I Will Share My Secrets

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

10 Months and Counting.....

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

of baby buttness cuteness.

Happy Weekend!

A Special Day

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

9 Month Pictures...

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.