Twinks at one month

Since the twinkers just turned 2 months old I figured it was time to get their ONE month post up.  Ha!  I think I am just going to be behind at life forever.  Or at least for the foreseeable future! ut I have a really good/cute reason!  

We have only been home form the hospital about a week so we are still getting the hang of things around here.  Both of the babies are pretty easy going most of the time.  They sleep a lot and eat a lot!  

sweet little Emery

I promise he is sweet ;)  Just wasn't too happy to be laying on the floor.  

Nicknames:
Emery: Em, Emmers, Rem, Rems, Rem-Rem, Emmy, Remy, Rema-roo, Emma-roo
Benton: Benny, Benny-bo, Benny-boo, Benny boo boo, Ben man, Benners, Benny bo Benny

Eating:  I am so happy that we are exclusively breastfeeding.  We worked HARD to get here!  They eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  I typically feed them individually but during the day if someone is here to help me then I tandem feed.  I haven't gotten that down super well just yet by myself.  Mainly because they both are kind of on and off during a feeding and I have to make sure they each (especially E) keep a good latch.  Hard to do that when I don't have extra hands!  I look forward to the day they can latch on themselves and tandem feeding will be so much easier.  

I love how she curls right up.  

I still have to work with Emery quite a bit to make sure she gets a full feeding.  She is doing great she just gets sleepy still.  I mean honestly she has only been nursing at every feeding for a little over a week!  Crazy to think about it like that.  My routine for feeding time goes a little something like this.  Whichever one is waking up or screaming at me gets a new diaper and then eats, burps and laid down on the play mat.  Then I change, feed and burp the other one.  Then I pump, usually.  The entire time we were in the hospital I pumped after every feeding.  So I am trying to cut back on that.  It is hard though!  By the time I am done with all that it takes about an hour or more.  I do have help during the day most days but at night I do it by myself (unless Lonnie is off work).  

Sleeping:  They don't go longer than 3 hours between feedings.  Even if they are sleeping then I have to wake them up to eat so they gain enough weight.  I honestly don't think they would sleep much longer than that anyway.  They are hungry babies!  At the next appointment if they have gained like they should then I can start letting them sleep.  I will be so happy for that because there is no sleep for this mama.  As of right now Em sleeps in the pack n play beside my bed and Benton sleeps in the rock n play sleeper by the bed.  He has some reflux so he does better in this than laying flat.  

Diapers:  We just moved into newborn diapers!  We have been using preemie for most of this first month.  I do have some newborn cloth diapers that I think will fit the babes now so I am about to try them out.  Yes, I may be crazy.  

Doctor Appointment:  It seems like there were a bunch of appointments right when we came home from the hospital but I guess only 2 before they turned a month old.  

May 21-this was 2 days after coming home from the hospital.  
     Emery weighed 6lbs 1 oz
     Benton weighed 6 lbs even

May 26-went in for a weight check
     Emery weighed 6 lbs 5 oz
     Benton weighed 6 lbs 9 oz (passed up sister!)

They were gaining really really well.  According to our pediatrician an ounce a day of weight gain is ideal for a term singleton newborn.  Half of an ounce a day is acceptable.  Emery gained an ounce a day and Benton gained almost double that.  This was amazing for preemie twins.  Go boobies!  

Daily Routine: I wouldn't say we have a routine just yet!  Ha!  It is basically survival mode up in here.  We all live our life in 3 hour increments.  I am still figuring out what time in the morning I want to be our "wake up" time.  Just the other morning all of my kids needed me RIGHT THAT MINUTE.  Blakely woke up and was "starving" please make me breakfast NOW.  Both babies were screaming because they were "starving" and needed diaper changes.  I was just rolling out of bed and could not shake the cobwebs.  Blakely needed to be at school in like 30 minutes.  It was not fun.  I decided then that on days we have to be somewhere in the morning that I just have to get up after the 5-6 am feeding.  It is the only way to avoid that morning crush at 8 am of everyone needing me at the same time.  Blah.  I am not a morning person.  

A few things about the babes:

• Benton is a grunter and a groaner.  He has some reflux I think and maybe some issues with gas and so I think this is his way of dealing with it.  He doesn't spit up though so I don't know.  Maybe he is just a grunty baby! 

• Emery is supa chill.  Unless she's hungry and then WATCH OUT.  But most of the time she will just lay there looking around and easily put herself to sleep when she gets tired.

• We went for our first walk in the stroller.  I have realized that I do MUCH better if I get out of the house every day...even to just talk around the neighborhood.  

• They both sleep in the rock n play sleepers during the day.  LOVE those things.  
• Benton is solid as a rock...even though he is small.  He holds his head up awesome.  
• We call Emery our limp noodle.  You pick her up and she just flails her arms out and doesn't care a thing about holding her head up.  I think this has a lot to do with not being held all the time while she was in the NICU.  Kind of makes me sad to think about it but we are making up for all the not holding time ;)
• Second ever family of five photo.  Eventually we will get one where I don't look like I've been hit by a truck.  

• Benton likes to purse his lips and it cracks Lonnie and I up every time.  

• First time getting a bath at home.  You were both almost a month old because you got wash cloth/wipey baths while in the hospital.  Baths are quite the production.  

• They don't care a thing about each other at this point.  They don't act like they even know the other one is there.  But if they are hungry then they will suck on the other one's hand if it gets too close!  

Dear sweet babies, 

  I can hardly even believe you are here.  You spent most of your first month in a hospital and we are so happy to have you both home.  I feel like we can start living life now!  You are both so sweet and love to cuddle, especially you Ben man!  You have added so much love to our lives.  I think now that we are home your Daddy and I realize just how much our hearts have grown.  We have THREE kids!  How wonderful!  Emery-I am so proud of what a strong little girl you are.  You rocked your hospital stay and I can't wait to see how you take on the world!  Benton-my sweet boy.  You love to cuddle and would be okay if someone held you all day long.  Sometimes I pull you into bed with me because I know you will sleep better and I love the cuddles.  I hope you always love your mama this much!  Happy one month sweet twinks!