Nursing twins

During my pregnancy with the twins  one of the biggest worries I had was breastfeeding two babies. I love breastfeeding. I love the excuse to sit and hold and cuddle my baby. I love being the only one that can do something life sustaining and soothing for them. I love the feeling of tiny hands on my chest and the sound of big, satisfied gulps. I love the way a baby fits perfectly in my arms and across my body while I'm nursing.

I was so worried about how it would work with the twins. Juggling two babies sounded impossible, exhausting, and like it would rob me of the experience of really stopping and breathing in my babies while I fed them. I'll admit,  this time around breastfeeding has been harder. It's been fraught with way more worry over supply,  weight gain,  reflux,  and ultimately supplementing.  The twins have been hungrier,  needing to eat every 2 hours for most of their lives. Before I mastered tandem feeding, I felt like I sat on the couch all day and fed babies. Netflix and I got really close during those first few weeks. 

Then I perfected the tandem feed in a way that works for us. We became expert breastfeeders and it really didn't take much more time than just one baby. In the middle of the night I was only up for 15 minutes feeding them. Still, every now and then I would feed one baby at a time and I'd relish the one on one time,   thinking "oh,  this would be so much nicer!" 

But now the twins are 9 and a half months old and are drinking more bottles and less breastmilk because I just can't keep up with their needs.  I still nurse them 3 or 4 times a day,  but I'm starting to see the light at the end of the breastfeeding tunnel and all of a sudden I'm longing to remember every moment of feeding twins.  How many people get the experience of two precious babies looking up and smiling at you when they are done eating? I love the feeling of four frenzied little hands fluttering across my chest, playing with each other's hair and mine, so comfortable being one big pile of arms and legs and mouths.  This whole twin experience is something so special. It's a club I never wanted to join,  but I'm so glad I did. 

Tess

Nora

Pooping

The twins are horribly constipated and have been from day one. With the introduction of solid food,  things have only gotten worse. The other day I was massaging Nora's tummy to try and help her go.  She was straining and crying and I was trying to soothe her.  "I know honey,  pooping is the worst," I said.  Britta happened to be walking past and she replied "actually pooping is awesome. It's my favorite part of the day,  mom."

Just look at that adorable,  little poop-loving face.

Just another Friday

We found out yesterday that Elodie has had an ear infection basically since Christmas. Turns out she wasn't being willful, she just legitimately couldn't hear me. So we got her an antibiotic which she didn't want to take. I had to literally pin her down and shove it down her throat, while she kicked and screamed and tried to spit it back out.

The twins were sick and Tess cried unless she was in my arms. That's tricky when she's only one of four kids.

I hid behind the front door when Britta got home from school,  thinking it would be fun to jump out and surprise her. I scared her so badly she burst into tears.

Despite it all,  I loved today. Elodie and I laughed about her medicine meltdown afterwards. Britta and I played cards. Tess gave me the sweetest snuggles before bed and Nora laughed at all my jokes today (what a gem).