Three.

I am certain that each pregnancy is unique and different.  At least I hope they are.

My pregnancy with the girls was considered high rish just because there were two.  That meant that beyond having frequent obstetrician appointments, we had monthly, then more frequent visits with a perinatologist.  We had a LOT of ultrasounds and check-ups and blood work.  I read pregnancy, twin, nutrition, and nursing books.  We talked about names every night.  We talked to my belly.  I ate just enough calories of the right make-up. 

And then they were born and I learned that NOTHING I read prepared me.  I learned that no matter how many 'pictures' I had seen while they were in my belly, I didn't know what they looked like.  I learned that as much as we try to micro-manage, God has this gig all figured out without any help from us.

And THEN I got pregnant with #3.  And I hadn't planned it.  And I was shocked.  And I had my hands full.  And I knew that stewing about how its growing and how its developing doesn't change a thing.  And honest to goodness, there were days I forgot I was pregnant.  It's a different experience.

AND THEN I got to see baby #3 in an ultrasound today!  And we found out that he's a BOY!  And all those old wheels are turning again...and we'll be talking to him, and wondering what he'll look like, and picking out names, and imagining how our family will change.

Can't wait!
Momma

Hardwired

Daily, I'm amazed by the things you DO NOT have to teach children!  Yes, there are many things that must be taught, over and over, like 'share with your sister!', but they really do come excellently hardwired.  Examples:

I love that you do not have to teach a baby to laugh!  It just happens...and it's uniquely theirs.  Lauren rarely just lets go and LAUGHS but she giggles a lot!  Kate on the other hand, straight-up chuckles.  It's all hers, I laugh entirely too loud, Dan has a silent laugh when he really means it...Kate's got her own thing going on.

You don't have to teach them to fend for themselves.  We are born self-serving, selfish creatures.  They share a banana every morning - bite for Kate, bite for Lauren, bite for Kate, etc.  I hold, they either stand right at my feet and mean business, or else take a bite in between playing.  BUT, when it gets close to the end, they know it.  They fight for the last bite, every time.

At this age, you don't have to teach them to wave or smile at people who are being friendly (or minding their own business, or wishing that the baby would quite waving at them).  These two have never met a stranger (from a distance) and love to make friends wherever they go.

Surprisingly, but here's proof, you don't have to teach them to eat a variety of foods...that vegetables are good for you!  (They open the refrigerator themselves now, and when being super sneaky, help themselves...this morning, to tomatoes.)

Love,
Momma

When Did This Happen?

Today was a BIG day! 

We had to be at the office at 11:45.  I saw a patient, the girls had a snack, then we ran a few errands.  We only had to get in and out of the car three times due to some creative parking plans, but STILL.  We went in and out of seven places (one drive-thru), then came home for a quick nap.  Now, we are leaving again to go pick up Daddy (the Edge sold, praise the Lord!) and do one more stop.  Then home again for dinner, and to get settled in with Happy the babysitter so that Momma and Daddy can go finish Christmas shopping!!

I mean, that's HUGE!!

When did this happen?  When did leaving the house become a DAY?  When did it happen that having to put on make-up and plan meals on the run almost sent me over the edge? 

I used to handle seemingly more important and more detailed errands and stops before work in the morning!  At one point in my life, I went to school, and worked, and had a real social life (ie, stayed up past 9 pm)! 

It's amazing what two little people and one bun in the oven can do to a girl!!

Exhausted,
Momma

Remember This...

The year is drawing to an end....yes, I know it's not even the 15th of December yet, but let's be honest, it'll be over in a flash!  There are so many things from this year, this stage; so many things I want to remember about these people.  Here's a few fresh on my mind today:

Kate:

The stinkin' smiliest, giggliest little lump of girl I've ever been around!  We can look at her funny, and she about busts with giggles...cackles, might be more descriptive.  She sounds kinda like an old man laughing.  Her shoulders go up to her ears, her eyes go closed, and her cheeks look like they should have stretch marks! 

Discipline means nothin' to this girl.  Slap her hand, nothin'.  Grab her chin to make her look at you, and she'll point to something right passed my shoulder and try to divert.  She has pointed back at me, when I'm pointing "No, no" to her.  She shakes her head more ferverently than I ever could.  She may be a challenge!

She is walking now...it's a sweet, careful, caculated waddle.  She's just cautious.  She walks more than crawls now though, and every day she's faster and better.  She gives the wettest, sloppiest, tastiest "frenchies" you've ever experienced!

Kate signs "dog" and "more".  She says "dog", "ball", "momma", and "da".  She loves Roxie somethin' fierce.  She looks for her and signs "dog" the minute we walk down the stairs in the morning, she goes over and pats Rox's head randomly throughout the day, and signs or says "dog" whenever she hears her coming.

