Reflections

I'm trying to figure out where the last 18mo has gone! It seems only yesterday that we brought home 2 tiny babies. We wondered how we were going to manage a house of 6 children not to mention having twins! The first couple of weeks seem like a blur... pain, diaper, nurse, pain, sleep, diaper, nurse and oh yeah... more pain! Then as the pain got better, and I had stopped nursing (2 rounds of mastitis and I was done with nursing) the girls were beginning to get predictable. I was able to get dishes washed or laundry started in between nap times. The older kids were in school during the day and I had lots of bonding time with the twins. Jason took the first 2 weeks off work to be home with us. My mom took the next 2 weeks off work to help me out and then after that I was on my own. Courtney 1mo old... My dad would come out a couple of times a week to help with a feeding or two. Cadie 1 mo old... John and Janice would come up in the evenings a couple of times a week to help out. Seems like we got in a routine and there was always something to be done. Feeding, dishes, laundry, cooking supper, homework, bills to pay, bathing, diapering, cleaning and when there was time... sleep! I found an online group for moms of multiples when I was pregnant and continued to share with them what we were all going through with twins. Next thing I knew the girls were 6 weeks old! We didn't go many places or take the twins out very much, but one of our outtings was to celebrate my dads birthday! March brought about birthdays and me returning to work a few days a month and the twins turning 2 mo.
I don't have many pictures of me and the girls b/c I always think I look so tired and worn out... but here is one of me and my girls when they were about 2 1/2mo old...
They were really great babies, they had started sleeping through the noc! March flew by and next thing I knew it was April and the twins were turning 3mo old! May brought about the girls turning 4mo and school getting out for the summer. I had learned how to feed 2 babies at the same time. Many ladies I had talked to had came up with wonderful devices to help them with feeding their twins. I simply cradled the babies on my lap in a way that allowed me to feed both. When they got to big to fit on my lap, then I learned how to sit them upright against me to feed them... I learned early on that it was much easier if the girls were on the same schedule! Seems like once school is out that the summer just flies! The girls turned 5mo and we spent more time outdoors... We bought swimsuits, but never managed to make it to the pool. July last year we took the big kids to sky concert in Peoria and watched them set off fireworks over the river. The twins stayed with Jason's parents. Such a huge difference between last year... and this year...

The next 6mo seemed to fly just as fast as the first...
Aug the kids were back to school and the girls were 7mo old and had learned to crawl and were exploring their world. We went on a small vacation to Indianapolis and the girls did ok traveling! By Sept we had settled into a groove just me and the twins again. By 8mo they had learned how to pull themselves to a stand. They continue to sleep together... October rolled around and the girls turned 9mo... November seemed to pop up really fast... Cadie began walking at 10moand she has been on-the-go every since! Courtney had walking mastered by the first of December. To me once Thanksgiving gets here it seems like a blur until Christmas day. The twins were 11 1/2 mo old... Once December is here, we have 2 birthdays, my parents anniversary and Christmas! We are just barely able to relax and then there is New Year's and the twins birthday!! Even after the start of the new year, the girls still sleep together and never seem to mind that one is laying on the other......they frequently wiggle to get next to each other and normally manage to have some body part touching the other! March is as big of a blur as the holidays! We have 3 birthdays in March... so we get to do lots of celebrating! Not to mention that the twins are now 14mo old... By the blink of an eye, April rolls around and just when I thought it was going to seetle down- we stayed very busy! At 15mo we are getting creative to keep the girls entertained for long periods of time. M&Ms are a big hit! Once again another school year comes to a close... the girls are now 16mo old! June welcomed warm weather, the start of construction and Jonah being here for more than a week... the twins turned 17mo They are so busy and active and have gotten creative when it comes to getting what they want. I cannot imagine what the next 18mo will bring, as I just love them at this age... giving her sister a hug...

Cadie was checking out the potty box!

My sweet little babies who have magically turned 18mo old!