A Day in the Life.... With 6 Month Twins

Since today is a holiday and that means an extra day at home, I thought it might be fun to do a day in the life. Days where my husband and I both work are quite different!

Our day started at 6:30am when both boys were up for the day. When I went in to get them, Archer had peed through his nighttime diaper and was SOAKED! So we changed his clothes and diaper and got him all cleaned up, then he sat in his bouncy chair with his blankie and toys and I turned on Turtle Tale to keep him entertained while I changed Beckett.

After getting them both in fresh diapers and settled in their bouncy seats, I quickly used the bathroom, brushed my teeth and threw in my contacts so I could get their breakfast ready. I made bottles first and we practiced holding them ourselves!

This will be a huge help in the mornings. While they tried to drink their bottles,I

I had my first cup of coffee and prepared their oatmeal. Today we had oatmeal with blueberry pear and bananas. Yum!

After oatmeal, we cleaned up and got fresh diapers (Archer pooped!) and got in our jumpy and exersaucer.

I took advantage of this and swept all the floors and cleaned out our freezer since tomorrow is trash day. It was about 8:00 by this time. After about 20 minutes they started to fuss and I could tell they were getting sleepy. I put them back in their bouncy seats and put on Veggie Tales because I had just heated up my nutritious breakfast of Toaster Strudel (left in the freezer from pregnancy days). 

It didn't take long for this to happen:

I quickly finished eating because Beckett was fussing and fighting sleep. I rocked him briefly and we went from this:

To this: 

To this: 

In no time. I checked my email and watched a few minutes of morning tv and Archer  decided to wake up. So we had some cuddle time for a while and watched the Duggars.

By 9:30 everyone was awake so diaper changes and clean clothes it is! Normally I changed them in their bathroom on the changing table but today it was easier to just bring everything in the living room and change them in the floor.

It's about 9:45 and we decide to sit in our bumbos and work on strengthening those muscles! 

I start a load of laundry and bring all the (massive amounts) of dirty laundry through to be sorted. In between putting their toys back on the trays. They've learned how to throw them off into the floor, and sometimes throw them out of their reach! 

I sit down in the floor with them and start folding a load of their clothes and towels. The laundry around here is never ending. My mom is great and often takes loads home to help me out. Beckett tries to help by eating a clean pair of shorts. 

It's about 10:30 and they are starting to fuss and rub their eyes. They didn't sleep long earlier and are tired. I put them down on their pillows with blankie and we have quiet time. I lay down by Archer and he turned his little face to mine, rubbed my nose and passed smooth out. Beckett fights and wins. No sleep for hi I. 

By now it's almost 11:00 and time to eat again. Beckett plays in his exersaucer while I make bottles.

I feed Beckett first while Archer still snoozes in the floor.

No holding our own bottle this time. Archer wakes up about half-way into Beckett's bottle and chills on the floor. When Beckett is finished, we burp and switch out. 

Daddy comes in from football practice just in time to change a poopy diaper and snuggle with Beckett on the couch! It's about noon and he's SO tired. They are both snoring before long, so Archer and I have some snuggle time.

We play with our turtle and rock (after a diaper change and changing the sheets on his bed) until he is snoozing. I put him in his crib and switch out another load of laundry, then take a super fast shower and let my hair air dry and no make-up.

I need gas in my mini and I'm starving, so while Justin is home I run to Sikeston to get gas and Chinese. It's about 1:30 by this point. I call my little brother who is working on his new office, and he's hungry too. 

I wait in the food in the parking lot in silence. Just enjoying my diet coke.

It's 1:52, so once I get the yummy food I drop off Zach's and pick up a new rocker he picked up for me at Target for the boys. (Yes, that's a brownie bar and highlighter in my floorboard. Just keeping it real.) I stopped at this new fried pie shop on my way out of town. Sweet Jesus. I will never lose the remaining 15lbs if I stop there again. I came home with homemade peach, blackberry, apple and cherry fried pies! Yum! The boys were still napping when I got in (going on 2 1/2 hours at that point) so I ate my Chinese and tested the pies. Oh. Em. Gee. I threw another load of laundry in and unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher along with prepping bottles and bowls for the next feeding. At 3:04 I sat down for a few minutes to rest.

Just to keep it real, this is what my living room floor looks like (and will, until I pick up before bed tonight): 

(Those feet belong to my darling hubs, who had sat down with me to "relax" before the babies woke up!)

Well, short lived. By 3:30 we had all been changed and were eating.

