Learning Two Reed

The Shirt Says it All...

2010-09-20T22:05:00.001-04:00

My wonderfully animated husband is wearing this shirt because today we found out that Eric is a CANCER FREED REED!!!

E completed chemotherapy on September 8th and recently followed up with a scan last week. After one hell of a nail biting weekend, we received the great news this morning! E will continue on with a round of radiation and oral chemotherapy soon, because...why not? In fact, E's new favorite analogy about the doctor is... 'Well, you reacted pretty good when we stabbed you, let's see what happens when we shoot ya."

So here we are 7 months later... What a ride, Reeders, what.a.ride. Just you people wait for the sappy post in regards to this whole ordeal. But for now, we just wanted to share the news.

What's next for the Reeds you ask? Vacation. More timely blog posts. Lot's of smiles and a ton of gratitude.

P.S. Thanks to Leslie for the shirt :)

One Year Down...

2010-09-01T10:04:00.000-04:00

We made it! Pardon me for not being more preapred with a year in review post quite yet, but I DID get their 12 month photos done the day BEFORE their birthday. Only took me a year to catch up. For now, photos will have to do.

The Eleventh Month

2010-08-19T23:10:00.000-04:00

These should curb your appetite for babies.

Olivia's big news is that she managed to grow 4 teeth in 2 weeks.

This month's Ethan photo was taken by special guest, Daddy!

Do you know what's coming? Brace yourself....

We Made It!

2010-08-18T13:56:00.000-04:00

Twins Day. Considered it conquered. For those that are not aware, identical things, especially people...creep me the eff out. After the initial shock of finding out that I was incubating two people, I had to realize that one day, I would have to attend Twins Day. Well equipped with E, me, Meghan, Brent and Melissa-- Olivia and Ethan had their entourage for their special day.

Cuz ya know, pimpin' aint easy for Olivia.

It was a pretty hot and humid day. Luckily, we were able to seek refuge in one of the tents. Did I mention there was a polka band?

Grass?

On our way out, we stumbled upon some twin Woodys. Can you sense Ethan's excitement?

I did manage to capture some amusing twin photos, but I don't want to be labeled a stalker. All in all, we had a great time and the abundance of delicious fair food made it totally worth it.

Mayday, Mayday. We've Been Hit!

2010-08-05T09:30:00.000-04:00

I apologize for the lack in posts, especially since I had been on quite a roll. Well, we made it 11 months sans major illnesses for the babies other than some pewp eye and sniffles.

That was of course, until about two and half weeks ago. It started off so simple, Olivia cut her first tooth and therefore, was having some typical teething “symptoms”. I put that in quotations because there are apparently some arguments that some doctors believe that all teething brings is a tooth and nothing else. Grain of salt much? But then Ethan started to get the symptoms and no teeth. Uh oh. I think the kids got themselves a ~~little bug~~ gigantic a-hole insect.

So let me put this nicely. Two sick kids and trying to keep a husband healthy sucks hard. Thank goodness for our team of help that were able to keep E out of the loop so that he didn’t get whatever the kids had. As of this morning, I really think we are on the mend and god-willing the kids and I will catch up on some sleep.

By the way, Olivia has cut three teeth in the last two weeks. Guess that is our payback for having late bloomer teethers.

Hospital Necessities

2010-07-27T08:29:00.006-04:00

Having a baby or babies soon? I started thinking about the items I wished I had in the hospital after Olivia and Ethan were born. Despite the fact, that we were in there for 5 days, I can finally look back on it 11 months later. I suppose my baby brain is finally starting to dissipate, if that is possible. Obviously, there will be some no-brainers included, but you’d be surprised as to what you forget or don’t even think about.

1.) Baby wipes. I didn’t bring these and really, one would think that hospitals would provide some. However, all they have us were paper towel-esque sheets and told us to wet them. Poor Ethan had a small irritation on his face by the time we went home. This was something I could have told E to bring from home during our stent, but it just didn’t cross my mind.

2.) Baby clothes. I had 2 outfits ready for the babies to wear home, but didn’t bring anything else. Nothing worse than having boy/girl twins and having to tell people which one is which. Hell, who am I kidding? ‘Til this day, we can still be out with the babies, dressed head to toe in color-specific clothing and people still ask, “Which one is the girl?”

3.) Camera. Or cameras in our case. Since I knew I was having a c-section, I didn’t want E to have to take our larger camera into the delivery room. So our first pictures of the kids were on our annoying point and shoot. I seem to remember E and me complaining about the refresh rate while I was getting sewn up post delivery.

4.) Your “you can’t have that during pregnancy items”. Caffeine. Artificial sweetener. Items that caused heart burn. Someone MAY have even brought me a beer during a visit. Just sayin’. * Ok, I turned it down considered my blood was still getting checked and I didn’t want the nurses to think I was some addict. The thought was greatly-appreciated though.

5.) Pack your layers. I had babies at the end of August—one would think you would be warm. Well, my c-section brought on an array of different body temperatures.

6.) Car seat and base. Make sure you have these installed before you are due or even a month before you are due. Luckily, we have a friend who is the car seat bully, so we were all set. Since Olivia was under 6 pounds at birth, our hospital required she undergo a one-hour car seat test the night before they would discharge us.

7.) Mid-pregnancy clothes. I dropped 32 pounds of baby, water and supposed weight before we left the hospital. I only had my super, OHMYGAWD you haven’t had those things yet clothes and my pants were sliding down my butt when we left. By no means was I slender, but definitely not as rotund as my arrival. Also include in this, different shoes. My feet dropped 2 sizes from Saturday to Wednesday.

8.) Comfy sleeping clothes. Namely ones with a soft midsection. Because this will be the last time you will ever be able to send your kid to a nurse for the night (well, when it is your choice). I will also put it this way; the night nurses are there for a reason. Don’t be a hero, get some sleep.

9.) Baby books. A GREAT idea, to make sure you get all those “firsts” in there. I, however, just let mine sit on the nightstand. Like I said a GREAT idea in theory.

10.) Cell phone charger. Because you all know you will be blowing up.

Happy Blogiversary

2010-07-23T08:29:00.012-04:00

to me!

One year ago today.

Man. We had no idea of what was ahead of us.

I Will Share My Secrets

2010-07-22T08:29:00.004-04:00

As much as I know you all enjoy short, little blog posts with pictures. Today, I decided to share some of the knowledge we have acquired in the past 11 months. So future moms, future moms of multiples—listen up. The following information COULD change your life. Even if it doesn’t, just tell me it did.

Bottle feeding. It’s going to happen. We happen to be a formula family and it works just fine for us. Over time, E and I like to think we have “mastered” our bottle routine. Now, I took these photos before we started to wean the babies off formula, so you are about to witness Operation Twins with Bottles in full effect.

It goes something like this….

At the end of the day, there are 10 bottles to wash…by hand. Santa Paws keeps forgetting to drop a dishwasher off at our house. Be jealous.

Once all the pieces are parts are washed, I allow them to dry on the rack overnight. Back in the day (like, 5 months ago), we used to dry them and assemble at night. Yes, it took us 6 months to realize that we were making more work for ourselves than necessary.

Then, I move out onto measuring out the formula scoopings for the next day. Now, I am not going to name drop, but we use a generic brand formula. It happens to rhyme with Barget. I suggest it if your baby and/or babies have no real formula issues. I don’t remember who thought of it (E, I am sure), but we decided when the babies were newborns that if we had the formula pre-measured, it would make those delirious 3AM feedings better. Pure genius. Who wants to scoop out formula while rubbing one eye? Wait. Do I hear you snickering at my pink kitchen? Came with the house, it is the bane of my existence. Am too lazy to fix it.

