Christmas at Home

We prefer a small Christmas celebration with just the immediate family. We spend the day together having fun.

Christmas Eve Daddy went to the store for milk. He came home with an electric crane (and milk). Someone is an impulse shopper!

He got Lego Minecraft and she got a suitcase.

This was the ONLY thing on his wish list. He wanted a typewriter so desperately.

She wanted everything. She loves her Ender Dragon.

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and I hope your day was peaceful and fun.

Giant Bears

We were driving by Walmart on Thanksgiving evening and it wasn't crowded. We decided to go see if there were any deals. That's when we saw the cheap giant bears.

Did I mention they are giant?

Cuddling with a bear doesn't usually look like this!

Football

I love going to college football games and it's even better when the kids go with me.

Watching the game from the end zone

Peruna!

Pony Up

Sewing

The school I teach at and the kids attend part time went through accreditation. This meant stress for Mommy and needing the kids to have perfect behavior. I bribed them. After they did it, I asked what they wanted for their reward. They both asked to learn how to sew. Not what I was expecting, but we jumped right in.

Concentrating

Hard work

Finished products

Sweet Son made a doggy and Sweet Daughter made a kitty

Happy Halloween

The kids picked their Halloween costumes with care - he is a knight and she is purple.

We buy costumes on November 1st so we have to try them on to see if they fit before we get too far.

Ready to trick or treat!

Giant Suckers

The tradition is to give goody bags at the end of a birthday party. We bought a selection of board games and giant suckers and let each kid pick a game and a sucker. Almost a month later and our kids decided they should taste the suckers they gave out to their friends.

It's as big as her face.

He likes the color pattern.

The verdict? They taste sugary. He tried a few licks and then threw it away. She sucked on it for about 5 minutes then threw it away. They just don't like sweets.

Pumpkin Carving

This is the second year the kids did the carving by themselves. I love this stage of independence!

Cleaning out the pumpkin

She went with an apron and a head band before diving her entire arm in

It's always more difficult than they remember

You can almost hear the grunts in the photo

Making the same face

Autumn Photos

Our kids are rarely cooperative with the wooden signs you are supposed to stick your face through for pictures. However these they agreed to do without any argument!

Sweet Son

Sweet Daughter

Old Truck

Every kid loves cars they can climb all over so this old truck was a great place for photos.

"Driving"

Hold pumpkins so we can tell what season it is, haha!

Birthday Party

Having a birthday party is an exciting time, but trying to get to very different kids to agree on a theme is difficult. Sweet Daughter wanted to host a 5k race for all of her friends. Sweet Son wanted to invite a few friends to play with Legos quietly, preferably not talking to each other at all. After much discussion they finally agreed on a theme - laser tag. Then came the debate about food. They don't like cake. They had recently proven they could eat an entire doughnut when they are hungry, so they decided on a doughnut "cake."

 

Birthday "cakes"

Laser Tag in the dark doesn't offer a lot of great photo opportunities

Happy 7th Birthday Sweet Son

Happy 7th Birthday Sweet Daughter

Throwback Thursday: Twin Pregnancy

This post was originally published in January of 2011.

I approached pregnancy just like everything else, with tons of research. When we found out I was having twins I had to do even more research.

I read about nutrition in multiple pregnancy, exercise, how to prevent common problems, etc. I also looked at the survival/disability rates for multiples in many other countries. The countries with the highest rates of living, healthy multiples did many things differently than the standard of care in the U.S.

In the U.S. most women are told to take a prenatal vitamin every day and that's the extent of the nutrition advice. However, the better a woman's nutrition the healthier the babies. Weight gain in a multiple pregnancy is extremely important. The more weight you can gain earlier, the better. I interviewed multiple providers before finding one (with a team) that I knew would lecture and provide me with research on things like nutrition at every appointment. She also was available by email, text, and phone all the time.

I struggled with weight gain. I had all day sickness (not just feeling nauseous) every day for 5 months. I ended up in the hospital with severe dehydration because I couldn't even keep down a sip of water. I tried every cure out there. When we would go out, my husband often carried lemon slices in a baggie in his pocket. Smelling and biting into one would often give me enough time to get to a trashcan or bathroom.

4 months pregnant

About the time that ended, we went on our last big vacation before having kids. It was an incredible trip to Hawaii. I was limited to just walking and swimming for exercise, so we hiked and swam every day. It was beautiful, though I will have to go back another time when I can swim with sharks and do a few other things I wasn't able to do that trip. I remember thinking I was huge and looked so bad in everything I wore. Little did I know how much bigger I would get.

