Life of 8 Month Old Twins

I haven't blogged in a while because like is super super crazy. My husband is a track coach which basically means I see him as we leave out the door for the day and enough to put the babies to bed together about 3-4 days a week. Its exhausting. I'm exhausted. He's exhausted. We have survived our 1st ear infection. Ella seems to be pretty much over it! Praise The Lord. It was a rough 3 weeks. 

Ive been having a hard time lately by myself because they are particularly needy lately and it's only one of me. I feel this way a lot by myself. It doesn't help that usually I have relief and the weekends to be a family and Andrew is gone Saturdays and I work Sundays. 

Anywho- 

Wake time is anywhere from 6-730am. 730 is like a blessing. It's rare. Usually 630-7. We change diapers, eat and play upstairs. It's SUPER hard. Ella is all over the place. In the kitchen, near the stairs, etc. You cannot control her. Which is hard. I hate to go downstairs but I think I'm going to have to start. They play and play and play. Less than 2 hours after they get up- they are dying for a nap. And so am I. I don't nap- I just lie down: seriously no pumping is amazing!

So that's around 830/9. Usually Ella sleeps 1.5 hours or so. Bria sleeps maybe an hour. If I can I hold her and she sleeps a tad longer until Ella gets up. Sometimes if she looks refreshed I go ahead and take her downstairs. During their nap I prepared their stuff downstairs. Bottles, sippys, new clothes and their food is downstairs for the day. I start on Bria first, and usually Ella wakes up during. I go grab her and we eat. Then bottles. I'm getting pretty stinking good at feeding them both at once. Ella lays on the boppy and basically holds her own bottle, and I hold Bria and she watches TV. It works and no one is waiting to eat. Naptime usually comes quickly then after they play.

Around 1ish it's time again. I eat and they are awake by 2/230. Another bottle and more Micky mouse clubhouse. Alllll day long. There's a lot of playing during this stretch. A lot. A lot of falls, whines and cries. We have been using puffs to keep them quiet. Nap again 4/430 which is much shorter. Prob 1/2 hr- 45 minutes. Bottle at 5-530. And playing until 7pm. 

At 7- we get out the space saver high chairs (worth the $$$) and eat a jar of whatever each. They love veggies but have started really enjoying their fruits as well. We offer a sippy but they aren't huge fans. Bria doesn't mind the water- Ella makes a terrifying face. Then if it's bath night they roam around nakie until then. If it's not bath night I put on their pjs.

At 730, upstairs for bath, bottle and bed. Ella usually doesn't need rocked. Bria does. 

That's it. They have been terrrrible at night lately so this schedule will and is changing, but I'll leave that for another post. Seeing as this took me, oh- a week to write. 

Penny outfits from the DG!! 

Hoppy Easter!!

We got these done the beginning of April so we were 7.5 months old! 

These outfits came from Sparkle in Pink.com -- I love them! They were so soft!! I was impressed at the quality since they were only $14.99 a piece! They are actually swing top sets so they are open in the back. I wasn't there to supervise or I would have had them get a back view. 

The bunny headbands- I made! With various supplies from Etsy, Dollar Daises and probably Halo Heaven! They are my favorites to order from! 

I knew this was a potential background ahead of time and I'm so excited it worked out! It's my fav! 

Bri threw a "I don't want to sit" fit when they were there so I'm surprised they got good ones of her! 

Cute. But wait for it..... 

TOTAL cuteness!! Eek!!!!!! 

Ella's faces ever cease to amaze me! 

I was super pleased with how they turned out! 

Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter and remember why it's celebrated! 

He AROSE! 

I'm a Tad Obsessed

So. I just printed and got back (from York Photo) almost 1,300 pictures! 

Granted, I haven't printed much in the 8 months of their existence. I desperately need to start an album that we can reflect back on. 

Now, that the weather is warmer- I'm super duper excited to take amazing pictures of my little ones. This is exactly what I bought my camera 4 years ago for! I've been dying to get out there and shoot them and it's finally here!! 

