Friday, June 25, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Confessions from a First Time Mother
• I still cringe when I hear someone say, “preggers” or “preggo”.
• Before August 29, 2009, I probably changed three diapers total in my lifetime.
• Olivia’s name was supposed to be Morgan. But once we confirmed the boy/girl status, we decided Morgan and Ethan sounded like two boys’ names.
• I have turned off the monitor.
• The babies never slept in a bassinet in our room.
• I upgraded to the “good” TV channels while I was in the hospital after the kids were born.
• I opted for a caesarian section and would do it again in a heartbeat. Pretty sure they don’t give out medals for awesomeness in the delivery room.
• Yes, I realize my previous comment makes me an awful mother in some people’s eyes. They must have received their medals in the mail.
• I forget to trim my kids’ nails.
• I have Googled things like, “how to swaddle”, “how to sanitize bottles”, “what causes diaper rash?”.
• I cannot stand it when other moms compare their kid’s weights to my kids. And we wonder why so many kids have self-esteem issues.
• I am adamantly against the whole “twin matchy-matchy” crap.
• I often wonder what having just one baby would be like. Then again, I couldn’t imagine not having either of the babies.
• I have paid other people to take my kids’ pictures.
• I use generic-brand formula. Enfamil sucked us in for the first five months though.
• I have walked away.
• I tried to braid Olivia’s hair once.
• I once tried to soothe Ethan for two hours one of the first nights we were home. E came in and gave him a binkie and Ethan fell asleep immediately.
• Speaking of which, the first three months of the babies’ lives are a huge blur to me now.
• I don’t turn down help and ask for it often.
• I haven’t gone to a movie theater since the Fourth of July…last year.
• I avoid trips to the store with the babies.
• We have become that family that leaves a restaurant and the floor is covered in Cheerios and baby cookies.
• I still want a cigarette. Every.day.
• The time put into picking out baby bedding is useless. Go have an ice cream cone instead. By the time the baby is 9 months old, all that will be left is a fitted sheet because you’ve had to hide everything else.
• I have asked for advice on Facebook.
• I have left the house with the kids and no diapers.
Edited to add the biggest one of all:
* I wake sleeping babies.
I wrote this today as a dedication to all the new moms or expectant moms out there. It’s ok to not have all the answers.
• Before August 29, 2009, I probably changed three diapers total in my lifetime.
• Olivia’s name was supposed to be Morgan. But once we confirmed the boy/girl status, we decided Morgan and Ethan sounded like two boys’ names.
• I have turned off the monitor.
• The babies never slept in a bassinet in our room.
• I upgraded to the “good” TV channels while I was in the hospital after the kids were born.
• I opted for a caesarian section and would do it again in a heartbeat. Pretty sure they don’t give out medals for awesomeness in the delivery room.
• Yes, I realize my previous comment makes me an awful mother in some people’s eyes. They must have received their medals in the mail.
• I forget to trim my kids’ nails.
• I have Googled things like, “how to swaddle”, “how to sanitize bottles”, “what causes diaper rash?”.
• I cannot stand it when other moms compare their kid’s weights to my kids. And we wonder why so many kids have self-esteem issues.
• I am adamantly against the whole “twin matchy-matchy” crap.
• I often wonder what having just one baby would be like. Then again, I couldn’t imagine not having either of the babies.
• I have paid other people to take my kids’ pictures.
• I use generic-brand formula. Enfamil sucked us in for the first five months though.
• I have walked away.
• I tried to braid Olivia’s hair once.
• I once tried to soothe Ethan for two hours one of the first nights we were home. E came in and gave him a binkie and Ethan fell asleep immediately.
• Speaking of which, the first three months of the babies’ lives are a huge blur to me now.
• I don’t turn down help and ask for it often.
• I haven’t gone to a movie theater since the Fourth of July…last year.
• I avoid trips to the store with the babies.
• We have become that family that leaves a restaurant and the floor is covered in Cheerios and baby cookies.
• I still want a cigarette. Every.day.
• The time put into picking out baby bedding is useless. Go have an ice cream cone instead. By the time the baby is 9 months old, all that will be left is a fitted sheet because you’ve had to hide everything else.
• I have asked for advice on Facebook.
• I have left the house with the kids and no diapers.
Edited to add the biggest one of all:
* I wake sleeping babies.
I wrote this today as a dedication to all the new moms or expectant moms out there. It’s ok to not have all the answers.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Shake that Booty
I love the internet, I really do.
