7 Quick Takes: Volume 14: Newborn Twin Essentials

I thought it would be fun, in the spirit of my experiences this summer with Emily and Erin, to share a list of the things that helped us the most! I definitely looked for lists like this while I was pregnant, so hopefully this will help a twin mama-to-be or a new twin mama out there! We definitely loved more than just these seven, but these are the things that really helped us get through the most difficult weeks of this summer. Feel free to share what worked for you in the comments - I'd love to hear from you!

--- 1 ---

Lots of onesies and footie sleepers. These are essential. Babies are messy. Spitting up and diaper overflows are a given, and I definitely knew to expect those. What I didn't expect? That every time our girls drank a bottle or nursed, some of the milk would end up on their neck and the neck of their outfit. Bib or no bib, they are always damp after they eat. So we change their clothes pretty frequently. You'll do a lot of laundry as a new mom (at least someone will) but it's still helpful to have two to three days' worth of clothes for your twins as well as yourself (see below) just in case you get behind. And you will get behind, but that's okay.

--- 2 ---

Lots of shirts for Mom (and Dad!). I was really excited about not having to squeeze too-small maternity clothes over my giant belly anymore, but I hadn't thought much beyond that about what I'd wear post-baby. The first few weeks, while I adjusted to things like spit-up, diaper mishaps, and milk - everywhere - I felt like I was constantly changing my shirt. It obviously varies from person to person, but make sure you have a few different options on hand size-wise, even if it means you have something to return once things settle down a bit. I've decided my favorite tops are deep-v-neck cotton tees from Old Navy or Gap, worn with a cami underneath for modesty and nursing coverage. Shirt goes up, cami goes down when it's time to eat, and I'm all covered! I've also found them to be the most flattering to my post-baby body. I really need to find some more.

--- 3 ---

Boppy pillows. If you haven't seen these ingenious baby-snugglers, you really need to check them out! For the first couple of weeks I was home with Emily and Erin on my own, we really didn't leave the couch except for diaper changes. It was so nice to be able to prop the girls up and have them next to me, knowing they were comfortable and supported. Now that they are getting bigger, we aren't using the pillows quite as much for propping, but we've definitely gotten a lot of use out of them so far! They can also be used to nurse or bottle-feed more ergonomically, and we use them quite a bit for that.

--- 4 ---

LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of diapers. And a few more, while you're at it. And wipes. LOTS of wipes. I can only speak from the disposable diaper perspective, but if you have twins, you will find yourself changing a lot of diapers. Several hundred in the first few months, in fact. We were extremely blessed to have two very generous "diaper showers", where we received packages of diapers from everyone who attended the shower. We still haven't used them all, but we've gone through a lot! You'll want to make sure you have plenty of newborn size, of course, but unless your babies are pretty large at birth you'll probably use some preemie size as well. You can always return them if you don't need them, but both our 6- and 7-pound babies wore preemie for the first two weeks, as did my friend's 8-pounder. An added bonus of our diaper showers has been getting to try a bunch of different diaper brands and see which ones we like the best!

--- 5 ---

Grab and go food. No, I'm not talking McDonald's. I'm talking about cold cereal, PBJ fixings, cut-up veggies, granola bars, protein drinks and fruit. You will be awake off and on for 24 hours a day, and you will be hungry. Make sure there is plenty to eat on hand. Once you've gotten past the first couple of weeks at home, you'll get to eating more regular meals, and you will want to have freezer meals. Yep, this one's a two-fer. By freezer meals, I don't necessarily mean frozen dinners, although there are healthy ones of those. I'm talking about lasagna, various chicken dishes (stirfry, taco filling, etc.), chili, enchiladas, and really any other dinner that can be frozen. One thing we've used a lot of is frozen, pre-cooked brown rice. My mom and I cooked a huge batch of it and froze it in quart bags, which hold 3-4 servings. We just thaw as needed. It goes well with all of those chicken dishes. Some nights you will feel like cooking; others you won't. If you don't like to cook - I happen to enjoy it - you will need more of these meals.

This menu board is a really good nesting project, by the way, if you're reading this while pregnant. It really helps with planning to use all of those freezer meals!

