Officials

Elise: 'Hey mom. Do you know what E.P.K is?'

Me: 'Nope, what?'

Elise: 'My officials.'

Bronchitis and Brown-chitis

Ironically the last time we had a deep freeze with windchills -40 degrees, we weren't just stuck indoors. We were stuck inside with sick kids. This time is no different! Today's high is -35 degrees windchill and the babies are getting over RSV. It's been a long week to say the least!

Last week, Hadley woke up wheezing and winded. Luckily with the cold, the schools were closed and I was able to nab our high school sitter from down the road so I could Hadley to the doctor without dragging the other girls. The diagnosis for Hadley was bronchitis from RSV. We were sent home with enough breathing treatments to last a lifetime and a round of steroids. Apparently, RSV appears as a cold for most people unless it drops into the chest... in which case it is a respiratory virus. As a preemie, Elise was given a vaccine for RSV but Hadley wasn't fortunate enough. The poor girl was miserable.

It's been a rough week for us with cabin fever. The babies still aren't feeling the best (Cecilia included) and I know that Hadley is getting another round of molars. Let's just say that there are a lot of tears and no guarantee that meals or nap times will go smoothly. I won't lie when I say these days are mentally challenging for me too. There are 3 children with 3 different needs. I keep my eyes watching the clock for bedtime countdown since there are no breaks. However, in a few more days, the girls should be feeling better and Elise should be back to school.

Cecilia fighting her RSV too.

I guess we have been talking a lot about bronchitis. Just yesterday Elise asked if I would play fairies with her. When we were playing, I asked her the name of her unicorn. She responded with 'Brown-chitis'.  What an unfortunate name.

Granny's Piano

We inherited my grandmother's piano last summer... a gorgeous baby grand that I remember only being allowed to play if I had my shoes off. It has sat in our in living room since the move and only recently has been tuned. Because I played the violin for so many years, I'm able to read some music and play with just my right hand. No base cleft for me! But recently Elise has shown some interest in learning to play which makes me happy that this beautiful instrument with see some love.

Our friends, the Hebekas, have a piano teacher come to their home-- how perfect for us! We are just one lesson into hopefully a lifetime of music and Elise loves it. I do have no delusions of grandeur that she will love the piano and continue for years on end, but I do hope that sticks with it long enough that when her children want to play, she can tell them happy stories about practicing fun music and piano recitals. Ok. Maybe I do have delusions but I am hopeful.

Elise's first lesson with Mrs. Chalfin

One Year Well Check

We just had our one year well check. Funny how last year at this time I was holding little 5lb babies and wishing I had the opportunity to sleep more than 2 hours at a time! The girls are both healthy and were given the green light to have whole milk. We plan to introduce the milk extra slowly because they have been on soy milk all these months due to sensitivity. Hopefully we won't encounter any problems along the way and in a few short months, we will be bottle and formula free!! What will I do with all the extra counter space in my kitchen? I am giddy with excitement.

Hadley and Cecilia eating their first big food.. pickles

Hadley

19lb 13oz (50%)

29" long (50%)

head circumference 17 1/2"

Cecilia

19lb 13 oz (50%)

29 1/2" long (60%)

head circumference 17 3/4"

The Twins Turn 1

January 14th. The babies are officially 1! Surprisingly I found myself emotional about the day. I wasn't emotional because the girls were growing up. I was emotional because I had survived the year- with all of it's ups and downs. Dont' let anyone fool you, twins are hard. They may not be twice as hard as a singleton, but it definitely is a lot more work. But it truly is a labor of love amidst the chaos. And chaos is something I don't excel at. I like order. I like to have a clean house and I definitely love schedules. Throw in some twins and sometimes order is thrown out the window! 

 But now that I am a year through-- I am proud of myself to have survived. I no longer have little bundles of babies, but rather little munchkins that run around the house smiling and laughing (well, sometimes!). The girls are full of their own personalities and they are starting to hug, cuddle and kiss you when they are feeling happy. I love that they are interacting with not only us but with each other.  I imagine that it is comforting to have a 'best friend' always by your side as you totter around the house investigating things, eating food in a highchair or waking up in the morning.

 I feel like the best is yet to come! I am more rested and patient now and am open up to the journey that all my little girls plan to take me on. So, indulge me for sharing pictures of the girls on their special day...

And since we had cupcakes for the girls party over the weekend, we instead had birthday cookies. Big sister Elise was happy to have another 'special dessert'.

I belong to the Toledo Multiples Mom group and someone posted this on our Facebook page. It was a fabulous read and I decided to post it here. Some of it I can totally relate to. The rest is yet to come!

Unexpected Gifts from Having Twins

1. The instant anyone finds out you are pregnant with twins (family, friends, strangers), the red carpet rolls out -- seats, support, snacks; ask and you shall receive.

2. Two "birds," one "stone" = instant family (for the pregnancy-averse, you only buy and wear maternity clothes once!).

3. Two babies came out of YOUR body. Out of YOU. Think about that. If you've had a singleton (what we twin moms call your regularly spaced children), it's amazing. But when I think about the fact that I had TWO at ONCE, "wow" is the only word that describes this physical feat.

