02.08.10
8 Months!
(this was the email I sent to family to update them on the twins)
The twins are 8 months today! Can you believe so much time has gone by? Not only that, but they have changed so very much in the past 8 months. They’ve gone to completely dependent “blobs” (as my aunt calls them), to mobile and independent (well, sort of) trouble makers!
Let’s see… What are their latest accomplishments?
Mobility
They are SO mobile. Both Kyla and Lucas are full on crawling now. Not only that, but they pull up to standing, crawl OVER things, climb, and generally work until they get into exactly what we’re trying to keep them away from. We’ve taken to setting up barriers around the living room to prevent them from going into less supervised (and baby proofed) parts of the house. The coffee table is on its side blocking the way to the kitchen, the dining room chairs are blocking them from the entry way, boxes are positioned to prevent them from finding their way behind the recliners where the cords are all plugged in… They like to laugh at our petty excuses for baby proofing.
Eating
Last month I gave up on spooning pureed jars of food into my babies mouths. While the messy faced photos were cute, the reality was that it was just plain frustrating trying to keep two kids interested as I shoveled food into each of their mouths. I hated it, so I did some research and discovered Baby Led Weaning. With BLW you skip the purees and go straight to finger foods. Offer them what you eat and let them feed themselves. I love it! Nathan and I get to actually eat our meals warm and the babies are entertaining themselves (and us!) as they discover how to pick up food, get it into their mouths, move it around, chew, and swallow. It’s a slow process, but I think they’re finally getting some of it into their stomachs now! LOL The BLW adage is “Food is just for fun until one.” And they are having tons of fun. 
Talking
In the last week or so both Kyla and Lucas have become more and more vocal. Lucas started babbling “Da-da-da-da” about a week ago, and Kyla joined in on Saturday. Which I think is totally unfair. I mean, come on. We’ve got two kids. The fair thing would be for one to say “Da-da” and the other to say “Ma-ma.” 
Oh well. It’s still fun to listen to them “talk” as they play. I’m still trying to catch it on video. As soon as I get the camera out, they clam up!
Teething
Lucas now has three teeth. The two center ones on bottom, and one to the right of center on top. However, three more are starting to sprout on top (the two center and one to the left). We were beginning to think Lucas would have a whole set of teeth before Kyla had even one. But last week, as she was chewing on my thumb, I felt teeth on both the bottom and the top! It looks like the four center teeth are all working on coming in at the same time!
Playing
It’s funny to watch them play. Generally we begin the day with no toys on the floor at all. I bring out a small drawer of toys and put it in the middle of the room, along with the activity table from Grandma. Within 30 minutes there are toys EVERYWHERE. It’s a good thing I don’t put out all their toys or we’d never be able to traverse the living room floor! Most of the time Kyla and Lucas play very close to one another. Actually, more like on top of one another. One will have a toy that the other one suddenly decides he/she REALLY needs, and the wrestling begins! It doesn’t seem to bother Lucas at all, but Kyla sure doesn’t like it when he stampedes over her! Lucas’s favorite thing to do right now is to crawl around with a toy in his mouth (one toy in particular). Kyla likes to find new places to explore, like under the exersaucer.
Loving
Nothing in the world could have prepared me for how much I love these two kids. They have such unique personalities and I am enjoying every minute of getting to know them. Yes, there are times when I hit my limit, but then they give me a smile or a snuggle and it’s all worth it. My heart is bursting with love for my babies and I know Nathan’s is too. Lucas has figured out how to give hugs, and OH are they wonderful! Kyla has started enjoying just sitting in our laps and snuggling. She used to hate being held unless she was being fed or sleeping. I cannot imagine our lives without them anymore.
02.07.10
Minivan
Yesterday N and I went to look at a minivan. We had been waiting until we were done paying off his Yaris (the car that currently holds the car seats) so that we wouldn’t end up with two car payments. Our last payment will be this month, so we figured it was about time to start looking.
Since we already have one Toyota, we figured we’d look at the Sienna. Both of us liked it a lot. So it’s probably what we’ll go with. I tried to tell N we could get a certified pre-owned for cheaper, but he didn’t seem to be interested in looking at any. The sales people were, of course, very pushy. We told them we were not interested in buying that day as we needed to sell my car (the Beetle) to my mom before we’d have the down payment. They insisted we didn’t need a down payment and we should buy immediately because the 2011 model is coming out and they aren’t making any more 2010s, so they might all be gone. @@ Whatever. I do not think that every 2010 model in the whole country (or even city) will be gone by the end of the month. And if they are, then I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. Two hours later we were finally able to leave the dealership without a new car.