I wish y'all could see this photo blown up. It's so amazing. I cried editing it. It couldn't be more perfect. My heart. ❤️❤️❤️ 

Andrew snapped this one since I'm always behind the camera. I love how Ellie is looking at me. She's beyond a mommas girl! 

There are no words for this girls beauty. Plus she can't move it crawl so she's an awesome model! 

Ugh. Love. 

She wouldn't sit still! But this is her personality! 

For real. 

She hates her headbands! 

I adore these outfits and their headbands. It was perfect shading and lighting to hit their eyes! I'm blessed beyond measure and I hope no matter how many sleepless nights- like last night where I burst into tears over exhaustion- I hope I never forget that! 

Our First Ear Infection

So both Andrew and I had many ear infections as babies. Andrew even had tubes in his ears at one point. It's pretty much inevitable that our girls will have it at some point. 

It came yesterday. 

Ella woke up cranky. Was cranky after her bottle, after playing, after her nap and after another bottle. When she's cranky- she screams. & she's not quiet. I'm SO. Thankful that Andrew is off on Spring break. If I had been solo- I would have jumped off a bridge. Okay. Not really but when one is sick- it takes two. You can only listen to screaming for so long. I had been to the dentist yesterday morning and Andrews turn was at 215, but taking Ella to the doctor was more important. 

I am also SO thankful that I work for a doctors office and have awesome coworkers! Our NP checked her out and said she had so much ear wax in there that she couldn't see anything, except one area in her right ear and it was red and inflamed. The left ear was totally blocked with wax. Our first ear infection. Which explains her tugging at her ears, wasn't just teething related, because she is working on her 2nd tooth. We got Amoxicillin and were on our way! 

This happened this week: 

My dad, AKA Pappy, built this custom gate for our downstairs and it is awesome! Works perfect! 

There were lots of snuggles and cuddles yesterday. 

 & this happened:

We have a WALKER!! She's so crazy! But I love it! And yes- Kay Kay outfitted her walker with baby wipes in the basket! 

8 Months Young!

This post is a day late but I was too busy having one of the best days/weekends ever! No work, no track and alll babies & family time! It was pretty amazing! 

It makes me yearn for summertime where weekends don't matter and Andrew is off everyday. I'm hoping to only work 3 12s in the summer so we shall see! 

It's been a crazy, awesome, beautiful ride this past 8 months. It's beyond anything I imagined. I'm so in love with these girls. I can't deal with their cuteness most days. 

My Ellie Bellie, 

Your personality it's the best! You smile at anything and everything. You are one of the happiest babies I have ever seen. You love everything, especially your momma! You are one determined little girl. You have mastered crawling, but army crawling gets you around faster! You go everywhere! You have climbed up 3 stairs, you are pulling yourself up on everything and have actually taken a few steps holding onto the chaise. You walk behind a walker and were really going far last night. We took you both swinging and you LOVED, which I'm not surprised because you are such a dare devil. You approach everything with an intense look in your eye and you will accomplish whatever you set out do to. Aunt Neena calls you a baby sloth because you go slow to make sure you don't fall. If you do fall, you do it gracefully (most of the time). 

You don't really sleep through the night. I'm praying it will happen overnight. You sleep until about 530ish, if you would give me 1-1.5 more hours is be okay with getting up at 7.. You are teething, you got your first & second tooth this month!!! So you have been a little more crazy about your binky at night! Sometimes you wake up screaming, or kicking and we have to rock you to sleep, last night. It took 2 hours. I cried a little tear with you out of exhaustion! 

