Blakely's summer

Since I haven't been able to find the time to blog much (or to make it a priority) I am so behind.  I don't want to "catch up" but there are some things I want here.  So consider this a very large photo dump post!  

Blakely has had a very fun summer.  The summer started off with the obvious, Blakely becoming a big sister!  Once the craziness of the twins hospital stay settled down and we were all home together we tried to keep Blakely on her same routine for the most part.  She still went with my friend Juanet one day a week and then to MDO one day a week.  Normally she goes 2 but they were on a summer schedule and I was just happy they were open at all for the summer!  

Juanet keeps Blakely, another little boy and her granddaughter at the little boy's house.  Blakely loves it (and Juanet).  It might be because they have a trampoline.  

At the end of May we finished up dance.  Hallelujah.  I have a post written all about her recital but I CAN NOT seem to get the video to upload.  Surely soon I can get it to work.  Dance class was SO HARD to get to so I was happy for it to end.  But she always had a good time and she enjoyed the recital.  But mainly she was freaking adorable.  

She got to spend the night at Bob's house (my mother in law) by herself for the first time and she sent me this picture.  I love it.  

We took lots of walks at the beginning of the summer but then it got WAY to hot to take the babies outside.  

Blakely and I had a couple of special dates to get pedicures.  She is hooked!

We obviously threw in some baby snuggles :)

Lonnie and I took her to the local science museum.  They recently renovated for the first time since I was little so I was excited to go as well.  It was nice.  It's not large or anything but they do have some good exhibits.  Most of it she will like when she is a little older but she still had fun.  

We took a few days trips to Bob's house to swim in her pool.  

I signed her up for swim lessons.  Total freaking disaster.  Gah.  It was going so well but she accidentally stepped off the makeshift underwater "steps" during the 4th lesson and went right under.  She swam up and grabbed the ledge and didn't choke or anything but it scared the heck out of her and she wanted nothing to do with swim lessons after that.  I was mid dive when she popped back up and about to totally embarrass myself but seriously...whyyyy was the teacher not watching?  We kept going but ended up skipping the last one because I wasn't going to force her when she obviously wasn't ready.  She swims great with her puddle jumper on so we will just continue that until next year.  

Obviously before the incident...

Daddy brought home some surgery gear and Blakely thought it was so fun.  I thought I'd just get to throw it all away after an afternoon of fun but no.  That gown is still stuffed into her baskets in the living room.  

She wants to go to work with Lonnie so so bad.  I keep telling her that she has to be a little older and her response, "when I am four?"  Maybe a liiiiiitle bit older than that!

Blakely got to spend the night with my Dad for the first time.

We have eaten a lot of shaved ice!  Blakely would get a new flavor every time we went....I always stick with the same thing.  Piña colada with cream :)

We also watched a lot of movies.  Mary Poppins is my favorite movie of all time.  I love it.  I have been waiting for the day when Blakely and I can watch it together and it finally came.  She really enjoyed it and has asked to watch it again so I need to get on that.  

We kept her in gymnastics over the summer.  We go to the morning class and I love it but in the summer when all the kids are out of school it is a crazy place because they have a ton of cheer camps and competitive gymnastics teams that are practicing.  But she loves it so much and asks all the time if it is Thursday yet so she can go to gym so we continued going.  Thankfully I had Brenda on Thursday mornings to watch the babies so I got to take her by myself.  (Since then we have moved to a new gym and her class is at 4:00 so I have to take the babies...HARD)

About a month ago I found Blakely in the nursery doing this...

She always helps me take the monthly pictures of the babies and I just thought it was so cute that she set this up all by herself and got her little camera out to take pictures of the babies.  She even had a little toy in her other hand and was shaking it over Daisy and making funny baby noises!  It just shows how much she watches me and copies EVERYTHING that I do.  

Her cousins Collier and Syble came to town for a few days.  She LOVES them and I literally don't even have to parent when they are here.  Ha!  They all wanted to wear matching pajamas to bed and white t-shirts was all Lonnie and I could come up with!  

One day while they were here we (me and my mother in law) took all the kids (C, S, B and the twins) to ride go carts and bumper boats.  It was Blakely's first time for both and she had a good time.  She rode with Bob and I stayed with the babes.  It was HOTTTTT.  

Blakely and I went to the dentist.  I think this is her third time?  I can't really remember but she does really really good.  So proud of her for that.  I am sure there will be a time when she dreads it (I do) but for now it isn't a total disaster.  

Blakely got quite a bit of Sarah lovin'.  One day when she came over Blakely ran downstairs right before she got here to put on the dress she wore in Sarah's wedding in 2013.  It is obviously way too small but she wanted to wear it for her and it was really adorable.  

There has been a friend baby boom and Blakely came with us to the hospital to await one of the new babies and this is basically what happened the entire time.  Heart eyes.