4. Holding a baby is delicious -- but holding your two infants at the same time is nothing short of a miracle.

5. Remember the "double your pleasure, double your fun" ad slogan? When it comes to twin babies, somehow one makes the other cuter and sweeter and vice versa. 

6. From birth to the present, it's been fun seeing the physical differences -- and similarities -- between my twins. From fingers to toes, the who-got-what game never gets boring.

7. Twin Love: my two have superhero-strength love for each other. It's stronger than words can describe. And nothing like regular sibling love.

8. My twins are almost past the one-decade mark and I still fiercely treasure alone time with each.

9. Boy-girl twins are competitive but not as competitive as same-sex twins. Phew!

10. The unspoken rule of "I've got you" between the two applies to everything -- birthday parties, Sunday school, doctor's visits.

11. Although the first year of twins sometimes felt (and looked) like a scene from Sharknado, I'm a more relaxed, balanced and grounded person because I survived it.

12. Now in middle school, my twins are in different classes. Because every teacher is different, each benefits from the other's classroom experience all the time.

13. If one twin misses school, I don't have to call the teacher or a peer -- the twin who didn't miss school has it all in his or her backpack already. Score!

14. Spying! I am not proud of this one but I can corner either Twin A or Twin B and get the scoop on almost any situation, complete with a feelings analysis about their sibling.

15. Having two children the same age means they can share age-appropriate books, movies, games and toys. I don't have to buy two of Wimpy Kid or Harry Potter. (The flip side: we will be paying for college for two at the same time! Gulp!).

16. My twins frequently offer unsolicited praise and support to one another. It's genuine, and comes from a deep-in-their-bones place that I believe has to do with their shared in-my-belly-time.

17. Anticipationnnnn... twins really have a sixth sense about one another and they just KNOW WHAT IS COMING.

18. One birthday party! I'd be lying if I didn't admit to doing some separate birthday celebrations for friends, but we always have one family party (and have had many joint birthday parties). Less work, more fun for Mom.

19. Same gift, different package. It's a unique phenomenon to see the same strength or talent manifest itself differently in my boy and girl. Both are very musical but in different ways. The way nature wired them similarly and differently makes me smile.

20. Boys will be boys and the same saying applies to girls. But the quirks my two share are genderless. Small mannerisms or gestures are IDENTICAL. Kind of spooky how all that wiring and neurology works.

21. I never realized that having two children in the same exact grade means we are always on the receiving end of every illness, germ or rash. If one doesn't get it, the other does. This I can count on. I admit this one isn't exactly a "gift"...

22. Last but not least, twins really are best friends and platonic soulmates long before they are sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, teammates and best friends. It's a miracle to give birth to twins, to parent twins and most of all, to witness the marvel of twins.

Happy birthday Cecilia and Hadley! 

The Girls Big Bash

Fairy wings were optional but having fun wasn't!

We hosted the girls joint birthday party last weekend and the party goers came from far and wide! Aunt Betty, Aunt Marilyn, and Uncle Doug came from Cincinnati. Uncle Rik drove across the state from Columbiana while Nans and Pops came from Medina. No one wanted to miss the get together!!

After presents, we had a buffet dinner with subs, macaroni and cheese, veggie cups with dip, chips, and rainbow fruit skewers.  Of course everyone was given a magical fairy wand with their silverware. For some strange reason, not many people took them home! And for anyone who had a sweet tooth, the pink cupcakes and cotton candy ice cream was worth the wait!

Even though we were celebrating 3 birthdays, it was important that each birthday girl felt important and special so we sang happy birthday 3 times! The oldest went first... afterall, being five has its perks.

My only regret of the evening was that I didn't take more photos of the girls enjoying their cupcakes. In the chaos of 2 babies eating cupcakes with frosting falling on the floor, I forgot to snap more pictures. However Demi didn't miss a thing with her cleanup ability!

Cecilia loved her cupcake so much that it was smeared all over her hair!

Hadley loved her first taste of sweets!

But the girls obviously had a great time and a great meal. The food was so good and yummy that immediately after dinner they had to be stripped down and given a bath. It was time to wash off the fairy dust.

Birthday girl Cecilia

Birthday girl Hadley

Elise Turns 5

What?! We have a five year old? I really think the transformation from 4 to 5 years is so significant. Elise no longer looks like a little kid to me. She is tall and slender. She is witty, kind and loving. She still is a big ball of fire too but has grown and matured so much. I'm proud of her.

On Elise's birthday, Daddy took her to Chick-fil-A for what else?! Chicken and fries. They were gone on their lunch date for what seemed like forever as they also have an indoor playground... perfect to run off some winter energy. The babies and I stayed home and held down the fort.

Hadley and Cecilia at lunch on Elise's birthday.

When Elise got home, she wanted to help make her birthday cake. She wanted a chocolate and vanilla cake with chocolate frosting.

Of course the final result was yummy!

After dinner and cake, Elise opened up her gifts from us. We gave her some books, a puzzle and the 'big' present, a Wii mini. Little did Jeff and I know, but they no longer make the Wii. Apparently the entire world already owns one. Instead, the mini Wii is a scaled down version from a decade ago... perfect for what we'd want to use it for- family games and a bit of indoor exercise.

And of course, what party isn't complete without a bit of dancing?