Speaking of being one step ahead of the game. During one of her first visits after our release from the hospital, my mom noticed E and I frantically filling bottles with our filtered water. In another stroke of genius, she recommended pre-filling the bottles with water too. Since we didn’t heat or cool the bottles anyway, the babies were used to room temperature water. So alas, we pre-measure the water too.

Now, I am sure you’re asking, “What’s with the rubber band?” That, my friends, is a perfect way to tell bottles apart especially when one person is feeding both babies at the same time. Also, at one point, Olivia would take more formula than Ethan, meaning she had different measurements. Of course, now that the babies are mobile, they will help themselves to any bottle they see bringing the rubber band to a moot point I suppose.

Instead of standing at the sink and precisely measuring water from the filter for each bottle, we fill a jug. Made with real babies.

At this point, I am done for the evening with bottles.

Bright and early the next morning, my helper joins me to finish the bottle process. Cute, isn’t he? Alright, he’s really only there for the Cheerios, but he’s pretty good company.

Then, my friends, the process is complete. Life feels pretty good when there aren’t any bottle duties hanging over my head. The angels sing softly in the background…..

Now, you may be noticing the numbers affixed to the lids of some of the bottles. That is because the babies take different amounts at different feedings. They take 7 ounces each in the morning, 6 ounces during the day and 8 ounces at bedtime. Yeah, I know. Crazy. A lot of trial error with those numbers, but these seem to keep the kids the happiest. This also leads to separate formula container for special sized bottles of course.

So that’s it. It’s probably the most organization in our lives at the moment, sadly enough. Does anyone have anything to add? Leave a comment! Oh and if you’re an aspiring kitchen remodeler….call me.

Once last glimpse of my helper because I just love his bed head.

Our Fourth of July Sparklers

2010-07-21T06:21:00.000-04:00

10 Months and Counting.....

2010-07-20T08:35:00.000-04:00

I like to keep you all on your toes... At least I got this one in just a shade under the 11 month turnover. As you can imagine, since the kids are getting more and more mobile, our little monthly photo sessions are getting quicker and quicker. Must.move.on.to.trying.to.catch.Kori's.tail.

Olivia is all sass.

Whereas Ethan is all about the master plan and mischief.

And... my favorite outtake EVER!

I know. Holy jawdropping-ly adorable, Batman!

Beware

2010-07-16T09:05:00.003-04:00

of baby ~~buttness~~ cuteness.

Happy Weekend!

A Special Day

2010-07-14T13:03:00.000-04:00

June 26, 2010 was a big day for the Reeds! Olivia, Ethan AND E all were baptized in the church where we got married. I can hear the collective, “Awwwww.” All three participates were very well -behaved all day and I was so proud of these three amazing people. For those that were wondering, I was baptized many moons ago, otherwise, I would have joined them.

E had his own ceremony before guests arrived.

Then came the kids' turn.

Olivia with her godparents Deana and Nick

Ethan and his godparents Lisa and Joel

The whole entourage

Finally, their "formal" shots.

Like I Would Forget

2010-06-25T08:29:00.003-04:00

9 Month Pictures...

Confessions from a First Time Mother

2010-06-22T15:35:00.002-04:00

• 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.

Shake that Booty

2010-06-16T09:08:00.001-04:00

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!

Update # 3 = Ethan

2010-06-10T11:35:00.002-04:00

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.

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!

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.

Update # 2 = Olivia

2010-06-09T11:35:00.001-04:00

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.

She's our little girl! Some may call her a princess ;) And she still hates the camera.

Update # 1 = Eric

2010-06-08T12:21:00.000-04:00

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!

Blogger Fail

2010-06-06T08:17:00.000-04:00

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!

Leprechauns and Bunnies

2010-04-28T08:24:00.000-04:00

In the midst of all the craziness that has been going on for the last 8 weeks, we still managed to celebrate some more of the kids’ first holidays. And by celebrate, I mean dress them up and try to get them smile for the camera.

St. Patrick’s Day. ‘Tis my favorite holiday, usually. Not only does it showcase my Irish roots, two days after my birthday but it also means the Spring is on its way! Also, I won’t lie…Beer. Well, no beer was had this year (or last year for that matter…cooking babes). E had been home from the hospital for a mere 3 days, everyone was exhausted; I received disturbing and devastating news on my life-long bestie… Needless to say, it wasn’t the best St. Pat’s and my kids’ faces in this photo sums it all up.

A few weeks later, Easter was upon us. E was feeling better and the kids had their fancy outfits all pressed and ready to go!
“Won’t they look so cute with Easter eggs around them?” I say to my trusty friend, babysitter and fellow photographer, Meghan.
“Totally! Let’s do it!” Meghan says.
Big mistake. Kids didn’t look up once during our little photo shoot. But hey, they are still cute.

Dear Interwebs

2010-04-26T08:37:00.002-04:00

Let us talk about cups. The sippy kind. When did you start to introduce them? How did you introduce them? Any words of wisdom?

Oh Crap.

2010-04-20T08:27:00.000-04:00

I forgot to post their 7 month photos. Now you may view the nomness that is Twins of Reed.... Be prepared. Although, those on Facebook have seen these for weeks now.

See you in a few days with their 8 month photos!

Dear Interwebs

2010-04-19T08:34:00.000-04:00

It was a big weekend over at the Reed Compound this weekend. Ethan has figured out how to roll from a sitting position to his tummy. He then proceeds to scoot around in circles endlessly searching for the best toy ever! Once he realizes what those knees can do, we’re in trouble. Olivia is officially an ambi-turner and can roll over TO her tummy and BACK to her back. ~~Once she realizes what those knees do, we’re in trouble~~. We’re in trouble.

All this being said… We have a few questions for the interwebs that seem to be Olivia-centric this week. Feel free to answer one or all in our comment box. Thanks for all your insights, we really appreciate them.

1. Now that Olivia is found on her tummy in the crib in the morning, do I leave her that way?

2. Do we leave a blanket in there for her? I have heard the many warning signs of leaving a blanket in there when a baby is getting all twisty and turny. But then I have also heard to give the child a friggin’ blanket.

3. Olivia now hates cereal. Hates fruit slightly less. Loves her veggies. Will she be ok without cereal since she won’t eat it (even when we mix it with fruit)?

Annnnnnnnnnd go!

Top 10

2010-04-07T10:41:00.000-04:00

I have resorted to stealing from other websites. No, but really, I always find this kind of information interesting. When E and I chose the names Olivia and Ethan, we often were told how many other people they know with kids of the same name. So what? Kids have enough problems in life and throw in a terribly misspelled name because Mom wanted it to be ‘different’? No thanks, I refuse to be blamed. I always told E I wanted our kids to be able to find pens with their names on them because I could never find any “Colleen” embossed pencils. Alas, this is why we have an Olivia and Ethan and not a Peachy and Luigi. Roll your eyes all you want, it’s true.
Still early in the year, but here is a list of the Top 10 baby names so far in 2010.
GIRLS

1. Charlotte

2. Olivia

3. Elizabeth

4. Amelia

5. Emily

6. Ava

7. Ella

8. Claire

9. Emma

10. Violet

BOYS

1. Oliver

2. Owen

3. Henry

4. Liam

5. James

6. Jack

7. Alexander

8. Benjamin

9. William

10. Noah

courtesy of www.parentdish.com

And… the Top 10 baby names from the year I was born… (1979 for those wondering… I have no shame.)