--- 6 ---

A good breast pump. I was lucky enough to be given one of these by a friend who didn't want to have any more kids. I bought the parts that actually touch the milk and your skin new, but the pump itself is fine. I have gotten a ton of use out of it. Emily and Erin didn't nurse well until they were about 5-6 weeks old, so we primarily bottle-fed them pumped milk. Needless to say, the pump got quite a workout. Now that I will be working part-time, I will need to pump at work, so it will be getting another good workout. Even while I'm at home all day now, I'm still pumping twice a day, so the pump is definitely a heavy-use item. Mine is a Medela, and I really like it.

--- 7 ---

A good double stroller. In our case, we have two. One is a fold-up "Snap N'Go", which is a frame that infant car seats just drop into. The other is a really nice double jogging stroller, which also happens to accept the car seats via the cupholder trays. The difference is width. The "Snap N'Go" is an in=line stroller, where the car seats sit one in front of the other. The jogger is a side=by=side, which is much wider and doesn't always fit through a door. I much prefer pushing the jogging stroller, but the Snap N'Go definitely has its place. For example, the jogging stroller currently lives in our trunk due to its size and our apartment's lack of storage. I can take the girls down in the Snap N'Go to our car, load them up, fold the stroller flat, slide it into the front seat, and then have something to carry them and anything I've bought or acquired on our outing up to our apartment. It's really versatile. When we want to go out for a run or a walk, I definitely go for the jogger every time. It offers a lot more shock absorption, so the girls enjoy the outing a lot more. There are a ton of double stroller options, but do your homework. I spent one bout of bed rest researching strollers, and I'm very glad I did. We have exactly what we need for pretty much every situation.

What worked best for your twins? Or, if you don't have twins, what was your most-used baby item? Leave a comment and let me know!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Everyone should homeschool

Yep, it's almost September, and in addition to football (YAY!) the new school year is upon us! I read this blog post from "Simple Mom" this morning and it got me thinking. Everyone should homeschool.

Now, lest you think I'm advocating doing away with our school system, I will tell you I come from a family of teachers. My dad and mom are retired teachers, and my brother and sister-in-law are teachers. I am all for schools, and I think we are lucky to live in a country with truly free as well as mandatory education. Some parents choose, for a variety of reasons, to educate their children at home, and this is and should be their choice as long as their children can pass exams to show they are making adequate progress.

But homeschooling doesn't have to replace the standard school day. It can supplement it, as Megan points out in the post linked above. In fact, you're probably already doing it without realizing, if you have kids. Kids are learning all the time, whether we like it or not. Sometimes that's a great thing, like when you hear your younger brother or sister joining in the prayers at church without being prompted. Sometimes, when you've just closed your hand in a drawer or hammered your thumb - not such a great thing.

As parents, we play a unique role in the education of our children. We are their first teachers, able to tailor each lesson to their individual learning styles. We can teach math and science while fixing dinner or baking cookies. We can practice reading and object identification when grocery shopping. I'm willing to bet none of you readers learned how to mow the lawn or do the laundry in a classroom at school. Faith formation can and should begin in the home. There are a lot of things we will teach our children over the course of the time we have with them, many of them critical life skills, some to supplement the lessons learned during a day at school. "Homeschooling" doesn't have to mean pulling your kids out of regular school and undertaking their entire K-12 education yourself. It just means intentionally integrating teaching into your day, even if it's just a few minutes a day.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm still learning how to teach my kids. Granted, they are young yet, but we've learned a lot together so far. I learned how to nurse as they learned how to eat. I learned how to put a shirt on over their heads; they learned that getting dressed wasn't a cry-worthy occasion. They're learning how to fall back to sleep during naptime and at night; I'm learning to listen to the crying for five or ten minutes as they do so. I'm learning the difference between their cries of frustration and the insistent cries that indicate hunger or a wet diaper. We're learning together, and that's okay. Perfection is not a requirement for parenthood. The human race would not have persisted this long if it were.

In the article from "Simple Mom", there are some great ideas for how to supplement your child's school day. The first and probably most important is to READ. Reading is fun for even very young kids. Heck, my girls are 10 weeks old and they will stare at the same page of a book for half an hour! Keep books in the house. Visit the library together. Let your kids see you read. If you tell them to read and then you go watch TV for the rest of the evening, they think reading isn't something big people do.

I'll add my own suggestion, and that's to learn along with your kids. If they suddenly develop a fascination with hurricanes or dinosaurs, find out what you can on the subject (unless, of course, you happen to be a meteorologist or a paleontologist!) and share it with them. Or better yet, let them teach you what they know. Note: it can be helpful to read an encyclopedia article on the subject if you take this approach, just to refresh and update your own understanding.