My plan is to take the Beetle to CarMax this week and find out how much it is worth so my mom can pay us for it. Once we have that money, we can go to a different dealership (the one we bought the Yaris from was much less pushy) and hopefully purchase my first Mom vehicle.
Now, I know a lot of people are very against making the transition to a minivan. It makes them feel old or too “mom-ish” or something. But the truth is, I’m kind of looking forward to it. Yes, I will miss my Beetle, but I know that I’ll see and drive it again, since it will be my mom’s. But I really like that I’m a mom and look forward to all that entails. Including the “Momvan.”
N agreed that I should get the LE, which comes with automatic sliding doors. With the push of a button, the side doors open for you. While I think it’s a cool feature and will certainly use it, I would have been fine with opening the doors myself. My mom thinks we need the DVD player as well, but I think we’ll be skipping that. God forbid the kids find ways to entertain themselves in the car!
The only problem we foresee is fitting the van into the garage. At the moment, both of our cars are very small. The Sierra is 201 inches long. N rough-measured the garage last night and it looks like we’ll need to move a bit of our “junk” around in the garage to fit the van in…
I’m hoping that we’ll be able to make our purchase within the next two weeks. When we do, I’ll be sure to post a picture! 
02.06.10
“Da-da-da”
Yeah, I know that the “D” sound is easier to say for babies than “M,” but couldn’t ONE of my babies say “Ma-ma-ma” first? Apparently not.
A couple of days ago Lucas started saying “Da-da-da-da” and we’ve been trying to reinforce it and give it a meaning for him. He says it a LOT now, but he still doesn’t connect it to N. Maybe that’s because most of the time the response is “Da-da’s not here right now. He’ll be home later.” And when N is around, he doesn’t react most of the time. I think he has a hard time remembering that “Da-da” is him.
Today I was telling N that Kyla should say “Ma-ma” first so we’d get to feel equally important. Not even an hour later, she joined Lucas in saying “Da-da-da.” Stinker.
And I know this is a total subject change, but I also wanted to include a bit about their eating today. Up to now, most of the food I offer them gets played with, chewed on, and then most of it ends up on the floor for the dogs to eat. But today they ate like crazy! I gave them Chex cereal (dry) for the first time today for breakfast and Lucas gobbled it up! I thought for sure I’d find a ton in his bib pocket, but there really wasn’t much. He actually ate it! Then, when they were at their grandfather’s house, Kyla gobbled down the Chex and Lucas went after animal crackers (their grandfather has been dying to give them Animal Crackers since the day they were born @@). Then, when we went to lunch, they tried black beans, plantain, yucca, tamale, tortilla chips, and lemon! They ate a lot of it, too! And at dinner they ate an entire rice cake between them, several yogurt dots (baby snacks by Gerber), and chewed on some green beans (but mostly spit those out).
Next time I go to the store I plan to get some more fruits and veggies for them. Lately I’ve been giving them a lot of rice cakes because they are easy (and they seem to love them). I know they enjoyed the baked sweet potato fries, so I’ll probably do some roasted veggie sticks like that. I’m so excited that food is starting to actually be swallowed more!
02.05.10
Amazing!!
I just got a phone call from Dr. P. I had a MUGA scan done this morning to check my heart function. In 2006 my LV function was 30-something %. That was before I got my bi-v ICD. The scan in 2007 showed “improvement” as did the one in 2008 (I don’t remember exact numbers, but I think the numbers were similar, but a little higher, which was a vast improvement over the yearly decline I’d been having). Then I had a lousy scan in 2009 that said I had 20-something % function, but I’d been having arrhythmia at the time and that can skew the results. So today I had another scan done to see where we are…
LV function is 69% !!!!!!!! 
That’s amazing! I don’t remember EVER having function that high. Both the radiologist that read the test (he’s read all of mine, so he’s very familiar) and my cardiologist were completely floored and ecstatic!
N’s response was “So why do you feel like crap?” Dr. P thinks we need to focus on my blood pressure and heart rate and most likely play with meds. She’s going to contact Dr. D and see about setting up a stress test and try to get to the bottom of this mess and get me to feeling better. I’m so glad I have her.
I’m still so amazed at a function of 69!!!!!! That’s good for NORMAL people!
02.04.10
Hands full
“Wow. You must really have your hands full!”
