Doctors Visit

Today we had a visit to Dr. Sullivan's office for Emma & Robin. Daddy got to come along and meet the doctor, and he helped out with me getting the girls undressed and dressed. Here's a summary of the visit:

1. Nasty "Front Desk" Lady was not present - they had someone different sitting there (though I could see her hiding in the back). Check in was a breeze!
2. Robin weighed in at 10 pounds, 3 ounces...only 1 ounce more than she did 3-weeks ago. The doctor called her not gaining weight "failure to thrive" and told us that if she doesn't gain sufficiently by her next visit, we'll have to figure out how to get some more calories into her diet. Right now she's in the 5th-10th percentile for weight.
3. Emma weighed in at 10 pounds, 5 ounces...she gained a full pound! The big news is that she is finally on the weight charts in the 10th percentile - yay!
4. Both girls were referred to a specialist at Children's Hospital in Boston for their flat heads...I'm sure they will have to wear helmets.
5. Emma also has to now have physical therapy for her torticollis (sp?)...in layman's terms her crooked neck.

They go back for their Synagist shots and a weight check on February 10th...we'll keep our fingers crossed that they're gaining weight well at that point!

Enjoying the Silence

Today is Wednesday, which is bath day here at the Tate house (at least for the girls). After they had their 10am feeding, I cranked up the heat and prepared for tub time...it might be fun for the girls, but it really takes a lot out of me. First, Emma had to pee ALL over herself and the changing table as I was getting her ready...so we had to take a break and clean everything up before we even got her into the bath. Both girls are really starting to enjoy this time on Wednesdays and Sundays. When they were smaller, they HATED being naked, so bath time was not a fun time for them (or me)...but now they love being naked and the warm water...plus I put on the iPod and we sing (they screech and I sing)! The only time they cry is when they are done (it's still cold in the house). What I love best is that they usually pass out from all of the excitement afterwards. So...they are sleeping in their bouncy seats in the kitchen, while I'm relaxing on the couch with a cup of coffee - ahhhh!

Here's some advice on how to get your babies to sleep through the night - buy a WOOMBIE at http://www.woombie.com/ . One of the moms in my Twins Group recommended it and presto...Emma & Robin slept through the night the first time they wore it. UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Now we bring them up for their goodnight bottle between 9 & 10 and they sleep until 6am! I think they would sleep longer, but Daddy has to leave for work at 6:30am, so we wake them up for a feeding. After that they usually go back to sleep for 2-3 hours. I LOVE it!!!!

My next mission is to try to get them to sleep through the night in their own cribs. Unfortunately, they LOVE to snuggle together (must remind them of life in mommy) and when I've tried to keep them in their own cribs, they fuss throughout the night. So for now I'll let them co-sleep and just enjoy that I get to sleep for 6-7 hours at a stretch!

Gotta run...the crying has started (again).

PS - The photos of bath time are from when the girls were 3 weeks old.

Some random thoughts for a snowy Sunday... THE PRESIDENT As with any big news event, I've become obsessed with watching the pre-inauguration festivities (while my husband probably wishes I was obsessed with watching the football playoffs). This afternoon I spent the day watching CNN's coverage while Jeremy cleared the inches of snow from our driveway and walk. While our economy really blows, I think this a good time for our girls to come into the world and grow up. We have a new President coming into office, and while I'm not 100% sure we'll have "the change" everyone keeps hoping for, there is a good chance it's gonna happen...I don't think it can get much worse, and I'm 100% sure it will be better than the last 8 years. I hope that we as a global community will start to change the way we think...towards the economy, towards the environment, towards the way we live. This is just my little wish for a better world. FOOTBALL I have to talk football, since I'm sitting here listening to the NFC Championship. Last year we had the opportunity to attend the Superbowl in Arizona, and it looks like this year the Cardinals might go to the Superbowl. My best friend, Rozzie and her family are BIG TIME Cardinals fans, and I'm sure they're jumping for joy right about now. The funny thing is that she's having a baby real soon, and I don't think she's going to be traveling for the game...I have a feeling the rest of the family will be going, but not Rozzie! Don't worry Rozzie...we'll have to do something here in snowy Boston to celebrate! While I'm sad the Patriots didn't make the playoffs, it is nice to see my college (SU) quarterback in the playoffs (and fellow parent of twins) - Donovan McNabb...after a couple of crappy years...this might be his year to go all the way. SNOW I hate snow...I hate being stuck in the house for a week...I hate having to bundle up two babies to go 20 feet to the car...I really hate having to walk the dog (and he hates having to go outside)...I hate shoveling (but now I have an excuse not to help)...I just wonder why we put up with this. If my husband got a job somewhere warm...I'd hop on board that party train and get out of here (fast). BABIES I love my babies (of course)...everyday there is something new to like about them...like a giggle or a big smile. Right now Emma is sitting in her bouncy at my feet and smiling up at me...why? Because I'm me, and she just loves me for being me and nothing else!