Kids get really "into" one or two things at a time when they're young, and they will remember your encouragement of their interests well into their adult years. My husband and I still talk about our childhood obsessions with - you guessed it - hurricanes and dinosaurs, and we've been known to drink our morning coffee out of his twenty-some-year-old "Dinosaurs are cool" coffee mug. If you can instill in your kids that learning is fun, they will enjoy school more and get a better education because of it. And that, dear readers, is why everyone should homeschool!

"Be subordinate to one another . . ."

Ephesians 5:21-32

Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

We heard this reading at Mass this past Sunday. I know this is an often-misunderstood passage when interpreted literally, but coupled with the Gospel reading (John 6:60-69) where Jesus has just told his disciples "Whoever eats my bread and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him" (John 6:57) and goes on to say "This saying is hard, who can accept it?" (John 6:61), it makes more sense. After all, as our priest reminded us in the homily, Jesus took the Church as his bride. He went on to say that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was like the consummation of this marriage, where the two became one.

This gives a different meaning to the idea of becoming subordinate to one's husband as a wife, doesn't it? Jesus gave himself in this marriage by dying for the sins of the world, so of course we as the Church are subordinate to Christ. But how does this translate into an everyday marriage?

There are two really important things that I took away from this reading, in the context of the Gospel of John. The first is that husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the Church, and wives are called to be subordinate to their husbands just as to God. "Subordinate" is the word here that is hard to accept, just as Jesus says about the Eucharistic mystery. But if you look at the first line, we are all called to be subordinate to each other out of reverence for Christ, not just wives to their husbands. Every time we receive the Eucharist, Christ is present in us; therefore, being subordinate to Christ's presence in one another makes sense. Perhaps the word "subordinate" is where the problem lies. Subordinate doesn't mean inferior, after all. Subordinate just means lower in the order. Since God should be first, no matter what, subordination to His presence in each other and in ourselves makes perfect sense. We, as wives, are called to recognize the presence of Christ in our husbands and be subordinate to this presence. Our husbands, in turn, are called to love us completely, as completely as Jesus loved the Church. I don't know about you, but this sounds like a very complete marriage to me!

The second thing I took away came from the Gospel reading, where Jesus said to his disciples "This saying is hard, who can accept it?" (John 6:61). He was speaking, of course, of the Eucharistic mystery - when we receive Christ's body and blood, He lives within us. Going back to marriage, it's easy to accept the idea of becoming completely one with your husband (or wife) - until suddenly, it isn't. We disagree. We argue. We resent one another. We begin to relate to each other as mere humans, forgetting that Christ is present in all of us. I don't know about you, but I certainly wouldn't snap "put the laundry in the dryer!" if Jesus were standing before me while I nursed one of my babies. But earlier this evening, I did just that, and forgot all about Christ's presence in Dan. How many times a week do I do that? I'm ashamed to start counting. I really need to work on this.

These two readings mesh beautifully. This is why I'm so glad I'm Catholic. Over the course of 3 years, we hear the entire Bible in the Mass readings, but we aren't called to figure it out ourselves. The readings are selected to best help us hear and apply the word of the Lord to our lives. They complement each other. During the Liturgy of the Word, we hear a reading from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a reading from the New Testament, and a reading from one of the four Gospels. The priest then discusses these in his homily. So the next time you hear someone say Catholics don't read the Bible, you will know they are mistaken!

Now that I tend to spend Mass rocking back and forth with one of our baby girls in the baby sling, I really have to concentrate to hear the readings since I'm not following along in the Missal. The beautiful thing is this means every word soaks in rather than me reading in my head at ten times the pace the lector is reading aloud. Then the homily can be extra meaningful. I do think I will make an effort to read the readings in advance, just like for a college lecture - it's best to come prepared for a discussion, especially knowing that it can be so difficult to really hear and accept the word of God. And the next time I want the laundry moved from washer to dryer, I'll remember to ask as nicely as I would if Jesus were standing in front of me - because He will be. p> I love sharing my Catholic faith with you! If you have questions, please leave a comment below. If I don't know the answer, I will gladly find it for you. Thanks for reading!

"The whole school was behind him . . ."

I know this video has made the rounds on YouTube for a few months, but I saw it for the first time on ESPN this morning. I couldn't help crying, so I'll recommend grabbing some Kleenex beforehand (it's the heartwarming type of crying, don't worry!).