This is what everyone said to me as they passed me at Target today. Lucas was in the basket, chillin’ with his feet up on the handle, while Kyla snuggled down in the snugglie on my chest. That was the calmest, most relaxing part of my day…
As we arrived home from Target we got a phone call from N’s aunt, D (I’d called her earlier in the day, but she’d left her phone at home). I told her the twins needed to go down for a nap, but afterward we’d come over. Two hours later they finally fell asleep. And an hour and a half after that, they were up again (leaving me only enough time to attempt to wash bottles before the bottle brush broke in half, then do a little work for the online class I TA).
We went straight over D’s house and the babies were EVERYWHERE! Fortunately, D had prepared by moving MOST things out of their reach (we discovered their reach is farther than expected). We were still over there when their usual bed time arrived. They fell asleep in our arms while we talked a while longer.
When I got them home, they of course woke right up. I’d hoped to be able to get them back down quickly, but they had other ideas… Instead of sleeping, this is what they did:
Kyla played dress up with my scarf
and Lucas looked for new ways to get into things he shouldn't.
Are my hands full? I’d definitely say yes. But so is my heart. So it’s okay.
01.31.10
The house of sick :(
Friday Lucas woke up with a face full of snot. So I took him to the doctor (he’d been coughing for weeks and I’d been waffling about taking him in, so I decided it was time to just go for it). The pediatrician said it was just a cold and we’d have to ride it out. *sigh*
Saturday Kyla and I woke up with it. I don’t know if they feel the same way I do, since they continue to play most of the day (but whine quite a bit more than usual to be held). But personally, my head hurts, my throat’s a little scratchy, and my sinuses are clogged. Their main problem seems to be breathing (especially when trying to eat). And they’re probably really annoyed that every time they come over to me I wipe their noses (I never realized what an aversion I had to snotty noses before).
This morning, as N left for work, he told me he thinks he may be coming down with the cold too. This is so not fun. 
While at the pediatrician’s office I did get to find out that Lucas is weighing 19 lbs. 11 oz (with clothes and diaper on). And the doctor was surprised that he (and Kyla) is crawling and pulling up. Her daughter (a few days older than the twins) is not there yet. I told her “Just goes to show how different each kid will be! Lucas was crawling over a month ago and Kyla just figured out real crawling a couple of days ago.”
Not only are they both crawling, but they are working hard on figuring out all kinds of other things… Like climbing. Lucas decided he really wanted the stuff on top of the record player:
Future Mountain Climber
The boxes are there in an effort to keep him out from behind my recliner where there are lots of power cords. Kyla has gone OVER these boxes twice. And she also enjoys trying to go THROUGH the end table next to N’s chair to escape the living room:
Kyla escaping
These two do not let me slow down, even when we’re all sick. This is going to be a LOOOONG day.
01.26.10
A little more heart stuff…
plus a baby update.
But first the heart stuff. I went in to see Dr. D today and he was actually on time! The first thing he did when he walked in the room was point to his watch. LOL But I still couldn’t resist giving him a hard time. I’m just glad I have that kind of relationship with my doctors that I can tease them and they still like me (and they tease me right back).
Anyway, he told me to cut back on my toprol to once a day and see how that works. If I’m still not feeling better in a week or so, we’ll try reprogramming my ICD. I’m hoping the med adjustment is all it will take, though, because I don’t like the setting he’s talking about turning on. Even if he did say he’d set it like I’m a “105 year old lady.” 
As for baby news… Kyla is pulling herself to standing! It happened today while I was at the grocery store (of course!), so I missed it. She’s been trying the last few days, but had only gotten as far has her knees until today. N said he came into the room and she was standing next to the coffee table. He got pictures. I’ll try to upload them later. She looked so proud of herself. I did get to see her do it a few times after Lucas and I got home. Lucas went with me to the grocery store and got to ride in the cart for the first time. He was such a good boy, just looking around at everything quietly. So different than at home where he doesn’t sit still unless he’s asleep! LOL
edited to add a picture:
Kyla standing
01.21.10
Heart, continued…
I’m back from my appointment. While we don’t have answers yet, we have suspicions and a line of inquiry to pursue. So that’s a relief.
At the present time we think I may need to cut back on some of my meds, oddly enough. We’re not positive, which is why she wants me to have a repeat MUGGA and a stress test. We suspect my heart rate is not increasing adequately with activity. If this is the case, it should be a pretty easy fix.