GIRLS

1. Jennifer

2. Melissa

3. Amanda

4. Jessica

5. Amy

6. Sarah

7. Heather

8. Angela

9. Nicole

10. Michelle

BOYS

1. Michael

2. Christopher

3. Jason

4. David

5. James

6. Matthew

7. John

8. Robert

9. Joshua

10. Brian

Courtesy of www.ssa.gov

Dear Interwebs

2010-04-05T08:21:00.001-04:00

I have been thinking that perhaps I will start a new segment on Mondays asking YOU, my readers for help with my kids. Because, we all know whatever you read on the internet is true, right?

Sooooo..

Dear Interwebs,

My kids hate to be on their tummies. Hate it. Olivia will, in fact, go on her tummy and then swiftly roll over onto her back. When she gets angry about that, she will lay on her side. Ethan, on the other hand, just flat out whines incessantly while on his stomach and has no interest of rolling over. The both enjoy sitting up on their own, but then get irritated when they lean forward and ultimately, end up on their stomachs (side notes- doesn't the word "stomachs" look weird?)

So how do I get Olivia and Ethan to enjoy tummy time until they realize that it is the gateway to mobility?

Leave me a comment and I appreciate the help!

And He's Back!

2010-04-02T08:53:00.006-04:00

I do apologize for lack of updates, posts or even baby pictures. I won’t lie to you, I just haven’t felt like doing it.

First things first. Eric was released from the hospital on March 14th, six days after his surgery. He took it slow and made sure he was resting and not pushing his recovery. Everyday since then has been a bit better or easier for him. Unfortunately, the cabin fever mixed with unseasonable Northeast Ohio warm weather, he’s been itching to get out and about. Luckily, he’s been able to tag along with his dad or brother on daily errands, which is a big improvement to where he was three weeks ago.

Secondly, since many of you had asked, Eric will be undergoing a round of precautionary chemotherapy to ensure the cancer didn’t spread. But we will not dwell on that right now.

And finally, I want to take this time AGAIN to thank all the special people in our lives that have been there for us. It truly meant a lot to me, Eric and his parents that people took the time to make us meals, came in from out of state, offer to baby sit and offer their shoulders to cry upon. It is amazing to see our “community of people” join together to help us out. So thank you, you know who you are.

We continue to ask that you keep Eric and our family in your thoughts and prayers.
I hope to be back with some super updates about Olivia and Ethan. However, the interweb powers aren’t always on my side these days. Alas, you better believe me that Olivia and Ethan are growing and turning into “almost” mobile babies. Watch out!

He's OK

2010-03-10T06:45:00.002-05:00

Eric’s surgery went well on Monday. There were no complications and the doctors were able to get everything out that they needed. It will be another waiting game to see if it spread though.

Eric is currently still in ICU, but that is really the best place for him to be.

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers.

All You Need is Love

2010-03-05T08:02:00.002-05:00

and a chew toy.

Happy Belated Valentine's Day!

An Announcement

2010-03-03T11:48:00.000-05:00

I have written this blog entry over and over again in the past week and each time, I end up deleting it. So I will just cut to the chase, as most of you know the news anyway. If you don’t know what I am talking about….Be prepared.

Eric has cancer.

Ugly, stupid cancer in his liver and he is undergoing a partial liver resection on Monday the 8th at the Cleveland Clinic that will hopefully get rid of his tumor. The past month has been a whirlwind of ER visits, doctor visits, testing and procedures—but we finally got the answers we feared. Now, we just need to fix it. In preparation of this surgery, Eric has undergone a procedure to beef up his left side of his liver so that his recovery is easier on him. He has been a trooper through all this. Eric Reed is my hero.

I actually debated whether or not to broadcast this on my blog about my beautiful twins, as it is a happy place. After talking with Eric, we decided that perhaps posting this will help me in some sort of way.

I feel broken. I am scared for my husband. I am scared for my children. Pretty safe to say I now get less sleep now than when we first brought Olivia and Ethan home. People ask questions I do not have answers for. My husband is thirty-two years old and has cancer. A type of cancer that seventy year-old men get. How f***ed up is that? A month ago, our biggest problem was who was on our guest list for our children’s baptism guest list and now… Well now, everything else seems so trivial.

Eric and I have often been categorized as competitive and stubborn. I firmly believe that those two attributes will get Eric through this time and we will, for lack of better words, kick cancer’s ass. A motto that has transpired over our years together has been “Reeds don’t Lose”. I hope and pray that this will hold true and perhaps one day, a t-shirt will be made in our honor.

I will be back to update Eric’s progress, with some twins updates as well. They are the real super stars on this blog anyway.

I would also like to take this time to thank our family and friends for the love and support they have given us while getting to this point. Olivia and Ethan are well-taken care of and continue to make each day better with their smiles.

Please keep Eric in your thoughts and prayers.

6 Months (ish)

2010-03-02T08:43:00.001-05:00

As it turns out, Olivia and Ethan will only get to celebrate half birthdays every four years on leap day. I am not going to let that stop me from babbling on about our babies. No way!

Olivia

Our first born. Weighed a half a pound less than her brother at birth. Didn’t cry when she was born. Surprised me and most of my side of the family, with her light-colored hair and beautiful blue/green/gray eyes. Has the pinchiest cheeks ever. Has a temper. Loves Kori, our cat. Has always been a very good burper. Not a fan of carrots. Loves car rides, but gets upset if you go under 50 mph. Her middle name, Langley, is also my middle name after my fraternal grandmother’s maiden name. Loves her Daddy’s funny sounds. Never really took to a binkie. Rarely fights a nap or bedtime. Much rather sleep in her crib than cuddle with someone. Loves to watch Dora and Cash Cab. Doesn’t find the humor in many things like her brother does. Wants whatever toy Ethan has. Looks pretty darn cute in the color pink. Is really starting to form her own personality lately and we have a feeling she will be a handful.

Ethan

Younger than his sister by a minute. Was very angry when he was born. Has a slight ginger-tint to his hair making him look like his Daddy. Has these amazing brown puppy dog eyes, which will probably get him far in life. Loves his binkie and can almost get it in his mouth and actually let go of it. His first smile was at a 4:00 AM feeding when he was 6 weeks old. Is definitely the sensi of our family. His middle name, Roger, was the name of Eric’s grandfather. Is super ticklish under his armpits. He is nicknamed, “Mr. Half Hour” because his naps rarely go over thirty minutes. Will cry if Olivia is crying. Loves to snuggle. Lets Olivia play with all their toys first and then, he will start to play with them. Loves to jump! Is an early riser. He is perfectly content lying on the floor on his back, kicking his legs. Rubs his eyes when he is tired. Loves to talk to his sister during playtime and make her smile.

And finally, we will leave you with a tender moment. Ethan trying to make Olivia laugh, unsuccessfully. She's one tough cookie!

Here's to another amazing 6 months!

Veggies?

2010-02-24T08:24:00.001-05:00

We have been branching out this month to food with actual flavor. Green beans were a hit after a week. Peas were interesting and carrots... Well carrots are not for everyone.

Enjoy Olivia and Ethan's first vegetable experience and special thanks to Tiff and Melissa for helping out! I am sure you are all getting sick of our Pack N Play backdrop!

Ethan's Hobby

2010-02-22T08:05:00.001-05:00

Alright, we may not send him out in the wildnerness... But if we did, he'd totally be the cutest kid out there. Binkie and all.

Oliviaz Gotz Skillz

2010-02-19T08:17:00.001-05:00

Olivia is over the whole goo-ing and gaga-ing. She's moved on to drafting her memoirs.

And what did this brilliant girl type?