 Hiking - 6 months pregnant

6 months pregnant - I thought I was huge.

Another thing I learned from other countries, is for the best chance of avoiding early labor (other than tons of water and staying hydrated) is to stop working at 30 weeks. This is enforced by doctors in other countries because it is so much safer! While I did stop working at 30 weeks, a situation/opportunity  presented itself and I did work a few more months. However, I worked with my legs up and kept drinking tons of water.

In the U.S. most multiple pregnancies are over by 36 weeks. The OB has often scheduled the c-section early in the pregnancy to prevent any problems. In the countries with the highest success rates multiples are usually born vaginally between 38-42 weeks. This was my goal. While I did make it to 38 weeks, I ended up with a c-section.

38 weeks - I gave up on maternity clothes fitting

While pregnant (and huge) people would often comment on having twins. Most people said things about how wonderful it is, how lucky we are, and how they have always wanted twins. People who had multiples would say they are thinking of us, wish us luck, and offer condolences. My favorite response at the time, and looking back, still the most accurate, came from a young 2 year old. He is a twin and was usually a happy, silly, bouncy boy. When his mom told him I was having twins he stood still, looked very serious, and very slowly said, "Ha. Ha." He then walked away. That pretty much sums it up.

I made some very unusual decisions for a multiple birth in the U.S. Many people thought I was crazy and should just do what an OB tells me without question. However, when I had to go to the hospital at 38 weeks, the nurses assured me I never would have made it that long with an OB. I did end up with a c-section and looking back would absolutely do some things differently. Choosing a care provider (midwife) who had the same goals I did would not be something I would change. My kids were born at just over 5 pounds each. If they had been born any earlier, they would have spent time in the NICU. Instead they spent their time with us, in our arms, and bonding from the moment I was awake.

1 day old

Most people don't realize how dangerous it is to carry twins. Fetal deaths per 1000 births is 26% for twins (7% for singletons). Everyone knows premature birth is dangerous, however most don't realize that 62% of twins in the U.S. are born early - usually through an induction or c-section. 82% of twins are born with low birth weight. 70% of low birth weight babies have a disability diagnosed before age 11 and 30% within the first year. There are also serious risks for the mother trying to grow multiple babies at one time.

I spent the entire pregnancy thinking things like, if they were born now they have a 5% chance of survival. If they were born now, they have an 80% chance of survival, but a 98% chance of disability. When I made it to 36 weeks I finally breathed a small sigh of relief. I was still waiting for their weight to go up. Knowing that most ultrasound weight estimates are off by +/- 2 pounds I wanted them to measure at least 7 pounds before I would feel safe. At my last ultrasound, 2 days before they were born, they measured 7lb 5oz and 6lb 15oz. Almost there and I felt relief. I am so glad I didn't believe they would be born the size they were estimated.

Birthday Balloons

Our tradition continues, when the kids wake up on their birthday they find tons of balloons. Here they are playing with literally a room full of balloons.

7th Birthday

Happy 7th Birthday!

Sweet Son loves Legos, video games, and music. He plays piano, trumpet, and accordion. He stays up late reading and his favorite meal is usually around 10pm. He enjoys puns and bathroom humor. While he prefers playing by himself most of the time, if he sees someone being left out or ignored, he will play with them. I  have observed him playing more than once with children with Down's Syndrome and including them without hesitation. He has an amazing heart and an amazing mind.

Sweet Daughter loves stuffed animals, games, and people. She plays piano, guitar, flute, and is starting voice lessons. She wake up early full of energy and wants to run, play sports, and be active all of the time. She has recently decided she loves reading and will often get a book to read or write in a journal if there is no one else to play with. She prefers being around people and board games and card games are almost an obsession with her. Playing risk for four hours in the afternoon just means she will want to play Catan or Ticket to Ride later in the day. She has some incredible leadership skills and no matter what group she is in, she quickly ends up being the one running things.

They are best friends when in a large group and fight like siblings when it is just the two of them. They always stick up for each other and have started standing up for each other against us! Every time they help each other or do something for the other without being told or asked, my heart melts just a bit more. I love them move every single day and I am so proud of who they are becoming.

More photographs of both kids

I love the photographer we use every year and the fact that my kids cooperate for good pictures! Here are some more of both kids together.

"Wrap your arms around each other"

This is his "I'm innocent!" look as he tickles her

Kids Pictures

Here are some of the photos of the kids together.

She wanted to be the tall one.

The photographer said, "Can you give each other a hug?"