She wants me to be seen by an EP and I told her I’d been having trouble getting seen by Dr. D lately, so she called his office and asked that I get in to see any of the three doctors in the practice. Interestingly, I got a call a little while ago saying Dr. D himself had a cancellation next week.
She also plans to get every bit of data we can gathered to send to the Mayo Clinic and see what they suggest.
It may not be answers, but at least I feel like there’s hope I could feel good again. Or at least better than now. I just love my cardiologist.
01.20.10
Heart
I would be remiss if I did not mention this here, on my “Heart Journey” blog… Tomorrow I am going in to see my cardiologist. Nothing serious, I don’t think. I’ve just been feeling very short of breath lately, and have even started to cough, especially at night or when I lie down. As N said last night, sounds like possible CHF.
The problem I am having is not knowing what issues are heart related and which are mom-of-twins related. I’ve not felt truly “good” since that atrial lead broke September of 2008. It’s frustrating to say the least. I need energy to keep up with the twins, but I don’t know if I’m ever going to get any back.
N’s grandmother was saying to me today that she doesn’t know how in the world I do it (take care of the twins) every day. The simple answer is, I just do what has to be done because there’s no one else to do it. Yes, carrying them from room to room leaves me panting sometimes. But it’s short lived and I can deal with it if need be. I’ve gotten to where 9 times out of 10 I’ll just bring a diaper into the living room and change them on the floor rather than taking them to the changing table in their room. This is for two reasons. One, I don’t have to pick them up, and two, I don’t have to worry about the other one getting into trouble while I’m gone.
The hardest is first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. Generally this is because I have to change their diapers and clothes. It’s a struggle these days because they always want to turn over and I have to find ways to distract them. By the time I’m done fighting them into their clothes or PJs I’m exhausted. And God forbid it be Bath Day! I only bathe them on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday because that way I know N will be home to help. But I do all of their baths, which includes taking off their clothes, carrying them to the bathroom, washing them, drying them off, carrying them back to the room to put on a diaper and clothes… And then I have to do it all again with the other one. I guess I could just wash one per day, but then I’d be bathing someone every day and that doesn’t sound fun either. N has only bathed them a handful of times because of his back. Not sure how his back would react now, though. He still has issues with it on his days off.
Gosh, here we are as parents and suddenly we’re falling apart! N with is back and me with my heart. You’d think we were way older than we are…
Anyway, I don’t know that we’ll know anything tomorrow, but I’ll try to update when I get back. I’ll be taking the twins with me (they won’t let me in the door without them), so I’ll at least have that story to tell, if nothing else.
01.18.10
Advantages
I thought I’d list some of the advantages to BLW.
First is less mess. I know it seems like a big mess to have 7 month old babies feeding themselves, but when compared to the purees that would get all over, I definitely think chunks of food that can be easily picked up off the tray, lap, or floor are WAY less messy than orange stains all over the place!
There’s less planning. When doing purees I had to think ahead about what, when, and where the babies were going to eat. When we went to Houston I had to pack food just for them, along with spoons. I also could only feed them at my sister’s house because she had high chairs, but my brother did not. Finding the time to feed them was also a hassle, since the days were so busy with visiting, driving around, and we were totally out of routine (not that I’d really found a good routine for feeding them yet anyway). Now, I just feed them when I eat. And frequently I feed them what I eat. Granted, sometimes I give them their own leftovers from the day before, but it is still WAY easier than making sure I have enough jars of whichever fruit or vegetable we’re supposed to be trying today.
Next is eating a hot meal. By giving them food while we eat, it keeps them occupied, happy, and included, which means we get to eat our meal warm instead of taking turns and letting someone’s meal get cold. I just wish we’d discovered this sooner!
Another wonderful advantage to BLW is TIME. I needed to get some soup put together and into the slow cooker for dinner tonight and planned to do it while the babies napped. Unfortunately, they both decided that napping was for the birds. So after unsuccessfully trying to get them to entertain themselves while I chopped and diced, I decided to stick them in their high chairs where they could see me and gave them some water, cucumber, and apple. They were happy as larks gnawing, sipping (or dumping) water, and watching me cook. No way to do that with spoon feeding!
Oh, and believe it or not, I’ve lost 3 pounds since starting the babies on table food. I’m eating better because I want the babies to eat what I’m eating and don’t want to give them trash. We have not done drive through in weeks, and neither N nor I have any desire to.
I’m a complete convert! There is no way anyone will ever convince me that BLW is not the way to go. I’m just sorry I let myself be convinced that I had to do purees initially and missed out on all this fun their first month of feeding!