"jhhhh j t6glr4dct2i0o69ilpum.kv-lkufggffggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg fjh p';mseeeeeeeeeplh'[[['"

Groundbreaking. Really.

Hey! We are 5 Months Old!

2010-02-09T12:11:00.000-05:00

I might add, I actually took these ON TIME, actually a day early. Life just got in the way of blogging about it. Pesky life. Obviously, Ethan was a bit more into taking pictures, yet again.

And finally, a picture I have been dying to get for months now. Proof that the kids actually like each other. Don't mind their daggar claws.

What 4 Months Brought Us

2010-02-02T20:00:00.003-05:00

Cereal.

It was a big day when we got the clear from the pediatrician to start on rice, oatmeal and wheat cereals. Enjoy the progression from formula only babies to cereal crazy babies..

At first, Olivia and Ethan were quite excited for whatever awaited them on their trays.

Then there was the taste test

And finally, the aftermath

Which lead to the confusion

All in all, they have it down now and in fact, look forward to the cereal!

Also in the 4 month mark, we introduced THE JUMPER! Olivia is a huge fan, as it let's her stand for periods at a time.

And finally, Ethan shows his love for his taggie blanket, which we find in odd locations at nap time!

Month Four was a great time, as we love to watch Olivia and Ethan transform into these little beings that do people things!

Christmas, 4 Months, New Years and the Pewp Eye

2010-01-19T08:09:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Bloggy World! Yes, I realize it is 19 days into it, but since this is my first post of the year, I am going to go with it.

Ok, have a good one.... Bye!

Fooled you! Nearly a month of being dormant and you think I would do that?

Ok, I probably would..

So Christmas was a blur. But man, isn't this one of the cutest babies you've ever seen?

Let me preface this with, my kids are four months old. They slept through every gift opening opportunity and didn't give a crap about Santa. Maybe next year.

Shortly after Christmas, they turned four months old. Enjoy their pictures (which they were not in the mood to pose for in any way)....That's okay though, we all can't be super stars ALL the time.

Then it was New Year's and they wore their little OSU shirts and watched the Rose Bowl. They could barely contain their excitement. Really.

The holiday season came to an end with the appearance of an awful nemesis of mine. The Pewp Eye. Better known as pink eye or conjunctivitis. And wouldn't you know it, once Olivia got rid of it, Ethan had it. Ah, life with twins I tell ya!

So we're up to speed here. I am saving all their fun four month activities for the next post, because it is really getting exciting around here...

Here is a hint...

One year ago today

2009-12-26T07:00:00.002-05:00

started like any other December 26th. Looking for places to spend our Christmas giftcards and enjoying a day off together.

The day ended with a positive pregnancy test, prenatal vitamins, and a copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting.

Happy one year of being in our lives Babies! (Although, I should say baby since we didn't know there were two until much later)

Santa!!! We KNOW him!!!

2009-12-25T06:51:00.000-05:00

From our crazy house to yours, have a wonderful Christmas!

Questions Answered

2009-12-16T08:40:00.003-05:00

1.) Do twins run in your family?

Eric’s favorite smart ass answer: “No, they typically walk.”
Our PC answer: “No, but they do now."
Twin factoid: The twins gene come from the mother’s side. After extensive research (not really), I could not find any on my side. What we have are "coincidental twins" which happen every 1 in 80 pregnancies. Yeah. Think about it.

2.) Do you get any sleep? Usually mixed with are they sleeping at night?

Our PC answer: “Yes, they typically sleep 10-12 hours a night except for when Ethan has other plans.”
Our smart ass answer: "Yes and if you jinx it, I will punch you in the face."

3.) What are you going to do about braces, college, etc?

Our smart ass answer (because...really?):“We’ll pick our favorite and that one will get ______."

4.) Are they identical?

Our PC answer: “No.”
Our smart ass answer: “No because one has a penis and the other has a vagina.”
Twin factoid: Boy/Girl twins are NEVER identical, see our smart ass answer.

5.) Do they sleep in the same crib?

Our PC answer: “They did until they were 8 weeks old.”
Twin factoid: Olivia is a kicker. We would often come into their room to find her in a shifted position with her legs kicking Ethan. Needless to say, the journey into their own cribs was a breeze.

6.) Why do you have a boy and a girl sharing a room?

Our PC answer: “They say twins bond better if they share a room.”
Our smart ass answer: “As much as we want to run between 2 rooms on a nightly basis, we decided one location was the way to go. Well, until they start messing with each other or we have a bigger house.”

7.) Do you (Colleen) still work?

Our PC answer: “Yes”
Our smart ass answer: “Ummm yeah. We have TWO babies and we need to pay for them.”

8.) What are your days like?

Our PC answer: “On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (aka the days Colleen works in the office). **If the kids are still asleep.... Colleen wakes up at 4:45 AM, showers and gets ready, Eric wakes up and gets ready. Pack up the kids in the car by 6:30 AM when Eric drops them off at their babysitter’s. Colleen then picks them up after work and is home by 6:30 PM. Chillax with the babies until 7:15 when we start bedtime. The kids are usually asleep by 8:00 PM and we then wash and prepare 14 bottles for the next day. Then, if we’re smart, we go to bed. Most days we are not in the smart column. On Tuesdays and Thursdays (aka the days Colleen works from home), the kids wake up between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM where the get changed and eat. Repeat for the rest of the day with a few tantrums and tummy time exercises mixed in.”

9.) What’s it like having two babies?

Our smart ass answer: “I don’t know. What is like having one baby?”
Our PC (yet slightly smart ass-ish) answer: “You know when you finally get your baby settled down for a nap and they fall asleep and you can then spend some time with your significant other, watch a TV show or go to the bathroom??? Yeah, that’s when our second baby wakes up. I’m not kidding.”
Twin factoid: Luckily though, our kids DO sleep at the same time during the evening. ::knocks on wood::

10.) Do you think you’ll have anymore kids?
Our PC answer: “No.”
Our smart ass answer: “Hell no.”*

Do YOU have any burning questions for us? Leave a comment and we will gladly answer!

* We love our children, but nothing about sleepless nights, bottle washing and diaper changes make us say, “Hey, let’s do THAT again.”

Ambien for Babies?

2009-12-14T09:07:00.001-05:00

Usually, we are pretty lucky with the sleeping thing. On a normal basis, Olivia and Ethan sleep soundly for 10-12 hours a night, waking up to eat between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM to eat. However, every few days or so, Ethan decides to have a party on his own in his crib. Our night last night went as follows:

1:42 AM- Ethan woke up yearning for his binkie. I woke up, found Ethan smiling and replaced it and fell back asleep.

2:30 AM- Ethan decided he wanted to host his own talk show. E woke up, replaced the binkie and returned to bed.

3:00 AM- Again, I woke up to Ethan whining. Not crying, just whining. Replaced that damn bink and crawled back in bed.

3:30 AM- Ethan was whining again and E replaced the foul bink… Ethan was up moments again.

3:45 AM- This time, E and I were both up. Tried to ignore the incessant whining.

4:00 AM- Decided to just feed them so Ethan would sleep until it was time to go his grandma’s. Both kids were fed and put back to bed.

4:45 AM- I got out of the shower and Ethan was crying like someone was holding that damn pacifier for ransom. Replaced it and he slept peacefully until 6:45 AM when it was time.

My question, Dear Internets, is WHY? Is there a trick we’re missing? How the hell does Olivia sleep soundly and Ethan does not?

Oh yeah... 3 Months Old...