As we were eating, Uncle Zach & Aunt MelMel came in to visit, followed by Uncle D and his friend Amanda. Popular people! Around 5:30 the boys had carrots and pears, peas and broccoli and they hung out while Jay & I put together one of their new rocker chairs. I had bought one at a second hand store and got it all cleaned up only to realize it was missing a piece. Have no fear, though, Uncle D went to Lowes and figured out how to fix it. So we should have two new chairs tomorrow!

The boys looked out the front door for a few minutes while I started picking up on the house, but got fussy. Around 6:30 Justin started baths and I lotioned, diapered and pj'ed. That's how we do it some nights. Others we each take a baby. And some nights when Justin has a late practice or football game, I'm on my own.

By 7:00 we started the last bottle and by 7:30 both boys were sound asleep and in bed. I started getting everything ready for tomorrow morning because we both have to work, switched out another load of laundry, and folded a load of clothes. Around 8:30 I heated up the leftover Chinese and sat down to eat. Justin's having hot pockets. That's how we roll. Some nights you do what you can. After I eat I clean up the kitchen and we pick up the house. Justin works on some things for school this week (grades must be in soon) and I sit down to write this. I'm hoping to be in bed by 10:30 and praying the boys sleep tonight. It's been hit or miss since they've been sick.

There ya have it. A day in the life.  No wonder I'm exhausted by bedtime!

Watch A&B Grow: 6 Months

Oh my goodness, suddenly it's like my babies have decided to grow up! I always heard that the 6-month mark was magical with twins, and in some ways it is.

We have a pretty good eating/sleeping routine going on now, and it's so much easier to plan a day. It's not nearly as overwhelming to take them out and about, even if we are gone for a long period of time. They are great about napping wherever we are, and we've got a handle on feeding wherever we may be. That being said, I LOVE having a mini-van. It makes a huge difference in being comfortable on the go, especially with two!

Both boys have been sick for about two weeks. In fact, we couldn't get their 6-month shots at their check-up because they had been running fever and throwing up! Thankfully we seem to be on the upside. 

The pediatrician was very impressed developmentally as to how the boys are doing. You would never know they were over three weeks early! They both are the happiest, most pleasent babies.

Archer 

You are my big boy! Weighing in at 16lbs 12oz and 26 1/4in long, you are built like a little line backer. You laugh all the time and have figured out that your feet and hands are awesome toys. You roll from tummy to back ALL THE TIME but pretty much refuse to roll from back to tummy. You can, but you'd rather not. You are starting to bear weight on those little legs and love your exersaucer. You play with toys and grab anything you can get your hands on. No teeth yet but it has to happen soon, because you are drooling like crazy. You love to eat. Breakfast is your favorite. I've yet to find anything you refuse! Oh, you figured out that if you hold your own bottle, you don't have to wait for brother! 

Beckett

You are such a mess! Boy, do you have a temper. But you laugh and smile all the time! Weighing in a little less than brother, you are 16lbs 1oz and 26 1/2in long. You roll around all over the place and are trying to raise up on your hands and knees. You now immediately roll to your belly to sleep - that is, when you do sleep. You are definitely not my sleeper. You love to stand and play in your exersaucer and despise laying down. You love breakfast but prefer savory over sweet. I think your teeth are coming soon. You are my snuggle buddy and love being cuddled up on the couch. I know that I can get you to sleep by putting your nose to mine and laying next to you. You will be running before walking if I had to guess!

I love you both, sweet boys!

Watch A & B Grow: 5 months

I can't even begin to say how much these little dudes mean to us! I mean, can you stand the cuteness?

Archer and Beckett - you are true joys. Month five has been full of excitement. You both are topping the scales around 16 pounds and are finally moving into 3-6 month clothing. We started solids this month and boy, you both LOVE your food. When you see your bowls you will kick your feet and squeal, because you know what's coming. Both of you rolled over from tummy to back within a day or so of each other, and Beckett will roll from back to tummy. You both will be sitting up before we even know it!

You have finally started to interact with each other and we love watching your relationship bloom. It's obvious you will be the best of friends.

Beckett, you are quite possibly the happiest baby I've ever met. You grin and smile from the second your eyes open in the morning until they close at night. You are so nosy and think everyone is talking to you. You never meet a stranger. You are also an early bird and a champion sleep fighter. You love peas and carrots. I could kiss your cheeks all day long.

Archer, you are a little ham. Your laugh is contagious. Sometimes, when we get you tickled, we can just look at you and you throw that little head back and cackle. You are a tough cookie to crack sometimes, though, and have a very inquisitive and pensive side. I believe you will be a Momma's boy for sure, and you already have a keen sense of stranger danger. You are my sleeper and there are mornings we have to wake you in order to get out the door in time. Those chubby little cheeks melt my heart.

You both are our miracles and we don't let a day go by without remembering that!