She loves her pacifier, all things electric, her daddy, pasta, grapes, bananas, playing in the refrigerator, dancing, and baths.  She's not a fan of the first 2 minutes of naptime, brocolli, socks, or hair bows.

She is soft and squishy and snuggly and so loved.

Lauren:

This child is a live wire!  When she's happy, she's really happy; when she's sad, she's really sad.  She feels all feelings BIG.  She is the first at everything.  She doesn't walk, she runs.  She doesn't feel bad when she gets in trouble, she can barely go on.  She doesn't sing, she yells.  She doesn't mess things up, she destroys them!

She has a sweet little giggle and even sweeter smile.  She flashes her two front teeth in all their glory from across the room all day long.  She loves to be tickled (armpits, under the chin, thighs)!  She loves to be chased and snuck up on.

Discipline is a different ball game with this one.  She can barely go on when she gets in trouble.  She crumbles to the ground, face down, and WAILS.  She is always very sorry! 

She is so strong, fast, adventurous.  She can make it up the stairs in nothing flat.  She bales off the bed or couch like it's a tiny step.  She like to dance fast and big!

She is so tenderhearted.  She will come up 10 times a day and put her head down on my leg and pat me.  She gives all her dolls hugs and kisses.  She comes up to us, arms straight up in the air, grabby hands and NEEDS up for a hug.

She loves electronics, buttons, music, all fruit, cheese, naptime, drinking out of a straw, baths, brushing her teeth, and bouncing on the couch.  She is not a fan of meat, socks, or the word "no".

She is waspy and adventurous and sweet and LOVED.

Grateful,
Momma

Double Flop.

OK friends, I need some help.  Well, I always need THAT kind of help, but this request is for the practical, real kind.  I'm short on ideas...

My bestie reported to me last week that her little pumpkin (only three weeks older than my pumpkins) was doing some impressive things at day care.  Now, some of them are totally situational and not necessary to have the babes doing...he takes his nap on a pallet on the floor with 10 other pumpkins!!  Like, lays down when it's time, falls asleep even though he has the ability to run off, sleeps, then gets up when it's time!  This is so impressive to me!  The girls go to sleep on their own, but in a CONFINED space.  If they had run of the room...no chance.  But alas, while impressive, I don't feel the need to attempt this.

One of the things I do have the need to do is to introduce some craft/learning/organized chaos time.  Fingerpainting was the example bestie gave.  We don't fingerpaint!!  I freak out when they find a pencil laying around!  I think some art supplies will be their Christmas present, but what then?!  How do I control the mess?  How do I practically, in the wintertime when it can't be done outside, start this?

Another bestie suggested play dough.  FLOP.  They poked it a little, they laughed when I impressed their hand into it....then they had a bite and spent the next little bit gagging at the salt.  (I had made my own at bestie's prompting...she told me they'd eat it...they did.)  It was an inaugural craft time, it lasted for approximately five minutes, it ended with them literally wiping off their own tongues on their sleeve.

So, shout out your ideas!  They are 13 months old, brilliant, and there are always two of them.  Be kind to the Momma/cleaning lady.

(Flop #2 comes from the fact that I've misplaced my camera (indefinitely) and did not capture the faces that went along with playdough consumption!  H-I-larious.)

Seeking,
The Momma

Weaning.

Oh, it's a sad week in the Prince House.  I'm weaning the girls.  Nursing the babes became almost a cause to me during my pregnancy.  I'm a hippie at heart, and have always had a vision of how my pregnancy and birthing a baby would go...and it had nothing to do with high risk monitoring, monthly ultrasounds, precautionary medicines, and a planned c-section.  When it became evident that I was going to have to pull up my big girl panties about the pregnancy and birth not going my way, I found a new thing to try to control champion.  It was nursing. 

I read books, I talked to other twin moms, I met with lactation specialist, I googled it.  I had a plan and more determination than was probably healthy.  This WOULD go my way.

And, praise God, it did.  The girls were great nursers from the get-go.  And, because it was also important to Dan, he helped a ton.  We survived.  They thrived.  We ignored the advise to supplement when they were so tiny.  I got very brave and creative about breastfeeding in public.  And it has been one of my favorite, precious parts of their first year plus of life.

But, it's time.  The biggest reason for feeling that it was time has been baby #3.  I cannot imagine the tantrum to come if they were freshly weaned when 3 gets here and gets all the boob time.  Mayhem, I tell you!  It'll be good that it will be a more distant memory.

This is how Lauren feels about it:

This is how Kate feels about it:

Amazing how differently they deal with crisis, isn't it?! 

The end of an era....
The Momma