Emma & Robin - Update for our friends and family

Chances are, you haven't gotten an update on Emma & Robin, unless you're an active member of the Facebook community (where I upload pictures weekly). Here's where we are at almost 13 weeks (can't believe that they're really almost 3 months old).

Emma Rose is 9 pounds, 5 ounces. When she entered the world back on 10/17/08, she was only 4 pounds, 5 ounces...so she's more than doubled her weight. I call her my little nugget. She is very calm, relaxed and laid back and has the sweetest smile.

Robin Katelyn is 10 pounds, 2 ounces. When she was born she weighed 4 pounds, 7 ounces...she's a very good eater. She's the peanut, and daddy Jer says she's "just like mommy". She is more vocal and has quite the personality!

I was convinced that the girls were not identical, and was told by my OB and their Pediatrician that they were. I finally convinced the Pediatrician to re-look at the pathology reports from my placenta (she was able to tell them apart very easily) and she confirmed that there was only once placenta and the surgeon's report stated that they were in one sack...so that means that they are identical. I still think they look totally different, they'll never be able to fool their Mom!

Formula Woes

Today has been a good day, but it's only 3:45pm...so there are a few more hours that I'm stuck here alone with Emma & Robin...so a meltdown could occur at any moment. I think their meltdowns are definitely related to the formula, so we're trying a new one at the moment. I was feeding them breast milk until a few weeks ago, but I was DONE with being hooked up to a pump 8x/day. My breasts were killing me and I was so miserable. The switch from booby juice to formula was easy, but that's when the "fussiness" started. I guess with one kid you can call it being "fussy"...with two screaming babies, I would call it "hell in stereo". Crying every waking minute wasn't fun (for them or me), and NOTHING I did would make them feel better. Robin was a little worse than Emma...there were definitely moments I wished I left them in the hospital.

Luckily, our pediatrician listened to my cries of "this just isn't right" and had me try a "hypo-allergenic" formula, which has lessened the cries to only a few hours a day. Unfortunately, the switch was excruciating...for them and me! Being a new mom I didn't have experience with changing their food, but I guess I should have used my experience as a pet owner and done it gradually. The first night was pretty shitty...our neighbors probably thought someone was being murdered in the house...screaming babies and a crying mommy. Emma would take a sip, scream at the top of her lungs for 30 seconds, take another sip, spit it out and then scream some more. It took about 1.5 hours to get her to eat 1.5 ounces and then I gave up with her...she'd be hungry soon and then eat. Jeremy didn't have much luck with Robin either, and we put them to bed whimpering (them and us). Our next feeding wasn't much better, but they were hungry and reluctantly took their bottles (crying with each sip and spitting much of it out). Jeremy then had a wonderful idea...mix a little of the new formula with the old formula (he's so smahhht). Once we did that they took the bottles and I've gradually increased the amount of the hypo-allergenic formula daily.

Speaking of formula, I have to complain about:

1. The smell of formula - the old stuff was very metallic smelling (I'm assuming from the iron); the new stuff smells very glutenous (if that is a word)...I can't stand either...my booby juice was very sweet smelling.
2. The poops are DISGUSTING - granted they were having poop issues when we first switched (which is part of the reason we're on the "special" formula), but going from "pretzel" smelling poops to downright nasty sewage poops was gross...we need to disinfect the entire bathroom when I'm done changing them...STINKY!

I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and hope that things get better with the formula and poops! I'm also going to hope that insurance will cover the prescription for the formula, since it's over $27/can and we go through 1 can/day...babies are VERY expensive!