Olivia and Ethan have had some diaper rash for over a week and we can’t seem to shake it. Before this, Boudreaux's Butt Paste ALWAYS did the job and cleared it up within 24 hours. Well, when that didn’t work- I cut out the babies’ yogurt intake and switched to A & D Ointment. Another failure. So I did what any mom in 2010 would do, I asked for help on Facebook. Imagine my excitement to find 21 responses this morning. I didn’t even know I had 21 friends. It was great to read everyone’s advice and I decided to copy down the suggestions and so now, I have an easy reference guide… So do you.
• A & D Ointment
• Nystatin ( 2 recommendations. Both from nurses…Hmmm)
• Boudreaux's Butt Paste (2 votes)
• Oatmeal Soap in the tub
• PINXAV (By far the most popular recommendation with 5 votes)
• Wiping with warm washcloths instead of baby wipes (2 votes)
• Warm washcloth with salt water (from a Floridian… Go figure!)
• Naked heiney time (2 votes. Godspeed on this one. )
• Maalox (2 votes)
• Equal Parts Maalox and Aquaphor
• Equal Parts Maalox, Desitin and A & D Ointment
• Equal Parts Maalox, Desitin and Aquaphor
• Aquaphor
• Vicks
• Vaseline (2 votes)
• Udder Cream
• Windex… I kid.
What about you, the rest of the Interwebs? What do you use to relieve diaper rash??? Stay tuned to see what works for the Twins of Reed as I tried the Aquaphor this morning since I had some stashed, we shall see. I know you are all entirely interested in the status of my kids’ bottoms!
Olivia and Ethan have had some diaper rash for over a week and we can’t seem to shake it. Before this, Boudreaux's Butt Paste ALWAYS did the job and cleared it up within 24 hours. Well, when that didn’t work- I cut out the babies’ yogurt intake and switched to A & D Ointment. Another failure. So I did what any mom in 2010 would do, I asked for help on Facebook. Imagine my excitement to find 21 responses this morning. I didn’t even know I had 21 friends. It was great to read everyone’s advice and I decided to copy down the suggestions and so now, I have an easy reference guide… So do you.
• A & D Ointment
• Nystatin ( 2 recommendations. Both from nurses…Hmmm)
• Boudreaux's Butt Paste (2 votes)
• Oatmeal Soap in the tub
• PINXAV (By far the most popular recommendation with 5 votes)
• Wiping with warm washcloths instead of baby wipes (2 votes)
• Warm washcloth with salt water (from a Floridian… Go figure!)
• Naked heiney time (2 votes. Godspeed on this one. )
• Maalox (2 votes)
• Equal Parts Maalox and Aquaphor
• Equal Parts Maalox, Desitin and A & D Ointment
• Equal Parts Maalox, Desitin and Aquaphor
• Aquaphor
• Vicks
• Vaseline (2 votes)
• Udder Cream
• Windex… I kid.
What about you, the rest of the Interwebs? What do you use to relieve diaper rash??? Stay tuned to see what works for the Twins of Reed as I tried the Aquaphor this morning since I had some stashed, we shall see. I know you are all entirely interested in the status of my kids’ bottoms!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Update # 3 = Ethan
Buddyyyyyy! Poor kid will probably have issues answering to his name because he almost always gets called Buddy. But doesn’t he just look like a Buddy?
I still think that Ethan is going to be the family Sensi. But really though, he is such a sweet and loving boy and any girl will be absolutely lucky to have him in like, 40 years when I let him get married. He’s always looking for his sister and usually gravitates towards Olivia in any room.
Rarely does this boy sleep past 6:00 AM, but then, we get our one on one time. Although, it would be superb if he could “accidentally” over sleep on say…..Saturdays?? Perhaps a Sunday?? In the long run though, I am a sucker for these brown eyes.
We thought that Ethan would take his time crawling as he really did not show any interest when his sister started. Well, we got a 10 day break. He’s sneaky in that way and has really enjoyed being mobile since the kid hasn’t stopped moving since the day he was born. However, with mobility comes trouble and this Ginger sniffs out trouble.
Ethan’s Quick Stats
• He started to crawl on May 28, 2010. One day short of his 9 month birthday!
• He is an inch taller than Olivia, but weighs less at 18 pounds 9 ounces. I hope he’s tall and skinny. Donahues don’t really see that too often.
• Again, no teeth. I can’t say I am upset about this as I love little toothless smiles.
• Out of all the heart-felt handmade blankets he has, he loves to snuggle up with a burp cloth that I have named his Shy. As my first blankie was called a Shy.
• His favorite movie is Star Wars. Not really, but I am sure it will eventually be on his "Must See" list.
I still think that Ethan is going to be the family Sensi. But really though, he is such a sweet and loving boy and any girl will be absolutely lucky to have him in like, 40 years when I let him get married. He’s always looking for his sister and usually gravitates towards Olivia in any room.
