The 12 Things I learned in the 2nd year of Mommyhood

Last year after the twins turned one I wrote a whole post on the 12 things I learned from my first year of mommyhood, you can read it here.  I figured I should do another one because that one was kind of funny to look back on.

1.  I will say this now, my toddler twins are harder then my newborn twins were.  These tantrum throwing, sibling fighting, independent humans have a mind of their own and they let that be known now.  99% of the time that are sweet, loving and considerate but that 1% well that 1% is a doozy.

See my mad face mom

 2.  An endless supply of snacks is sometimes necessary.  This one is true for me in the car, sometimes they love the car sometimes they hate it.  If I have "nacks" they will ride along happily.  Our favorites are the fruit pouches and animal crackers at the moment.

Example of perfect car behavior

I promise he didn't eat all of those

4.  The outnumber me now.  It used to be ok because they were running around, but now, now they run and fast at that.  Usually I'm chasing one and the other thinks it is hilarious to run the other way (They must know I need to run).  Man on man defense is our best method right now, at church we have a ratio of 2 adults to one child to keep them entertained...

5.  Disney Junior is sometimes my best friend.  (Don't judge unless you know), I may know the hot dog song by heart now and honestly never knew what MMCH was until we started watching and if you know what it means too I won't say anything.  But during that "witching hour" as we call it, usually between the hours of 4-6 when they are starting to get hungry and cranky, it is all that will call them down.  They ask for Mickey and Steins (Little Einsteins) now. ::hangs head in shame::

6.  Where does their energy come from.  I've told my husband if I had 1/8 of the energy they had I wouldn't be exhausted when 7 pm comes around.  I mean is their baby crack in animal crackers....it is like an endless supply of craziness.

7.  Toddlers are so very smart.  People tend to underestimate the brain power of a toddler.  Ava and Landon can remember things, like where they found a toy last (I mean I sometimes can't find my own keys).  The other day Ava mocked my mom giving herself an insulin shot.  I mean she has seen her do it maybe two times and she pulled her shirt up and tried to give herself a shot with a marker...Their brains truly are little sponges.

8.  People still ask dumb questions about twins (like they've never seen them before)...I'm sure this will be on my list for a long time.
Example of a typical conversation:
Random Person: "are those twins"
Me: yes
Random Person: "WOW I bet you have your hands full"
Me: yes
Random Person: "They must keep you busy at that age"
Me: yes
(get the point)
Yes my hands are full but so is my heart, yes they keep me busy but I wouldn't have it any other way.

9.  Sometimes it is necessary to loose your mind.  My most favorite post on this is AP from I Love You More Than Carrots where she talks about letter C paint in the bath tub.  Sometimes it is just necessary to do something that you know will be a pain to clean up but you also know it will keep them entertained for a solid 30 minutes and time, my friends, is vaulable.

10. If I teach them young maybe they'll help.  This applies to my little helper Ava who took an interest in all things cleaning.  She love to "clean" with me, she will wipe and vacuum with her little vacuum, I'm not going to lie, it comes in handy sometimes.

She insists on wearing Landon's shoes...

11.  The twitter and the blog world is full of awesome people.  I joined twitter around the time the twins turned 1.  I could never have imagined the amazing people I have met on there, really there are too many to list.  Other moms who were going through similar things with kids around the same age.  People to bounce ideas off of, to ask a quick mommying question.  I have created some great friendships with these people.  It is amazing when more people on Twitter wish your children Happy Birthday than those on Facebook who you know IRL.

12.  Lastly, I could never love two little people as much as I love Landon and Ava.  They may stretch my patience and it can be trying but at the end of the day I would lay down for those two.  I would walk a thousand miles, I would do anything and everything to make sure that everyday they feel loved and taken care of, happy and healthy.  I always have said I love this stage of life that they are in, then they hit the next stage and I love that one even more if possible.

This rarely happens any more

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

Next Monday my hubs and I will be taking our first vacation sans kids since before we started IVF.  Obviously, having never been away from my kids (except when they were held hostage  learning to breath and eat in the NICU) I am a bit nervous and anxious which I'm sure is expected whenever a parent decides to go away on a vacation and leaves their heart(s) in someone elses perfectly capable hands.

The twins will be staying at our my parents house since we are already living there waiting out to build it is a perfect time as there will be minimal disruption from their day to day schedules and they'll have their own stuff.  My sister is taking the week off from her job to come up and help as well.  I know that they will be fine, I'm sure I'll be the only who is a mess in any of this.

I have put together presents/activities for them to open and do each day that we are gone.  My sister and parents plan on taking them to Northwest Trek and the zoo possibly.  I'm sure they will keep them plenty busy and occupied to not realize that we are gone much. 