Blakely sits in Lonnie's lap while he reads the newspaper every single day when he gets home from work.  She asks about different things in the paper and he shows her stuff, etc.  They also go get the newspaper off the driveway when he gets home unless Blakely brought it inside while he was at work.  Anyway, one day Lonnie was on the front page because they interviewed him about a new procedure at one of the local hospitals.  Blakely nearly FLIPPED when she saw his picture.  She was so excited!  She kept saying "they took a picture of Daddy and now it's on the paper!"  Ha!  He had no idea it was going to be on the front page so he was caught off guard by it and wasn't all that thrilled about it.  But seeing how excited Blakely was about it made him smile.  She could not wait until he got home so she could show him.  She jumped up and down and hugged him and just thought it was neat.  LOL.  

AAAAND we ended the summer by hitting the beach!  Since we couldn't do our yearly trip with my family in May we went in August.  I'll do a whole post on that soon but basically it was awesome.  

The main thread throughout the summer is that Blakely has become a HUGE Daddy's girl.  I mean she totally worships him.  She can't wait for him to get home every day and occasionally she cries when he leaves for work (I think we have that under control now...whew).  He is so good to her and they play and play and play.  They have always had a special bond but it seems to have grown even stronger since the twins were born.  I am so thankful to have a man that is such a good Daddy.  I knew he would be good but seeing it all happen now is just amazing and I am the luckiest.  

First day of preschool

Blakely had her first day of preschool on August 11.  

She is still going to MDO but their 4 year old class is now a preschool class with a new teacher.  She still has another year after this year before kindergarten so I was fine with giving this class a shot and not moving her to pre-K at a new school.  

Short back story.  Blakely has had the same teacher for the 2 years she has been going to MDO.  Last spring the 4 year old teacher was let go from MDO and Blakely's teacher (Mrs. Anita) was again going to move up a class and would be Blakely's teacher.  I was thrilled.  I love her and totally trust her with my biggest baby.  Well a couple of months later the director of MDO got a new job at one of the public schools here so Mrs. Anita applied and got the director's job.  I was mildly concerned because that meant they would have to hire a new 4 year old teacher and I am totally spoiled with Blakely having always had the same one!  

But then I met the new teacher at orientation and she is very nice and really motivated to get the kids learning.  She had lots of plans and good ideas for this new preschool class and so far we are loving it.  Blakely is getting structured learning time but still getting plenty of play time (I am firmly in the camp that kids learn A LOT just by playing).  So everything is fine and I worried for no reason.  If this would have been Blakely's year before kindergarten I would have been SERIOUSLY worried with the last minute teacher change but it's not so everything is fine.  

I can't even tell you how big my girl is looking.  Gosh.  It is crazy.  She is such a little girl and no one can believe me when I tell them that she isn't even 4 yet.  They always think she is at least 5.  Here is her on her first day and last day of 3 year old MDO.  

Little miss long legs.  She is so grown up.  I love this "baby" so much.  She has handled becoming a big sister so well and is so helpful.  I can see the sassiness of 3 fading and the sweetness of 4 coming into view!  

Twinks at 3 months!

Wow twinks!  You are 3 months old!  We have all come a long way in three months that is for sure!  Pretty soon I am going to have to split these posts up and do one for each baby but I think this month I can still combine them.  

Sleeping:  Oh sleeping.  I don't really even want to type it here for fear that I will jinx myself BUT the babies are doing great at sleeping.  Right when they hit 2 months old they finally stretched out a feeding and slept for 5 hours.  They did this for a week and then slept for 6 hours.  Now they are typically sleeping about 7 hours before waking up to eat.  I can't even tell you how happy this makes me.  

During the day they still take quite a few naps.  They play for a little bit after each feeding and then they fall asleep before waking up in an hour or so to eat again.  We are working towards the 3 naps a day but for now they sleep between each feeding still.  

For naps they sleep anywhere in the living room.  Ha!  Each time is different.  Sometimes I put one of them in the swing and one in the rocker.  Sometimes one is on the floor and one is on the couch.  They like variety so this works.  They do both really want to be tummy sleepers and I let them nap like that a few times each day.  

• Benton-he is a noisy sleeper.  Grunts and groans and sighs all night long.  In the beginning this kept me up all the time.  Now I know his "I am dreaming grunt" versus his "I am about to be awake and super hungry grunt".  He definitely has more wake time during the day.  They play after a feeding for a while and she is the first one to get fussy and ready for sleep.  
• Emery-I think she would sleep for 10 hours a night if her brother would.  This girl likes her sleep and never makes a peep during the night.  Now that they are sleeping longer  I still have to wake her up when Benton wakes up to eat.  Once awake she's like "I am so hungry hurry it up woman" but I think she would sleep until 8 am.  She naps great during the day and just overall seems to be a more sound sleeper.  