2009-12-07T20:33:00.000-05:00

In the excitement of getting wonderful Christmas Card Pictures , I forgot to blog on their 3 month birthday. Enjoy my kids...

The kids also celebrated their very first Thanksgiving at their Great Aunt Margaret's house. On a side note, Olivia did have on a dress, but you know.... She had other plans. This is also our first family photo without me being on an operating table.

People have been asking if I think Olivia and Ethan are similar. What do you think?

We've been researching new entertainment endeavours.

And practicing our Ho, Ho, Ho's for Santa!

Christmas Card Picture Fail

2009-12-06T18:09:00.003-05:00

The Things We Love...Vol. I

2009-11-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

Once people find out that we have twins, the most popular question is, “How much harder is it with twins?” Our most popular response?

We don’t know how easy it is with just one baby.

Parents of singletons please do not attack me for saying “easy”. We’re all on the same team here.

I know when I was an expectant parent; I probed other parents as to what baby items worked for them. As most people will you, everything is an experiment. What may work for my kids may make your kids kick and scream. Alas, here is a list of what has got us through the past 2 and half months. I should also mention, I am not listing these for any promotional deals. Just keepin’ it real.

1. Fisher Price Hoppy Days Bouncer (x 2)

These little gems are like crack for my little ones! Olivia and Ethan have been using these since we got home from the hospital. At the beginning, it was a place for them to snooze and we could move them to where we needed to be in the house. As of late, they have enjoyed the “friends” dangling in front of them and listening to the little music diddy that plays. Ethan has a touch of the colic, so being able to bounce him during those horrendous three hours has been a lifesaver! Olivia loves the massage feature.

2. Graco Twin Bassinet/Pack N Play

For anyone that has a multi-level house, this is definitely a must have! We keep ours on our bottom floor better known as our living area. It’s so nice to have an option to put them down when the phone rings or when the laundry needs to be switched over. Only downfall? It only comes in one pattern and it’s definitely not as cute as some of those single ones out there.

3. The Boppy (x2)

Some people scoffed when I registered for these, as I chose not to breastfeed. But thanks to avid blog follower, friend and fellow mom to twins, Jessica, I quickly learned how to feed both my kids at the same time.

4. Sassy Formula Dispenser (x 4)

Good friend and author of The Baby Luc and With a Little Luc, Tiff, got me these for my baby shower. Sweet Baby Jesus, we love these. We fill them up with the babies’ formula, so when we’re making bottles with one open at 4:00 AM, no measuring is required. Obviously, also works great with travel!

5. Itzbeen Baby Care Timer (x 2)

Recommended by a friend of the babies’ Uncle Greg, the Itzbeen has revolutionized our world. With a quick hit of a button, you can time the last diaper change, last feeding, sleep times or create your own button (we used ours for poop. Yes, I just said poop.) Sure, you can just write all these down, but sometimes a free hand is just not available. Our proudest Itzbeen moment was towards the beginning and we’d hear a cry in the middle of the night and automatically go into bottle mode. With the help of the Itzbeen, we were able to say, “It’s only been an hour” and learned that they were just fussing and we able to get some more sleep. Also, with the kids going to their babysitters’ houses, it’s good to keep up with them without asking our sitters to write everything down. Love you, Itzbeens!!!

6. Diaper Genie II Elite Disposal System.

Hands.free.disposal. Enough said!

7. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste

If you can get past the name, stuff works like a charm. Once we see a bit of diaper rash rearing its ugly head, we apply the paste and it’s instant relief for the babies. Get the large tub!

8. Especially for Baby Disposable Diaper Bags

These little scented bags are great for when you are not close to your diaper disposal system. Like I said before, our living area is on the third floor of our house, whereas, the Diaper Genie is in the babies’ room on the third floor. This way, you can dispose of the diapers and wipes without the horrific smell that follows. This is also great for the diaper bag so you don’t offend your party hosts with a trash gem!

9. Baby Einstein Baby Neptune Ocean Adventure Gym

It has dangly things, lights and music. Three best things ever, according to infants!

10. Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Soothing Seas Aquarium (x 2)

Again with the lights and music thing. Ethan, especially, loves his “stories” as we call it. The remote is a wonderful feature!

11. Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Handwash

Obviously, you will wash your hands… a lot! The moisturizer part is key though, everything else just makes your hands cracked and dry.

12. Mesh Laundry Bag

Two weeks ago, my 8 month old washing machine died. The culprit? A baby sock stuck in the pump.

Two (and a half) Months

2009-11-13T05:27:00.005-05:00

Hmmmm…. It would appear as though my blogging responsibilities have been lacking as of late. We’ve had a busy month here in the Reed household and we’re hoping to enjoy this little lull before the holidays pick up.

It is amazing how much parenthood can change from day to day. One day, we think we have figured out Olivia and Ethan. The next day, it could be the same for Ethan, but Olivia has decided to go in another direction or vice versa. Such is life with twins.

We have had quite a few milestones since the last bloggy update.

• We have mastered tubby time. It no longer sounds like we’re dipping the babies in battery acid when we start the bath. Bathing is much more lax for all parties involved. Ethan, for one, enjoys dipping his foot over his tub seat into the bubbles.

• We have smiley, happy babies. Their first smiles started around mid-October and every time they give us a grin, it still melts our hearts.

• I went back to work full-time at the end of October. Whereas it was nice to get back into the “real” world and take showers in the morning, it was definitely an adjustment phase for all of us. I am lucky enough to be able to work from home two days a week. The rest of the week, the kids go to their grandparents’ house and end the week at their friends’ Nathan and Emma’s place. Everything seems to be running smoothly so far!

• The babies’ enjoyed their first Halloween. Tootsie Rolls.

• Ethan has shown lactose who is boss and now rocks the soy formula. Olivia won’t be too far behind him.

• Not surprising to us, but Olivia is now the larger of the two….By a whole half pound and quarter of an inch! I told her to enjoy it, as that will not always be the case. Most people look at Olivia and say, ‘Wow, she’s so much bigger! She must weigh more than Ethan!” To use our pediatrician’s words, same recipe, different people. Thank goodness for fraternal twins!

• I have taken on the job of packing up their newborn-sized clothes and moving them onto size 0-3 months. A tad bittersweet.

Where I Have Been

2009-10-21T10:35:00.004-04:00

The twins' "Auntie" Leslie finally got hitched in Colorado! For weeks leading up to the wedding, I did have my hesitations about leaving 7 week old babies for 4 days. However, once I knew they were in good hands with E and my mother-in-law, I was ready to perform my bridesmaidly duties. Yes, I made up that word.

For those that don't know Leslie, she is one of "my girls" from way back. We grew up together in The O.F. and really made a connection while we were in Middle School. Since then, we have been in each other's lives through every up and down despite going to different colleges and now, living in different states. I was lucky enough to have her stand up for me in my own wedding two years ago and I was so happy to be there for her big day. I was going to post a bunch of embarrassing pictures of us throughout the last 17 years, but I cannot seem to find my old pictures. ::enter my next post, WHY CAN'T I GET ORGANIZED?::

Congratulations Leslie and Sam! Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your big day!

And no, I did not arrive in Colorado in a hot air balloon!

Story from the Tub

2009-10-12T08:42:00.003-04:00

This one will be a quick one, as I should be working at the moment. However, this was too good not to share.

Time: Sunday October 11, 2009 @ 8:00-ish.
Place: The Reed bathroom
Who: Mom and Ethan

Since Ethan seems to think that getting into the bath is like dipping him in battery acid, it's always a fight to get him in the water. As I put my screaming child in the tub, I saw a fountain sprout and little Ethan peed into the air. After I said, "Ahhh.. Ethan!!", my sweet, innocent little boy turned his head towards me and smiled as if it was the best pee ever. He continued to smile in relief the rest of the bath.