We thought that Ethan would take his time crawling as he really did not show any interest when his sister started. Well, we got a 10 day break. He’s sneaky in that way and has really enjoyed being mobile since the kid hasn’t stopped moving since the day he was born. However, with mobility comes trouble and this Ginger sniffs out trouble.
As a proud mama and photographer, I have to say that this kid just eats up the camera. Doesn't he just look so sweet? Trust me, he will snuggle with you if you want!
• He started to crawl on May 28, 2010. One day short of his 9 month birthday!
• He is an inch taller than Olivia, but weighs less at 18 pounds 9 ounces. I hope he’s tall and skinny. Donahues don’t really see that too often.
• Again, no teeth. I can’t say I am upset about this as I love little toothless smiles.
• Out of all the heart-felt handmade blankets he has, he loves to snuggle up with a burp cloth that I have named his Shy. As my first blankie was called a Shy.
• His favorite movie is Star Wars. Not really, but I am sure it will eventually be on his "Must See" list.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Update # 2 = Olivia
Ooooooooo-livia. When we moved into E’s parents’ house in the beginning of March, Olivia was a pudgy little girl that was barely sitting on her own and barely had any hair. I mean, look at this picture taken the week before E’s surgery.
Six months must have been the turn-around for Liv, because she started to develop her little personality. I firmly believe that Olivia has some sort of agenda in life. What it is, I haven’t figured out yet. It’s like she was born cynical. Where she got that from, is truly beyond me. ::insert sarcasm:: But for real, look at this face. You tell me she’s not up to something.
However, once she gets over her “Stranger Danger” phase with people, she really is filled with smiles and giggles.
Olivia is probably the funniest baby I know. I know you’re thinking I am a loon for calling a baby funny, but trust me. Her facial expressions are enough to turn anyone’s bad day around. The most recent funny story I have is from the other night. Ethan woke up in the middle of the night and took awhile to calm down. I heard some stirring coming from Olivia’s crib and thought to myself, “Oh crap.” (thinking she was going to wake up too). But no, I turn around and see her standing in the crib with a look on her face that said to me, “Do I need to be up for this? Are we eating? Shut up Buddy.”
Obviously, a “you-had-to be-there-moment”, but it truly describes Olivia’s mostly laid back personality. She has developed a face that she uses when she’s having a really good time. We lovingly call it, “The Bunny Face”… Enjoy…
So we moved out of E’s parents’ house when Olivia was still pudgy (and we love every ounce of it), but had since learned to crawl and grew more blond hair. Really? Blond hair?
Some quick stats for the most frequently asked Olivia questions.
• She started to crawl on May 18, 2010. Her dad tempted her with the remote and later with my cell phone. What is it about babies and electronics? And how do I get the smell of baby slobber out of my BlackBerry?
• 9 months old and still no teeth. I am starting to think she is going to need dentures. She has been gnawing on her hand since she was 4 months old and everyone says, “Teeth are coming,” Lies. ALL LIES.
• Yes, she seems to be the boss out of the two.
• She weighed 19 pounds 6 ounces at her check up last week. I have to say I am a bit shocked because I thought for sure she’d be over 20 pounds.
• Yes, she sleeps through the night. Does she go to bed when her brother does? Naw…. She has a habit of wanting to play for a bit longer after her bottle. It’s nice to have some one on one time with her though.
Six months must have been the turn-around for Liv, because she started to develop her little personality. I firmly believe that Olivia has some sort of agenda in life. What it is, I haven’t figured out yet. It’s like she was born cynical. Where she got that from, is truly beyond me. ::insert sarcasm:: But for real, look at this face. You tell me she’s not up to something.
However, once she gets over her “Stranger Danger” phase with people, she really is filled with smiles and giggles.
Olivia is probably the funniest baby I know. I know you’re thinking I am a loon for calling a baby funny, but trust me. Her facial expressions are enough to turn anyone’s bad day around. The most recent funny story I have is from the other night. Ethan woke up in the middle of the night and took awhile to calm down. I heard some stirring coming from Olivia’s crib and thought to myself, “Oh crap.” (thinking she was going to wake up too). But no, I turn around and see her standing in the crib with a look on her face that said to me, “Do I need to be up for this? Are we eating? Shut up Buddy.”
Obviously, a “you-had-to be-there-moment”, but it truly describes Olivia’s mostly laid back personality. She has developed a face that she uses when she’s having a really good time. We lovingly call it, “The Bunny Face”… Enjoy…
So we moved out of E’s parents’ house when Olivia was still pudgy (and we love every ounce of it), but had since learned to crawl and grew more blond hair. Really? Blond hair?