You love to crawl, you love your jumpy, you love your momma, daddy, and cousin Kay! You love to pull yourself up, and take a few steps holding on, you have started walking behind a walker, you still love Violet the puppy, you love paper plates, plastic cups, remote controls and cell phones, anything you aren't supposed to have. You LOVE to eat- you love your bottle and get jealous when sissy is drinking hers. You love all foods except peas. I think your favorites are veggies, especially sweet potatoes, squash and carrots! You get excited when I bring out the high chairs to eat! You aren't a fan of drinking out of your sippy, except to chew on or bang on the high chair! You have been saying "mama" and what sounds like "bye bye". You have started to clap! It's the cutest thing! You clap and actually make sound! You love when I sing to you- you are my sunshine is your favorite! Your physical therapist said you are very advanced for your age! We are so proud of everything you have done and accomplished! Mommy loves you to the moon and back!! 

My Bri Bri, 

You are our drama queen but in the best way possible! You are such a sweetheart and love to cuddle, but you upset quickly! Momma, daddy cuddles or a bottle calms you down pretty quick! You have the sweetest smile, it's a sly smile, the cutest grin! It melts hearts for sure! You don't seem to care to do anything but sit. Lately, you have been wanting to stand, aka we have to stand you up and hold you because you can't even hold on and stand up. Your legs are like jelly, but that doesn't matter to you! You sit so well we could leave you to play all day. You love toys! Especially things you aren't supposed to have, remotes, cups, plates, and cell phones. You still love all your toys, especially Violet and the front of the walker. You also love empty or full bags of wipes! We took you girls swinging and you didn't much care for it. You wear your emotions pretty vividly and we know what your feeling happy or sad all the time. You recently started watching TV and you LOVE Micky Mouse Clubhouse. The first song catches for attention and the "Hot Dog" song is your favorite! No matter what you are doing- you stop, stare at the TV or ipad and start rocking back and forth "talking". We have it set on DVR so we play it back when you get cranky! 

Sometimes you sleep through the night, sometimes you don't. You have had a runny nose and I think you are cutting your 3rd tooth, but you won't let us look at it! You usually get up around 5/530/6 to eat! And go back to sleep. You sleep flat on your back and sometimes have been turning on your side lately. We have switched your supplemental formula and now you scarf it down with the breastmilk now! You love to eat! As soon as you see me get the high chairs out- you start waving your hands in the air in excitement!! You love sweet potatoes, squash and carrots the most, veggies are yor favorite- minus peas. You have new saying "mama" for months and just learned to say "dada" a few days ago! You have also just started to clap a few days ago and it's so cute! You get so expected when you do and you squeal!! You love when we sing to you! No matter the song but your favorite is you are my sunshine!! We can't wait to see you crawl and walk and watch everything you do!! We love you to the moon and back baby girl! 

Teething Troubles

Newborn stage. I was prepared for. I knew ahead of time not to expect any sleep. I knew ahead of time the demands, the crying, etc. 

People warn you about that. 

They don't warn you that they will teeth, sometimes at the same time, sometimes different times. They don't warn you how it takes their toll on their little bodies, causing them to lose sleep, to be cranky. They don't warn you they will scream so loud it will wake up the other baby. Then you are screwed and can't get them back to sleep. 

They don't warn you that they will need rocked for each nap time while teething. So by the time you get one twin down, it's time to get the other. And then the first twin is up within 10 minutes if putting the second one down. They don't warn you your milk supply will be affected because you can't pump due to no napping babies (actually they do. Sleep and eating is super important for milk production- neither of which I get in a healthy way). 

I'm exhausted. Tired. Dying for a full nights sleep. Cranky. Irritable. But the look and smiles on their faces in the morning somehow make a bad night better. 

Seriously though, I was never so excited to go I work than I was Sunday. Friday I cried. I finally said we were leaving and took the girls to target with me just to get a simultaneous nap. The next day, I did the same thing. I needed out. I can't sit  around and wait for my husband to go do anything. He's rarely home anymore due to track and we definitely have no time together and I hate it. I'm learning to be more independent, but no sleep and two teething babies do not help the situation. I'm grateful he stayed home during basketball season and I apparently gave myself too much credit and thought I would be okay during track, but I was wrong. 

But every hour of sleep lost and every year shed (from me) lol, the fact that I am a mommy to two awesome beautiful babies- totally overshadows this whiny ungrateful post!