Annnnnd scene!

What We've Been Up To

2009-10-08T11:33:00.005-04:00

Hello to all our new visitors, glad you could join us!

Lately, we've been discovering new things...

Working on our love of tubby time...

Working out...

Chilling out...

Meeting our new babysitter...

Who Has 4 Thumbs...

2009-09-29T18:35:00.005-04:00

and are ONE month old today?

These guys!

I know I have behind on blogging, but hellllloooooo... I have 2 babies. Two very wonderful babies. The past month has been a blur. A blur of feedings, diaper changes, tears, binkies...And that's just between E and I. People were not kidding when they said, "your whole world is about to change."

A change for the better I would say.

Week 3 and the Lessons We have Learned

2009-09-21T09:12:00.011-04:00

1. Being militant with the twins’ schedule is key. If it means kicking out grandparents, missing the end of the game or pushing through it when you’re dead tired- you have to do it. Otherwise, you will kick yourself the next day when the babies are more delusional than the parents.

2. Tubby time IS the end of the world. Really.

3. Showers for the parents every other day is probably considered a plus at this point. Who cares if you’re in there at 5:00 AM for 45 minutes?

4. Your laundry no longer matters. In the 23 days my kids have been alive, I have done 15 loads of their laundry and 2 of ours.

5. I am pretty sure the Sound Machine that plays at bedtime helps put not only the twins to sleep, but soothes us over the monitor as well.

6. Just because E and I are photographers, doesn’t mean we have a ton of pictures of our kids. 2 of them and 2 of us. Unless we train Kori on the Nikon or learn to shoot with our toes, pictures are surprisingly hard to come by. Or, when I do attempt it Night and Day (aka Olivia and Ethan) have a plan of their own.

7. Caffeine. Keep it coming.

8. Ethan looks at me like my father when he’s angry.

9. Olivia is officially OFF the market!

10. Finally, E and I got out, for a whole afternoon! Best remedy for 2 new parents? Football, sun and beer.

Hello World

2009-09-15T08:18:00.005-04:00

I keep trying to tell my kids to give me a minute so I can blog. To my surprise, they just do not care. ::sigh:: In fact, I started to work on this little entry about ~~four~~, ~~five~~, ~~six~~, seven days ago.

I would like to give a very special thanks to Tiff, who was in charge of the updating the blog during the delivery for everyone. If we had planned it better, I would not have gone into labor at 5:15 in the morning on a SATURDAY, but, planning is now something I laugh at.

First off, three cheers for no longer being pregnant! Hip, hip, HOORAY! All the old wives tales of getting yourself into labor failed. What did work? California Pizza Kitchen, shopping for ‘spensive baby clothes and a bribe of s’mores from the aforementioned Tiff. Or, it could have been my 2:00 AM viewing of Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion since I couldn’t sleep. Who knows. Babies wanted out and I didn’t fight it.

What seemed like about thirty seconds later, we were a family of four. I absolutely love this picture because you can see that E is smiling even though he has a mask on, Olivia is being her calm self, Ethan thinks the world is ending and I look happily doped up and am rocking a drunken pirate eye. Alas, we are the Reeds.

We've been home for thirteen days. In those thirteen days, we have learned the following:

* Everything is trial and error. Apparently, those user manuals for babies do not come out after the placenta.
* Boys need their little peeps tucked under when diaper changing. We have been through three brands of diapers for Ethan alone. Recently, we are back to brand # 1
* Never turn down free help; we certainly do not. The love and support we have received from family and friends have been amazing. Whether it's a warm meal or the chance for us to take a nap, we have taken everyone's offer.
* We love to watch their little personalities evolve. While pregnant, E and I would often sit and wonder what the babies would be like. Well, take all of our predictions and reverse them.
* We have proven that we make an excellent team. Since the day I gave birth, E and I have been there not only for our babies, but for each other. You really do need to work together and be each other's biggest cheerleader or else it will all crumble.
* Normalcy? Out the window.

Hope to be back blogging at a better pace, now that we are starting to establish routines. We will have many more photos, as we are getting a lot quicker these days.

They're here!

2009-08-29T11:00:00.003-04:00

I don't have any info yet, but Ethan and Olivia are here! I just got word on Blackberry Messenger. I will update as soon as I know more! Happy Birthday Babies!

**edited to add**

Stats:
Olivia - 5lbs 7oz 18 inches long 9:26am
Ethan - 6lbs 18 inches long 9:27am

Ethan decided to wrestle the umbilical cord and get it loosely wrapped around his neck but is fine. Both are in the regular nursery and looking great! Mom is doing great and chatting on BBM already! Crackberry-head! I am awaiting some pictures and will post them as soon as I have them!

Any minute now...

2009-08-29T10:18:00.001-04:00

Going live!

2009-08-29T08:29:00.004-04:00

Hello bloggy blog world. Some of you may know me, some of you may not. I am Tiff, aka The Baby Luc's momma. I have been given the great privilege of keeping you all informed of Colleen's progression with the twinsies when the day comes.

Well. That day is FINALLY here!! I can't lie and say that my hands aren't shaking right now out of pure excitement. They are straight trying to detach themselves from my body.

I got THE text. The one I have been waiting for. Her water broke at 5:15am this morning. 5 days shy of eviction day. I would like to think that I was the one who made them decide to come out and play. You see, last night we went to dinner and I tried to lure them out with a chocolate covered s'more. OR it could have been the fact that we were browsing around in an extremely expensive baby clothing store? Maybe the Reed kids have expensive tastes? I don't know. We shall see! Stay tuned!

They might make it to Mason's party after all!!!

Oh, that's right...

2009-08-24T10:00:00.003-04:00

……I am a blogger again. Which means, I should not let thirteen days lapse between posts. Honestly, it was probably for the best that I did not because I would just sound like a negative Nancy and would have been cyber- flamed. Obviously, no outside babies yet. At this point, I realize that they will be here shortly, but I need to find things to do to keep my mind off going crazy at the moment. Enter, FAVORITE THINGS!

This post’s Favorite Things include the items I am looking forward to once the babies arrive. Yes, yes. I am aware of the whole cooing, loving and cuddling we will get to have with the babies, but I am talking about things that this mom has been missing.

1. Jeans. With zippers. When I put on my first pair of maternity jeans way back in February, I remember saying, “Why would anyone want to wear regular jeans again?” Comfy time is over, panels make an annoying sound, make me sweaty and I am ready to step back into the world of the normal.

2. My favorite t-shirt. I am far too rotund to wear any of my t-shirts and have been living in E’s for months now. Love the whole idea of “being closer to the man I love” and all, but I feel like a house. A good 2,500 square footer at that.

3. My new Browns jersey. I bought it at the end of last year’s season and my goal is fit into it by the end of this season. One can dream, right? Hopefully, Cribbs doesn’t leave us in the meantime.

4. Photography. I am itching to get back out there and get my little business on the move again.

5. Beer. I realize this may make me look like an alcoholic, but, I miss the option to have a beer with dinner. Or a beer after a long day. Or a beer with some friends. Judge all you want, at least there is not a cancer causing nicotine stick in the picture.

6. Shoes. With laces. I have never been much a flip flop fan, unless I had on capris. This entire summer, I have worn flip flops with anything I am wearing. Jeans, capris, comfy pants. Pedicures are a necessity I wish I could afford weekly.