Feeding: The babies are eating 7 times a day.  Once they started sleeping longer they dropped that 8th feeding.  Occasionally they will throw in an extra feeding.  Still just nursing. It feels like I do it all the live long day but I am okay with that.  I tandem nurse about 50% of the time.  During the day sometimes it is easier to feed them separately and it gives me one on one time with them.  

• Benton-Benton is an efficient nurser.  He latches on, eats and then hops off when he is done.  Sometimes he wants to fall asleep and stay there but not usually.  He is all business.  
• Emery-Em is a little more laid back.  She eats a bit and then stops and stares at me.  Then she eats a little more and gets sleepy.  Then she eats a little more.  Sometimes I have prod her to stay awake and eat.  She would stay on the boob all day long.  

I remember when we were in the hospital with Emery and I told Lonnie that I so looked forward to the day when I could nurse them and not have to hold their heads.  That day has come!  

I am still pumping.  I usually pump 2-3 times per day.  I have to pump after they sleep a long stretch because, hello, pain.  I also pump before I go to bed and then maybe another time during the day.  I pump during the day some just to keep my supply up.  When they sleep a long stretch and then eat, I can pump 6-8 ounces.  That is getting lower and lower because my body is getting used to the longer sleep but that first night I think I pumped like 12 ounces after they ate.  SO ENGORGED.  During the day I pump about 3-4 ounces total after a feeding...sometimes less.  

Never get tired of the post nursing snuggles!

Lonnie and I were calculating it the other day, and I am producing over 2 liters of milk per day.  Whoa.  When we make them a bottle they drink between 4 1/2 and 5 ounces.  So 4.5 ounces times 7 feedings per day is 31.5 ounces.  Times 2 because 2 babies is 63 ounces.  There are approximately 67 ounces in 2 liters.  On the low end I pump about 10 ounces per day so that is about 73 ounces I am producing each 24 hour period.  Now that is crazy.  I can't tell you how thankful I am that my body is rocking this.  I love being able to feed my babies and I will continue to do this as long as I can.  I have this fear that my supply is just going to tank or that I will get sick or something and lose my milk supply...hence all the pumping.  I am kind of a milk hoarder.  Maybe I will show you my freezer...maybe not.  You might think I am crazy! Ha!  

Diapers:  both babies are in cloth diapers except for their one long stretch at night.  They are still wearing the newborn prefolds.  Benton could definitely move up to the infant size prefolds but I'd like to keep them in the same size diaper if possible.  Sister girl is getting there.  At night they wear a size 1 disposable (again...Benton could definitely rock a size 2 but in the interest of my sanity we would like to keep them in the same size diaper!)  

Clothing:  0-3 month for both.  Benton can fit into some 3-6 month items.  I am clothing obsessed.  Instagram shopping is killing me!  I found a girl that had boy/girl twins about Blakely's age.  She dressed them ADORABLY and she sells their clothes on Insta.  Yeah...I send her mucho dinero.  Since I know one day I won't be able to pick out their clothes (hello, Blakely) I am loving it while I can!  

We always have a picture with big sister too!

Weight: Benton weighs 11 lbs 13 oz so he gained 2 lbs in one month.  He is in the 13th percentile for term babies.  Emery weighs 10 lbs 3 oz so she gained a pound and a half in one month.  She is in the 6th percentile for term babies.  

Height:  They are both 23 inches long.  That puts Benton in the 5th percentile and Em in the  15th percentile.  

Hair Color:  both babies have brown hair with Emery's being darker than Benton's right now.  They have definitely lost quite a bit of hair since birth.  They are both rocking the bald spot on the back of the head and Benton had a little ring of baldness around his head.   Probably because he moves his head back and forth a lot while sleeping.  The hair he does have close to his face is really light and looks blonde in the sunlight.  He looks bald in most pics! 

Eye Color:  As of right now I have 3 blue eyes babies.  Which means my entire family of 5 has blue eyes!  Emery's are a lighter blue and Benton's are a deep blue although in this picture it looks the opposite.  We will see if that changes!  

A few other things I want to remember:

These babies love the bath.  Blakely hated it so this is a nice change.  I try to let them play for a while but it is hard when I still have another baby to bathe!  And sometimes a big ol baby in the big tub waiting to be washed too!  

Emery hates the car seat.  Which should be real fun when we drive to Florida in a couple of weeks.  Yeah....  Honestly it isn't so much that she hates it because if she is awake then she is fine...loves looking around.  But when she gets tired she won't just go to sleep in the car seat.  She freaks out big time.  A pacifier helps and when she finally does fall asleep then she is good but LORDY until then it is a bit stressful.  But I press on because I cannot be cooped up in this house all day every day.  

Benton is getting better with his little tummy issues.  He still has his moments of crying but overall he has more good days than bad days!  He has the cutest little sad face though!  