This is such an inspiring example of what you can do when you really put your mind to something, as well as how we can stand behind our friends and family and encourage each other to do the hard things. When ESPN interviewed Matt's dad, he teared up as he recounted how "the whole school was behind him." Think about it. When was the last time you went to a sporting event and cheered on your favorite team? Even if sports really aren't your thing, I'm sure you watched an Olympic event or two and cheered for a particular athlete or country. What do you think would happen if we encouraged each other in the same way in all aspects of life? How much could we achieve if we felt empowered by the roar of a crowd when we stepped up to make a presentation at work or tossed the last pack of cigarettes into the trash?

Obviously, this type of public cheering is not always appropriate or welcome, but there are other ways we can encourage each other. It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day struggles of life and not notice that someone needs a pat on the back, a "you can do it." We are all called to bear a particular burden in life, and while these burdens may not be as evident as young Matt's struggle with cerebral palsy, we still need encouragement from those around us. Start with those closest to you. Leave a little note for your spouse that says "you can do it!" the next time he or she has a rough day coming up at work. Cheer for your kids - I mean really cheer, not chat with the other parents or get distracted by your smartphone - at their next soccer or basketball game. Let your family know you're behind them. Once you've tried that, branch out to your friends and co-workers. Your encouragement will be appreciated and most likely reciprocated, but even if it isn't, the satisfaction from cheering someone on and seeing them succeed is rewarding enough. I promise, it's even better than seeing your favorite team win the big game!

The early bird . . .

I'm writing this sitting on the couch in my pajamas, savoring the peace of a late-summer morning that's starting to smell faintly of fall. I am a morning person. I love getting up before everyone else and enjoying the quiet of the house. As a kid, I used to get up and fix my parents breakfast on the weekend. I would tiptoe around quietly so as not to wake anyone else up. I knew how to silently open every squeaky door and which floorboards might give my presence away.

I learned quickly that prolonged independence on these mornings depended heavily on making a pot of coffee first thing, just like my mom did, and taking a steaming cup to each of my parents while they were still sleeping. Then I was free to proceed without interruption for the next hour or so. Even as a young kid, I knew parents appreciated sleeping in, since my dad would take me out to breakfast some Saturdays so my mom could get a little extra sleep. So if I wanted to feel like I ran the whole house for a little while, this was the way to do it. I didn't make anything too fancy - biscuit dough cinnamon rolls were about as complicated as it got. Once it was ready, I would concede my silent morning and call everyone to the table, and the weekend would officially be underway.

I still love being up before anyone else. I'm at my best in the morning - well, after a cup of coffee, that is. What can I say? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I can get some writing done, re-read emails that didn't make sense on my phone, enjoy a little extra snuggle time with Erin (an early bird in training), and actually eat breakfast. I still tiptoe around the things that might wake Dan up. For instance, the door to our bathroom from the shower squeaks. I sneak around to the hall. As soon as I hear Erin's first cries, I slide out of bed and into the girls' room before the baby monitor wakes him. I don't turn on the TV, because I don't want him to know I'm up (although, I guess, if I'm not in bed where else would I be?!) I laugh silently at the little kid in me, sliding the bedroom door shut by pressing on the hinge edge so as to avoid the clatter of the doorknob. It's worth succumbing to wakefulness the first time I open my eyes, knowing that a delicious hour or so of peaceful morning awaits.

There's something rewarding about waking up early. I feel like I accomplished something, even if the only other thing I check off on my to-do list is "breathe." It doesn't matter how little sleep I get the night before; I will always be a morning person.

Are you a morning person? What's your favorite thing about waking up early? 

7 Quick Takes: Volume 13: Two Months

 Thanks to Jen for hosting!

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First of all, I had to share this adorable picture of our little Emily. She and Erin love this duck my mom and dad bought for them! Right now, Ducky is almost as big as they are! 

Best pals for the moment: Emily and Ducky

We have two new little voices around our apartment now! Emily and Erin are two months old as of this past Sunday, and they are becoming more verbal every day. Emily coos more than Erin does, and sometimes she will try to make the same sound you do when you're talking to her. If you say "Emily" to her, she will make a gurgling coo that almost sounds right! It's really adorable. I've spent a fair amount of time this week doing that while playing with her or changing her diaper. Erin, on the other hand, shrieks or chirps rather than coos. I've heard a few coos, but her noises are more bird-like. Sometimes when we're not in our apartment, she will make a noise and I won't realize it's her right away!

Erin, loving her bath. I know I already shared this, but I can't get over this picture! 