I know that this time away is good for us as a couple, to relax, to not think 24/7 about what they ate for breakfast, did they play enough, did I stimulate their little brains with numbers and the abc's, what's for dinner and all of the other things that run through our heads as moms.  We will be able to sit back and relax which is something we haven't done in a very long time. 

We are headed back to Maui with a couple of good friends, which is where we spent our honeymoon, we will be gone for a whole week. I'm excited for gorgeous weather, the beach, the atmosphere there.  Basically I love Maui and am excited to go back.  We are staying at the Honua Kai which we have heard from our friends who we are going with is amazing!

source

So here is where you can help me, if you have left your little ones for a vacation, what did you do to make sure that everyone is on the same page, what numbers/names should I leave.  I;ve already gotten some great feedback from some and know that I need to leave something that gives my parents/sister authority to make medical decisions in the event that we can't reached or in an emergency.  I know to leave their insurance cards with them just in case.  But am I missing anything???

For MOMS by MOMS: Pregnancy with Multiples (Link-up)

Linking up again for The MoM's linkup.  Today the host is Jennifer from Blessed with Two, I started following Jennifer on twitter awhile back before she gave birth to her boy/girl twins and she is one of the sweetest people I "know".  If you are a MoM and would like to link up head over here.

After 3 years of trying to get pregnant, we turned to IVF for our chance to start a family.  We started our cycle in September of 2009, in October we had a positive pregnancy test. 

My pregnancy was plagued from the get-go.  I had terrible morning sickness, nothing helped.  I lived on saltines and phenergan for 4 months.  I missed so much work, I could hardly pry myself out of bed before 10 am (I found the only thing that kind of worked was getting up very slowly).  Becuase of this I lost weight initally, which I tried my best to put back on after I started feeling better around 16 weeks.  From 16-23 weeks I felt great, I had energy, I started putting the nursery together soon after finding out we were having a boy and a girl.  We had hit the "jackpot".



At 23 weeks I was getting ready to go run an errand, when I felt pain, I had already experienced a few braxton hicks by this point, but THIS this was different.  I called my hubby and told him I was sure I just had a real contraction.  I started timing them, I was at one every 8ish minutes.  We called the doctor who told us to go to L&D immediately. 

23 weeks

I was hooked up to all the machines, I knew that 24 weeks was viability.  Sure enough I was regularly contracting.  They gave me a shot of terbutaline and it seemed to help.  I was sent home with a Rx to stop contractions and a strict, just take it easy now.  I had a doctor appointment a few days later where they did an ultrasound, my cervix was thinning way too fast for their liking, now my take it easy had turned into, you are not to go anywhere or do anything.  You can go to the bathroom and lay around.  Okay...So my dream of an uneventful pregnancy flew out the window with those words.  Only a few days later I was in L&D again contracting above my meds.  They gave me the steriod shots as now I was past 24 weeks.  They kept me overnight and sent me home under strict bedrest again. 



29.5 weeks

I knew I would do whatever to keep my babies safe inside, our goal was now 36 weeks.  I made it to 30.5 weeks until I had to visit the L&D again.  This time was different, my contractions were officially making me dialate.  I had stayed at 2 cm from 26 weeks on but now I was progressing.  I was sent by ambulance to a bigger hospital that had a NICU.  I was pumped full of magnisum sulfate (worst drug ever) and given pain meds for the contractions.  If you want to read the full story you can read it here and here.  They were able to keep my labor under control and I was officially on hospital bedrest until the babies came. If I made it to 34 weeks I could go home. 

At 32 weeks and 2 days, they were unable to stop my contractions any longer and Landon James and Ava Louise made their dramatic entrance via vaginal delivery and c-section on May 13th, 2010 (you can read the full birth story here. 




Ava




Landon

 My pregnancy and delivery were a crazy roller coaster for me, yet I would still do it all over again for my two little miracles. 

Let me Introduce Myself

Today I am linking up with Heather from Just Wait Til You Have Kids for her MoM (moms of multiples) Monday link up.  Today is all about introducing yourself.  If you read this blog and are a MoM yourself head over to Heather's Blog and link up and meet other MoM's just like yourself.

So Me, well my name is Brittany, I have been married to my high school sweetheart for almost 7 years now.  After three years of unsuccessful tries at getting pregnant on our own we turned to a fertility doc.  In September of 2009 we took our first shot at IVF, in October we found out we were pregnant, in November we found out we were blessed with twins! In February we found out we were expecting a boy (Landon James) and a girl (Ava Louise).  After 8 weeks on bedrest after a few scares with pre-term labor we welcomed Landon and Ava born at 32 weeks into their incubators our arms. 

Fast forward to now and those teeny tiny preemies are turning 2 in just a few days.  I tend to talk about raising multiples on here and the trials and tribulations of being a working mama to two toddlers.  Feel free to stroll around and find out more about us.  I love meeting other MoM's since it really is something you only understand if you have been there. Anyways, thanks for visiting and hope to "met" some of you soon!