1st Birthday Party

The girls' birthday was a whirlwind of activity.  I made pink pancakes for breakfast (even sent DH off to work with one hehe) and then attempted some birthday pictures with little luck.  Then it was cupcake making and ordering (a sweet girl agreed to drop the 24 hour rule when my original bakery dropped the ball at 9 am).  Then while they napped I started putting up some of their birthday decor.  We played with their new toys and DH took off a half-day at work in order to help prep for the party and hang out.  Kendall was in awe of the balloons on the ceiling and kept staring at them and at me as I taped them up.  Seren was more interested in her toys still. I felt a little stressed at the end as the details came together last minute and chicken quesadillas were finished up.  But family and friends helped out and I was able to really enjoy the party with the girls and I'm grateful for that.  The decorations came out just as well as I had hoped and the cupcakes were great.  So here is their first birthday in pictures:

 Kendall

 Seren

The best I could get of both of them

 Birthday Breakfast

 Birthday cupcakes (I decorated the larger and ordered the smaller)

 Seren --post cupcake assault

 Kendall --post cupcake mischief 

 family photo before unwrapping presents

 Kendall's birthday banner

 Seren's birthday banner

balloons and birthday banners (balloon idea also above the kitchen table) -- my sweet husband was nice enough to let me know this just reminds him of two boobs haha...now I never look at it the same

12 Months Old -- 1 YEAR!!

Height/Weight:  Approx. 30" long (Seren is 1/4" longer than Kendall according to my measurement).  They are close to 20 lbs...Seren is probably about 19 lbs and Kendall is about 18 lbs.  Seren eats more and finishes most of her meals so she is noticeably a little bigger. I think they had a height growth spurt recently as I've been taking anything less than 12 months out of their wardrobe and even some 12 month clothes aren't fitting.  

Eating:  6 oz of formula 3 times a days with 4+ ounces of solids and then a bottle at bed (4-6 ounces) and two snack times.  Lots more finger food then spoon fed food now.  I am basically emptying out the freezer of baby food ice cubes.  I need to start making new recipes and filling it up with those.  Getting ready to wean off the bottle and a little nervous about it. 

Foods They Like:  They seem to be getting a little more picky but still like most stuff.  Kendall loves pasta and tomato sauce (Seren won't eat this).  They like quesadillas, turkey hot dogs, cheese, pasta with parmesan, apples, bananas, broccoli, yams, beans, etc.  I gave them some homemade gingerbread a few days ago and they love them.

Foods They Don't:  strawberry cereal puffs, they are getting sick of cheerios, cheddar puffs (Parents Choice brand...can't blame them we think these are gross too).

Favorite Things:  They still love each other (more and more).   They had a blast with Grandma and Grandpa B while they were at our house for a week and during their holiday visit.  They love to go to Jeff's parents house for Sunday dinners as well.  They are more interested in crawling off and exploring and trying to play with the big kids.  They love taking baths.  They both love to cuddle more now (I hope this isn't a short phase) but they crawl up to us when we're on the floor and lay their heads on us or give us kisses.  They love to be tickled on the ribs and to have raspberries blown on their tummies.  Seren is also very ticklish on her feet.

Dislikes:  Being hungry and tired.  Getting into trouble or being told "no".  Having things taken away from them (all the little crumbs, threads, leaves, paper, etc that they somehow seem to find even when I think I cleaned up well).  Teething is probably a dislike although it doesn't seem to bother either of them too much.

Their Accomplishments:  They both stand independent pretty well now.  They get excited about it and lose their balance and fall back down.  They climb up stairs (supervised of course).  They shuffle more.  They get into everything (I'm sure this is good development but man it keeps me on my toes).  They seem to be understanding language more (ie "hug", "give me a kiss", "soft/gentle", "share" and of course "no" still brings on tears or sometimes laughter in Seren's case when she thinks it's a game).  They are so interactive with each other and I can't wait to see this grow.  They love to love on each other.  Seren especially loves to crawl up to Kendall and kiss her on the head or cheek or sometimes whatever she can get next to.  Kendall loves to cuddle and if I'm laying on the carpet she will come over and lay her head on me or my arm and snuggle.