But let's be honest.  There are still plenty of moments that look more like this picture.....

The babies are so smiley now and I love it.  The mornings are my favorite time because they are both so happy and smile and smile.  They are super close to giggling too.  

again with his sad face bottom left!

Anywhere we go it is like a circus show.  It's like people have never seen twins before!  And then if Blakely is with us people get wide eyed and make all kinds of comments.  All mean well and are nice usually.  I get a lot of "you have your hands full!" or "I don't know how you do it".  One person did ask me if the twins were "natural".  I didn't really know how to respond so I think I just stared at her.  

The babes are getting better at tummy time.  At first they both hated it but mainly Benny

To be fair, he does have quite the big head to hold up ;)

Daily Routine:  I am loving that we are getting into more of a routine.  It isn't perfect yet as the babies want to eat every 2 hours some days to make up for that long stretch of sleep at night.  I am okay with that it just means I can't really leave the house much.  But it is too hot anyway.  Here is a typical feeding schedule.    

7am: feed the babies.  If they fall back asleep I let them sleep, if not then we get up.  
9-930am: feed the babies.  If they've been sleeping then we get up and get dressed here.  
1100-1130am: feed the babies.  Pattern?  They eat frequently in the mornings.  
200pm: feed the babies and hope they make it until 5.  
4-5pm: feed the babies.  
If the babies ate at 4 then I feed them again at 6 and then again at 8.  If they ate at 5 then I wait to feed them until 8.  
8pm: feed the babies downstairs.  swaddle them up and put them in the crib and turn the sound machine on.  Hope they sleep all night!
3-4am: feed the babies.  and then start back over at 7am!

Mommy:  Overall I am adjusting pretty well.  It helps that I am getting more sleep now and that I have help around the house.  I don't know if I could do it without my village.  My house would be in a constant state of chaos and I wouldn't have showered in 3 months that I know for sure!  I do look forward to my wine some evenings!  Blakely has been out of school so I am looking forward to school starting back up and us getting in a regular routine.  I do well with schedules!  It is quite the process to get everyone in the car to go somewhere but I have a system down pretty good.  I want to document it here and see if it gets harder to go places or easier!  

First thing I do once I get the babies loaded into their car seats in the house is remote start the car.  Then I make Blakely get in first because her car seat in on the third row.  I put one baby in on her side in the second row and then the other baby on the other side.  Then I grab my purse and lock the house and we are ready to go.  

When we get somewhere, say the grocery store because that is one of the three places we go I first unload the stroller from the back of the van.  Then I park it on the side of the van opposite Blakely.  I put that baby in the stroller.  Then I drive over to the other side of the van and park.  I unload that baby and put him/her in the stroller.  I get my diaper bag and put it on the stroller.  I unhook Blakely from her car seat and lock the van.  We are ready to go.  It is nice getting Blakely out last because then I don't have to worry about her in the parking lot while I am getting the babies situated.  

When we leave the grocery store I immediately remote start the car (it is insane hot here) and I park the stroller on Blakely's side of the van.  I make her get in and strap herself into her car seat and I put one baby in the car.  Close that door and drive to the other side of the van and put the other baby in the van.  Close that door.  Then I open the back of the van and since I can't push a cart and a stroller all the groceries are under the stroller.  So I bag them up real quick and load the stroller up.  Then I get in and we are ready to leave.  

It is a little hectic but I think I've got it down!  

This was my first trip to the grocery store and I was so damn proud of myself!  

Morning snuggles with all my babies are the best.  

Daddy:  Lonnie is adjusting well too.  I think in the beginning it was hard for him because everything was just so so crazy but now that we are starting to settle into a routine it is getting easier on him.  He can help me more and the babies are not screaming as much.  LOL!  He gets bombarded the second he walks in the door from work.  Bless him.  Blakely wants him to PLAY PLAY PLAY and I want him to watch the babies so I can go to the bathroom or shower.  This picture was one day when I handed the babies off and Blake was jumping up and down begin for him to take her outside to play.  Life is pretty funny right now.  Sometimes we just look at each other and giggle...it's all you can do.  

Blakely:  Blakely is doing great.  I knew she would but I think she is actually exceeding my expectations.  She doesn't really show much jealousy, only on occasion and only when she is really tired.  She loves talking to the babies and helping me with them.  I let her pick out their pajamas every night and she thinks that is awesome.  Ask me in a few months when they are crawling all over her and trying to steal her toys what she think about them!  


Comparisons

I posted this the other day on the FB and got a lot of responses.  What do y'all think?  Most people said Benton and Blakely look alike which is such a change because usually people have said that Emery looks like Blakely.  I think they all look similar but have their own look about them.  This picture is the first time I though Blake and Benny look more alike than Blake and Emmers.  Comparisons are SO MUCH FUN!