7. My wedding rings. Not only do I miss the only jewelry I wear, but I get judgmental looks from the little old lady in Dairy Queen. Really Lady? Have you never had children before?

8. My watch. I have always been obsessed with watches and have worn one everyday since I was at least eight years old. My little, water retaining wrists make it impossible to wear a watch with out obscene swelling around said watch. Not pretty.

9. More shoes. With heels. This one would probably go along with # 1 and # 5, mixed in with some Girls’ Nights with some of my favorites.

A Picture Post

2009-08-11T07:47:00.002-04:00

Notice a theme, if you will.

August 11, 2006. In the middle of the ocean in Maine while whale watching and eating lobster rolls. I was quite excited to cheer, "One year until we're married!"

August 11, 2007. 700 days from engagement to wedding day; we had made it. Hands down THE best day of my life.

August 11, 2008. Celebrating our one year anniversary cupcake style!

August 11, 2009. ::Insert a nice family photo of me, E and the babies.:: Probably not going to happen, but I believe it is time for some outside partying... Dontchathink?

Happy 2nd Anniversary to E. It just keeps getting better. Also, Happy Anniversary to my life-long date twins (hahaha..twins. Another sign?) Tiff and Laura!

Day One of Captivity

2009-08-10T08:14:00.002-04:00

I suppose today officially starts my stint as a SAHM. Well, until my time is up according to my short-term disability guidelines anyway. As of Friday, Dr. R has pulled me out of work to rest as much as possible. I must admit, it was rather strange to wake up this morning and not grunt the obligatory, “Ugh. Monday.”

In other exciting Dr. R news, he sent me for a non-stress test on Saturday to check on my kids as 36 weeks is a long time for twins to go. I will admit, there was a little bit of me that kind of hoped the doctors would decide to take them that day. (Flame away, Haters. I dare you.) To no avail, my kids were quite content with their inside home and pretty much informed the world that they would be staying inside forever. However, we did get a run through of getting to Labor & Delivery at our hospital, so….score. This is where I tell you I am so glad they have decided to remain inside babies for the time being. Really.

Also, in Friday’s appointment, I was referred to a sleep specialist as apparently, I stop breathing in my sleep. To tell you the truth, I am really not concerned with it at this point. Sleep apnea is fairly common in pregnancy and should go away after the 12 pounds or so of babies are lifted off my organs. All I can do is hope it goes away after the babies arrive. Along with the carpal tunnel too. Oh and the itchy skin. This, by the way, has definitely put the nail in the coffin about not having any more kids. Nothing worse than scratching your skin so badly until it is raw and bleeding. Really.

Folks, this is why I opted not to blog about pregnancy. Tis not pretty. I am also fairly certain that those women that “love being pregnant” and have no discomfort at all, sniff glue.

I will leave you today with E’s decorating skills for Ethan’s crib. Will tomorrow be a Two for Tuesday Birthday/Anniversary?!?!?

Pink?

2009-08-04T07:32:00.003-04:00

You know those parents that say, “I will never do _______________ with my kid.”? Well, I am not an official outside parent yet and I already caught myself eating those words.

Back in the day, when I assumed I had a singleton baby growing in me, I always had a feeling it was a girl. Call it mother’s intuition or whatever, but since the day the test turned positive, I was sure we were going to have a daughter.

There was one problem; I am adamantly against the color pink. Personally, I don’t have anything against pink; in fact, I find it to be a fun color. I am just not a pink person. I have tried it, not for me. When I thought about the possibility of having a daughter, all I could think of is the over-indulged, Pep to-influenced pink stuff I would get. It was a slight progression in knowing that my possible daughter would be wearing pink, because let’s face it; a majority of the clothes made for infant girls only come in pink. However, I did announce that she would not, under any circumstance, have a pink room.

Then, we found out we were having boy/girl twins. Total game changer. Now, I find myself migrating to the pink because I don’t want people to think I have two boys. Since the babies are sharing a room for now, there are some hints of pink, but still no overly cute, pretty princess, pink stuff.

Colleen – 0: Society - 1

Theory

2009-07-31T10:10:00.001-04:00

I have a thing for dates. I really do. I remember everything, freaky dates that no one in their right mind should ever remember. I associate certain dates with people and believe that there is a meaning behind everything. Here is an example:

My older brother and I were both born on the 15th, one month part. If you multiply the 15 by 2, you will get 30, which is my dad’s birthday. My BFF was also born on the 15th, five months after I was born. That is one example of how I spend my time. Really. One would think that I would be a mathematical scholar, not so much.

Since we discovered I was carrying twins, it has always been a possibility that they will be born in August, since the average twins arrive between 35-37 weeks. For those that are new, E and I were married on August 11, 2007. When you look at a calendar, you will see that August 11, 2009 falls on my 36th week, day 2. If our twins were to be born on this particular day, the following will have happened:

• 2 children born
• On our 2nd wedding anniversary
• Where the digits are 1 + 1

Think it will happen?

I know, I know...

2009-07-29T07:56:00.002-04:00

I announce my comeback and then go dormant for a week. Well, little Bloggy Friends, I am trying to wrap up some projects at work. Plus, I intended for this blog to be used for after-delivery purposes, as you do not want me to blog about my pregnancy. It won’t be pretty, especially when I get flamed.

So, I will be around here and there. Things to look forward to in upcoming posts:

• Leslie’s Bridal Shower
• The Big Name Debate (how we decided what to name our children)
• Some of the best advice I have received while pregnant
• Guest Bloggers such as E and Tiff of The Baby Luc fame
• Do you think I will deliver twins on our second wedding anniversary??
• My aversion to pink.
• Which camera do we take to the hospital? The real concern of two photographers about to become parents.

Sit tight friends.

Oh and P.S…. Could you all give me some good vibes to keep my kids in utero until at least 4:05 PM on Saturday so I can attend Leslie’s aforementioned bridal shower? Kthxbye.

Entourage

2009-07-23T12:24:00.006-04:00

Last time we “spoke”, I was the Non-Smoker, who was actually losing the battle with smoking.

I digress.

Enjoy the following timeline… I may speak in fragments… You’ll get over it.

December 26, 2008 – 3 weeks 5 days- While E and I were “Day after Christmas Shopping”; I realized that with all the hoopla of Christmas, I hadn’t noticed that I did not get my period. We decide to test and make the stop at Target. Nothing like checking out with a new iPod, triple pack of pregnancy tests and a case of Diet Coke. I tested at home and waited for E to check the results. He checked the test and the look on his face could have gone either way. Ultimately, E turned it around and I saw those two lines and gasped. I remember thinking how funny it was that Jaws 2 was playing in the background. Being the internet goober that I tend to be (because you know, the internet is ALWAYS right) and figured out at that my EDD (estimated due date) would be September 6, 2009. E doubted the prediction… Just putting that out there.

December 29, 2008- 4 weeks 1 day- Took another pregnancy test because I could not believe it. Yup- still pregnant.

The next month is what I call “The Sleep Coma” because that is all I did.

January 27, 2009- 8 weeks 2 days- First OB appointment with Dr. R. After a quick inspection of my undercarriage, he verified that I was, indeed, with child. EDD is September 6, 2009. (So the internet didn’t lie!) We were expecting the obligatory ultrasound, but the nurse talked us out of it because our insurance probably wouldn’t cover it. Besides, Dr R. would have said something if he expected twins. Well, we’re just full of surprises and general overachievers. More on that later.

The next month could only be described as Hazing for some cruel initiation. Morning sickness, afternoon sickness, food aversions, constipation, crying. I won’t even apologize for the TMI. It sucked.

