journey of grief.

15 month adventure...Part I

On the girls' 15 month 'birthday' I woke up sick to my stomach and miserable. No, I am not pregnant. LOL! Anyway, the girls were in great moods and were their normal selves. They brought me toys to the couch as I lay there and watched them play around the house. They ate a good breakfast. They had a nice nap. They ate a good lunch. They went down for an afternoon nap. Then...all hell broke loose! Parker started crying and I thought she was fighting sleep and ignored her briefly then her cry changed and I knew something was up. Upon entering her room, I saw her sitting in her crib, scared, confused and COVERED in vomit. Poor baby. Poor nauseous mommy.

I got her up, cleaned her up, changed her bed (all the while Addisen stood in her bed screaming because I got Parker up and not her). So, I am walking Parker into the kitchen for a sip of water and she throws up again-- ALL over me, the carpet and her second outfit of the day. Uh oh. We get cleaned up (I had to let Addisen out of her bed to roam around at this point because she was in hysteria)...so here I am near vomitting myself, with one kid that won't stop vomitting, changing vomit covered clothes again and one baby roaming all over the house getting into Lord knows what kind of mischeif. I immediately called my grandma (Nanny) to come help me. She arrives in 20 minutes to me starting a load of pukey laundry and the girls finally resting comfortably in their beds. Then a cry breaks out. I know this one. Uh oh. Parker has covered her bed AGAIN and is totally freaked out.

By this point, we get her cleaned up, give her a teaspoon of water to sip/wash her mouth with and I hold her. Nanny tends to Addie and we get the room cleaned, etc. Parker won't stop vomitting though. Seriously- sinks full and a bowl full. Poor baby. I call the pediatrician and speak to our FAVE nurse. She says to try 1 tsp of Pedialyte every 10 minutes and if she can't keep that down, to come in. 40 minutes later and 2 throw ups, I have a limp and pale baby and off her and I go to the doctor.

I look like death and she does too. At a stop light on our way, we were both dry heaving. What a sight we must have been! Thankfully, by this time, Jason is on his way home but says his stomach hurts. OH NO!

As I pull into the pediatrician's office, I can smell that smell...you know the smell. The one all mom's dread. The smell of diarrhea. OH NO! I open Parker's car door and there is the most limp, BLUE, pale, listless baby I have ever seen. OMG! I scoop her up throw her on my shoulder (while she vomits on a blanket) and literally run her into the building saying "hold on baby girl!"...it was so scary. I got there, cleaned her up (she was LIMP...didn't move the whole time I changed her) and saw the doc. About 3/4 of the way thru her exam, I had to run out to vomit (three times!) and then Jason showed up. My hero! Thank God we were the last patient of the day because we were apparently very needy. LOL!!!

The doctor wanted her to try some Pedialyte in the office to see if she could keep it down...she couldn't. We were getting admitted to the hospital.

As soon as we walked out to the car, I called Nanny to check on Addisen and she was now throwing up too. OH NO! I called our doc immediately and got thru to her and she said to bring her to Parker's room and she would get her admitted too for IV fluids. She also told me that I needed to be admitted as well. HA! Yeah right! In all the spare time I was about to have, huh? HA HA!!!

So, here were are, both parents throwing up and having to take care of two sick hospitalized 15 month old babies. Stay tuned for the remainder of the story. The hospital stay was a story in itself!