--- 2 ---

I started off the week by taking the girls in for their two-month checkup. Read more about our day here.

--- 3 ---

August is almost over - next Saturday, it'll be September! This is especially significant in our home because 1) we are moving next weekend and 2) I will be returning to work. My maternity leave ends on September 11th. I know that everything will work out just fine, but I'm starting to feel very nervous about my transition from stay-at-home mama to working mama. As I said at the end of that post, any advice from working mamas is welcome! Let me know what works (and what doesn't work!)

--- 4 ---

I'm super excited about Duck football season starting soon! The first home game is September 1st against Arkansas State. I won't be going to that game, but I will get to go the next weekend. I can't wait! I love Autzen Stadium. It's insanely loud in there during games - like 127 decibels loud. Everyone loses their voice cheering, and my husband is no exception! Duck football is really important to Dan, something like the importance of water to a fish. I love going to games with him! If you aren't familiar, the Ducks are known for their flashy Nike uniforms. You can get a sneak peek here at this season's lineup!

--- 5 ---

The weather finally cooled off this week, and being outside is enjoyable once again. I'm really hoping that we will get back to the coast sometime before the rain really starts, but I don't know if it will happen soon with work starting for me and our move. I also want to take one last walk over to Prince Puckler's, a local ice cream shop in our neighborhood, before we move. I used to walk there with my parents as a little kid, so walking there with my own daughters would be pretty special. Of course, we'll go back when they're old enough to try the ice cream too!

--- 6 ---

I know I haven't blogged much about our move, but we're moving to a house! It's pretty exciting, since Dan and I have always lived in apartments. It will be so nice to be on the ground floor and have a garage. There are many aspects of taking Emily and Erin places that will be greatly simplified just by having a garage. I'll be sure to post some pictures once we get settled in! I may not post much over the next couple of weeks as we get everything packed up, moved, and unpacked, but I will do my best. This will be our third move in 14 months, so I'd like to think we're fairly experienced, but any moving advice is appreciated! Especially if you've transitioned from apartment living to a house, since we've never done that.

--- 7 ---

Finally, I wanted to share some really good news from this week - I won a blog redesign, a whole new website! I entered a giveaway over at Santa Clara Design last week, and I won! I'm super excited, and I will definitely keep you all updated. I think this is definitely God's way of saying I'm meant to take writing more seriously. I am going to try to post more regularly here (in all my spare time, ha!) so hold me to it! There's always something going on here to share - I am rarely lacking for words, I just need to put fingers to keyboard. As an aside, I've been very inspired lately by all the awesome blogs I follow - you ladies (and gentlemen!) are so talented.
I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! We'll spend most of ours packing, I'm sure, but we'll squeeze in some family fun too. What are your plans?

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

One day at a time

I really love fall. There's so much to enjoy, after all. Cool, crisp weather, beautiful fall leaves, football season, the beginning of a new school year (I still love it, even though it won't affect us for another 5 years) and the first cozy days leading up to the holidays. Normally, by this time in August, I'm counting down the days until September, savoring every foggy morning in hopes that the clouds will surprise us and hang around all day. I anticipate summer joyfully each year, probably because it takes so long to show up, but by this time, I'm ready for fall.

But this year is different. I really want the summer to last. I want to treasure every day I get to spend with my little girls, every moment that they are so small and precious and cuddly. And September is speeding towards me like a runaway train. This is significant because my maternity leave ends on September 11th. I know I can embrace my new role as part-time working mom, part-time stay-at-home mom. I've done the math, and there are 168 hours in a week. If I spend 20-25 of them working, I'm still spending the vast majority of my time being Emily and Erin's mom. I know that working will add variety to my life, spending time with Grandma and Daddy will add variety to their life, and the small amount of separation will make the time we do have together all the more special. I enjoy my job and like my co-workers, and it will be fun to be back at work.

Most of all, I'm sure my feelings of trepidation and anxiety about returning to the working world are normal. After all, between medical leave and bed rest before the girls were born and my maternity leave this summer, I've been gone nearly 5 months. I think it'd be strange not to be nervous, even if I wasn't leaving my babies. Worrying about what will happen and how everything will work isn't going to make any difference - all of this is in God's hands, as it always has been and always will be. All I need to do is savor every moment, every cuddle, every second of a little face staring up at me, thank God for all He has blessed our little family with, and know I am doing the best I can.

I know I'm not the only blogging mama who works away from home. How do you do it? Any advice? What to do, what not to do?