February 24, 2009- 12 weeks 2 days- Heard the heart beat for the first time. Good, strong 160 bpm. I asked Dr. R., “just one heartbeat?” He replied with, “Yes, just one heart beat. I think it’s a girl.” Blood test indicated that I was slightly anemic and needed to start iron supplements on top of the prenatal vitamins. Blood pressure was a bit high, so the doctor sent me to a nephrologist who put me on a 24-hour blood pressure monitoring system. Turns out, I just get nervous around doctors, otherwise known as “White Coat Syndrome”.

The next month could be called, “I am OK. Where is the Panera Broccoli Cheddar soup?” because that is all I ate.

March 15, 2009- 15 weeks- I turned 30.

March 24, 2009- 16 weeks 2 days- Third OB appointment, where we heard the single heartbeat again, still at 160 bpm. I was offered the Quad Screening Test since I was (gasp) over 30 and this was my first pregnancy. Since we hadn’t had any ultrasounds up until then and E and I are huge worriers- we decided to go ahead and have it done anyway. We went in fully aware that there was high false positive rate.

March 26, 2009- 16 weeks 4 days- Results from Quad Screen was in and I had an abnormal result and a 1 in 216 chance that the baby had Down Syndrome. Had emergency ultrasound scheduled for the next morning. This was probably the worst day of my life that included 18 hours of not knowing what was wrong with our child. Spent some time at our friends’ house and tried to stay off the internet, especially WebMD. I managed to get a few hours of sleep after reading that only 1 in 50 women with abnormal Quad results actually have something wrong with the baby.

March 27, 2009- 16 weeks 5 days- Entered ultrasound room with E barely able to breathe. The technician started her spiel, lubed up my tummers and put the Doppler/Probe jobber over my uterus. The next few minutes will forever live on in my head.

Technician: Looks at her screen. “Oop, that’s why it’s abnormal.”
Me: Looks at the screen and sees 2 round objects. Places hand over mouth and says, “Oh my God, there are two!”
Technician: “Yup. Twins. Congratulations.” (she had the personality of a wet dish rag.)
E: “Are you serious?”
Technician: “Yup”
E: “I have to sit down.”
Me: “Are they ok?”
Technician: “Looks like it, I will be right back.”

Yada, yada. Babies looked like they were in good shape. Still pretty early to know the genders for sure, but Twin A looked like a girl and they were fairly positive that Twin B was a boy. They will be more certain at anatomy ultrasound at 19 weeks. The babies are fraternal despite the genders as they had two separate sacs and placentas. Within 15 minutes, we thought we were about to prepare for a special needs baby to finding out we were actually expecting two healthy babies. Went from the worst day ever to the best. For the first time in my life, I actually felt blessed. Dr. Awesome (specialty doctor) came in and gave us a run down of what to do while expecting twins. Stopped in to harass/see Dr. R and was told to expect early bed rest (around 26 weeks) and a caesarean section.

The next month is what I like to call “The Shock and Awe” month. Obviously.

April 7, 2009- 18 weeks 2 days- I now see my OB every 2 weeks, as I am now considered a high risk pregnancy. Also, since I was now carrying twins and my father is a diabetic, I was at a higher risk for gestational diabetes (GD). Dr. R sent me for the 1 hour glucose test.

April 17, 2009- 19 weeks 5 days- Felt them move for the first time on our way to the hospital. The song playing was Thriller by Michael Jackson. Second ultrasound. Definitely a boy. Definitely a girl. Everything looked “perfect” according to Dr. Awesome. We were finally able to refer to them as Ethan and Olivia.

April 22, 2009- 20 weeks 3 days- OB Appointment. Failed 1 Hour Glucose test, badly. Need to take 3 Hour Glucose Test.

April 28, 2009- 20 weeks 5 days- Took 3 Hour Glucose Test. Then ate like a chubby king over the weekend, as I thought the days of eating whatever I wanted were over.

April 28, 2009- 21 weeks 2 days- Glucose fail according to Dr. R. Made appointment to see another specialist.

April 30, 2009- 21 weeks 4 days- Met with GD specialist, Dr. LackofPersonality. After they lost my final number, was told I did not have GD and be on my merry way. However, I would need to test again when I was closer to my third trimester. I’ll take that.

May 5, 2009- 22 weeks 2 days- OB appointment # 731… Doing OK.

May 9, 2009- 22 weeks 6 days- Shot my first wedding as a photographer. Finally understood the whole swollen feet thing. Not something I recommend doing when five and a half months pregnant with twins.

Somewhere in between here, I felt them move from the outside. Only slightly disturbing. Also, pregnancy induced carpal tunnel showed up. Not great for a person that spends a majority of her day on the computer and spends the weekend with a camera pointed at people.

May 15, 2009- 23 weeks 5 days- Ultrasound # 3. Olivia was breech, Ethan was head down.

May 19, 2009- 24 weeks 2 days- OB appoint #1005. Waited for 2 hours for a 5 minute appointment. Yup. Still in there.

May 28, 2009- 25 weeks 4 days- 3 Hour Glucose Test # 2.

June 2, 2009- 26 weeks 2 days- OB appointment # 7529. Glucose PASS. Suck it GD believers. No bed rest needed. Found out what “internal check” meant.

June 12, 2009- 27 Weeks 5 days- Ultrasound # 4. Olivia still breech, Ethan, still ready to go. Dr. Awesome was slightly concerned that Ethan was a bit larger than Olivia. We’ll check up on them in 3 weeks.

June 16, 2009- 28 weeks 2 days- OB appointment # 80,107. RhoGam shot injected. No bed rest needed.

Somewhere in between here, E took away my driving privileges as I no longer could reach the pedals. I am now Miss Daisy. E is my Hoke.

July 2, 2009- 30 weeks 4 days- Ultrasound # 5. Olivia caught up somewhat to her brother. She is now head down as well. Ethan goes all ninja with his legs over his head. Dr. Awesome on vacay, Dr. LackofPersonality barely came into the room to chat.

July 2, 2009- 30 weeks 4 Days- OB appointment # 90, 444. If my OB wasn’t such a huggable guy, I would have punched him by now. He insists on letting them stay in there for as long as they want. He doesn’t like the idea of an eviction notice. ::Sigh:: Whatever is best for them I suppose…. No flames, you know I am only semi-serious. Speaking of flames, found out I am totally allowed to have a c-section if I want one. Sign me up. Still no bed rest, I am awesome.

July 17, 2009- 32 weeks, 5 days- OB appointment # zillionty. Reminded that my body thinks it is at 40 weeks because of the size of the babies. Dr. R’s game plan: “36 weeks is good, everything else is a bonus. If they are not here by 39 weeks, I will go in and get them.” Goody. The thought of a possible 6 more weeks of feeling like this reminds me of stupid rainbows and puppy dogs. No bed rest because Dr. R can sometimes be Satan.

July 22, 2009- 33 weeks 3 days- Ultrasound # 6. My kids weigh a collective 9 pounds 2 ounces with putting on a grand total of 2 lbs 5 ounces in the last three weeks. Apparently, E and I make some totally kick ass kids. Dr. Awesome predicts they will be here within the next 2 weeks. I like him. Best thing yet, Olivia has a confirmed full head of hair, which pleases her dad.

July 22, 2009- 33 weeks 3 days- Started new blog…. Crazy to think we will have our own Insta-Entourage in a few weeks. Wonder if Jeremy Piven will be included.

I AM BACK!!

2009-07-22T11:53:00.001-04:00

That's right bloggy world! After a brief hiatus, I am back, knocked up with twins and ready to pop! Stay tuned!