Some quick stats for the most frequently asked Olivia questions.
• She started to crawl on May 18, 2010. Her dad tempted her with the remote and later with my cell phone. What is it about babies and electronics? And how do I get the smell of baby slobber out of my BlackBerry?
• 9 months old and still no teeth. I am starting to think she is going to need dentures. She has been gnawing on her hand since she was 4 months old and everyone says, “Teeth are coming,” Lies. ALL LIES.
• Yes, she seems to be the boss out of the two.
• She weighed 19 pounds 6 ounces at her check up last week. I have to say I am a bit shocked because I thought for sure she’d be over 20 pounds.
• Yes, she sleeps through the night. Does she go to bed when her brother does? Naw…. She has a habit of wanting to play for a bit longer after her bottle. It’s nice to have some one on one time with her though.
She's our little girl! Some may call her a princess ;) And she still hates the camera.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Update # 1 = Eric
Many of you have asked for an update with E. The best way I can describe him is to call him a Super Trooper! Eric went back to work on May 3rd and the next day, he started his first round of chemotherapy. Again, this chemotherapy is considered precautionary, as the surgeon was able to remove the entire tumor during E’s surgery. However, since there was a presence of three lymph nodes near the tumor, E’s team of doctors decided to be aggressive and try to keep it from spreading. I say, “Be Aggressive. B-E Aggressive.”
Luckily, E has had minimal side effects with his treatments. Fatigue and hiccups if you’re curious. Eric has also been able to remain working and still have an active part in the babies’ lives. Meaning, yes, I can still yell at him to change a diaper!!! He still has a great appetite so he is back to enjoying the foods that he loved (within reason).
I do have to say though, doctors and nurses that specialize in oncology are just extraordinary people to deal with this horrible illness day in and day out. I mean, truly, I don’t know how they go to work everyday.
We took the plunge and moved back into our home on May 23rd after staying at E’s parents’ house since his surgery. Whereas the help we received at their house was invaluable, it was time to get back home. It seems as though we have all adjusted well to being back and returning to daily routines is definitely helping us feel like “normal” again.
Speaking of normal, we finally had our family pictures taken a few weeks ago at Mentor Headlands. It just so happened to be a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky (perfect for squinty smiles) and it felt about 90 degrees by 9:00 AM. Olivia, of course, took awhile to warm up to the idea while Ethan hammed it up for the camera. Special thanks to friend and mentor, Corey, for taking these for us and to our amazing friend and babysitter, Meghan, for helping us out that day! It was hard for me to get on the other end of the camera, but I am so happy with how they came out! Enjoy some of our favorites below……
Again, both E and I would like to thank everyone for the tremendous support we have received over the past few months. I really don't think I could write a thank you note long enough to describe the love we feel from our family and friends. So just so all of you know, we love you too!
Luckily, E has had minimal side effects with his treatments. Fatigue and hiccups if you’re curious. Eric has also been able to remain working and still have an active part in the babies’ lives. Meaning, yes, I can still yell at him to change a diaper!!! He still has a great appetite so he is back to enjoying the foods that he loved (within reason).
I do have to say though, doctors and nurses that specialize in oncology are just extraordinary people to deal with this horrible illness day in and day out. I mean, truly, I don’t know how they go to work everyday.
We took the plunge and moved back into our home on May 23rd after staying at E’s parents’ house since his surgery. Whereas the help we received at their house was invaluable, it was time to get back home. It seems as though we have all adjusted well to being back and returning to daily routines is definitely helping us feel like “normal” again.
Speaking of normal, we finally had our family pictures taken a few weeks ago at Mentor Headlands. It just so happened to be a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky (perfect for squinty smiles) and it felt about 90 degrees by 9:00 AM. Olivia, of course, took awhile to warm up to the idea while Ethan hammed it up for the camera. Special thanks to friend and mentor, Corey, for taking these for us and to our amazing friend and babysitter, Meghan, for helping us out that day! It was hard for me to get on the other end of the camera, but I am so happy with how they came out! Enjoy some of our favorites below……
(c) Corey Ann Photography
(c) Corey Ann Photography
(c) Corey Ann Photography
(c) Corey Ann Photography
(c) Corey Ann Photography
Again, both E and I would like to thank everyone for the tremendous support we have received over the past few months. I really don't think I could write a thank you note long enough to describe the love we feel from our family and friends. So just so all of you know, we love you too!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Blogger Fail
Wow... No entry since April 28th? New record. Well, bare with me as I play catch up. In the meantime, remember when the babies were 8 month old? No? Alrighty-- here they are. And yes, these are from April 29th!
See you soon!
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