Teeth:  Kendall has her two bottom teeth.  Seren has her two bottom and two top.

Our Accomplishments:  Still on a great schedule generally.  We make a great team.  I am always so grateful that Jeff is willing to put in the work to take care of them as well.

Sleep:  Same bedtime routine and works like a charm (especially when a bath is included).  They sleep between 11-12 hours at night.  Nap twice a day still...2 hours and then second nap is 45 minutes to an hour.

Looking forward to:  Looking forward to more mobility but also scared of two toddlers running around.  More freedom with food (although having more freedom now I'm realizing this will just mean more work in preparing meals; no more freezer cubed baby food).  Looking forward to warm weather and getting them outside more again. 

You've Come a Long Way Babies...

As the girls birthday draws nearer I keep thinking of the things that have changed over the last year for them and for us.  It has been a wild ride with twins but we wouldn't trade it for the world.  They are the biggest blessing we could ever have.


Then:  22 bottles a day (this usually got us through 26 hours; time enough to turn around and wash them all again)
Now:   6 bottles a day (heck yes!!)...soon to taper off to zero bottles (even better!!)

Then:  3 solid sleeping hours at night (at the most)
Now:  11-12 solids sleeping hours a night

Then:  Kendall was 20 inches and 5 lb 12 oz   Seren was 19 inches and 4 lb 14 oz
Now:  Kendall is ~ 30 inches and 18 lbs         Seren is ~ 30 inches and 19 lbs

Then:  NEVER going out to eat or getting out of the house (way too much work)
Now:  Being able to go out whenever we like (although trying not too for money and health)

Then:  They HATED bath time
Now:  They love to take a bath and don't want to get out.

Then:  Depending on us for their every need (feeding, changing, snuggling, etc etc)
Now:  Able to feed themselves mostly, they crawl to us for snuggles and kisses but they still need changing (darn it) haha

Then:  Both bald as a cue ball
Now:  Seren has a decent head of blonde hair and Kendall's red hair is coming in (it's curly so I think that's why it has taken time)

Then:  They were barely noticing each other and took months to interact.
Now:  They kiss each other (the open mouth to head kind), they steal from each other, they chat it up after naps in their room, they chase each other around and they sit and laugh at each other.  So fun!

Then:  Wondered at times (when they were both crying or screaming and we were surviving on 3 hours or less sleep a night) what we had gotten ourselves into with twins.
Now:  Can't imagine not having both of these wonderful girls in our lives and now seeing the fun that people with one child are missing out on...I'm sure there will plenty more sleepless nights to come anyway.

Bring on the Holidays...

The holidays are in full swing here.  We have decorated, we have grocery shopped, we have made neighbor gifts and family gifts and are still shopping for the last ones.  The girls are seemingly enjoying it.  They like the lights and the decorations I let them play with (Mr Potato Head Santa and a plate for cookies).  They like the new little tastes they are getting to nibble at during family things and soon to happen holiday cooking.

And am I the only one who promises myself every year to be prepared and done early with all of this?  I am pleased that most stuff is done but I still have mine and DH's parents to finish up and family gifts to put together and a blanket to finish before the girls birthday (rag quilt...barely pieced together and no sewing done; one is done however so praise to that).  Anyway I am looking forward to the holidays but also at the same time looking forward to a nice calm that comes after the chaos.

Happy Holidays to everyone.  I imagine I will be keeping up with blogs and news but I doubt that I will get around to adding any of my own until later.  Thinking of all of my fellow IF friends (those with their babes, those expecting and those who are somewhere in the not fun middle ground).  Hoping that the holiday season brings you joy.

The Benefits...

I was deciding the other night that there is one great benefit to being grossly infertile...I don't have to be completely compulsively anal about birth control and when to take a pill or replace a ring or if an IUD will be 100% effective (yah I know the failure rates are super slim) but hey I'm looking at the positives.  Plus I am actually loving the NuvaRing as an HRT (and birth control option).  I actually feel somewhat normal not worrying about pills or patches during the month.  Oh and BONUS...I think I'm losing some of my POF pot belly since the hormones are more naturally absorbed and leveling off.  One can hope right?  Yeah for that!!