??? Weekly Check-in ??? 9/12/2011

Re: ??? Weekly Check-in ??? 9/12/2011

• redshoegirl member

  September 2011

  (1) What week are you in/how old is your LO? They'll be 17 months next week!
  (2) How are you feeling? Any new milestones or news in the last week to share? Frustrated. See #4. Milestones...their vocabularies are slowly growing. They now say "ca" (cat) as well as "gog" (dog). I think their vocabs are still a bit behind, but that's pretty common for twins.
  (3) Next appointment date?  Any big ultrasounds/other exciting stuff coming up? Just the 18 month checkup.
  (4) What's been your greatest BR challenge this past week? Boundary pushing. Today has been especially bad. Both boys were intentionally doing everything (e.g., messing with the stove, turning on the dishwasher, whacking the wall with big heavy toys, etc.) they KNOW they're not supposed to. It's been a challenging day. I know it's their job right now, but it's still frustrating as all hell.
  (5) Tips from mamas of two or more... how do you manage the day-to-day with two or more littles? LOL this is probably not a good question for me today. It's been rough. And I'm not sure how useful my advice will be (this was your question, right Lori?) since two of the same age is quite different to two of separate ages. I think my simplest - and most general - piece of advice is to be as organized as you can. Pick out everyone's clothes the night before. When you get home after spending the day out, restock your diaper bag ASAP so it's always ready to go.   Something else to keep in mind is obvious but always good to remember: your kids are individuals, and that will always present challenges and frustrations, especially because we often unintentionally carry over expectations from one child to the next. First baby was a champion nurser? Second might not be. First baby would only sleep when held? Second might like space. And so on and so forth. None of this is bad, but it can be frustrating when you want a child to do something that doesn't mesh with their preferences or personality when their sibling did it so readily. And lastly...you're not superwoman. You're a mother. You WILL at some point be faced with two screaming children and feel overwhelmed and frustrated and as though you can't do anything right. Just remember that you're not alone - we ALL feel like that, even if we won't admit it! 
  (6) How often do you and DH have date night? Do you wait until your LO is asleep and then go out? HAHAHAHAHAHA. Sorry. That would be never. When we were in Bathurst we could escape maybe a few times a year by asking Ben's parents to watch the boys during a weekend afternoon, but that's it. They only wanted to watch them at their house (which I guess I can't complain about since it was free babysitting, after all!) but that made it impossible for us to go out at night. Currently there's an evening event we'd like to attend next month, so we're scoping out babysitters here - a lot of Ben's coworkers have teenagers, so we're checking to see if any of them are interested (and experienced and responsible, obviously). 
  (7) Top 5 baby/kid/mom items. Go! Sophie the Giraffe. Thought it was an overrated, over trendy toy until I needed her. Then we worshipped at the altar of Sophie.Miracle Blankets and/or Woombies. They make swaddling sooooo much easier!Cheap cloth diapers (just the plain flat kind). We didn't CD, but we had boys who spit up a lot and these were hands down the most useful thing! Way better than cute-but-too-small burp cloths. White noise. You might have to experiment a bit to find the noise your baby likes - my guys preferred a dishwasher over anything else - but it can really help during those early sleepless nights! We didn't even buy a white noise machine - just downloaded free noise from here and burned it to a CD. 
   Is it lame that I can't think of a fifth thing? Let me get back to you.
  (8) Do you have a baby blog? Link us up!  My everyday blog is kinda sorta baby, but that's not all it is. And of course there's Pregosaur, although my blogging days are past.
  (9) What other questions would you like to see at upcoming check-ins? Anyone can answer, but especially for SAHMs - how do you keep your identity from being swallowed up in "mommyhood"? Lately I feel a bit like the boys are all I do (my only "me" time is at night after they're in bed), and that's probably not a great balance in life. Any tips? What do you do? Hobbies? You time? Something else?
  

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• MauiWedding08

  September 2011

  (1) What week are you in/how old is your LO? 18.5mo(2) How are you feeling? Any new milestones or news in the last week to share? getting over strep - first me then J. J's first bout of antibiotics.  but now we are both great(3) Next appointment date?  Any big ultrasounds/other exciting stuff coming up? nothing until he's 2.(4) What's been your greatest BR challenge this past week? taking sick leave last week was not ideal, and our backup care (my mom) was also sick.  DH's boss lost his dad so he has been super busy.  glad to be getting back on track this week.(5) Tips from mamas of two or more... how do you manage the day-to-day with two or more littles?
  (6) How often do you and DH have date night? Do you wait until your LO is asleep and then go out? every month or so.  more now with football season since we are not taking LO to any games this year.  No we don't wait.  Either my mom comes to our house to put him down or he just spends the night there.
  (7) Top 5 baby/kid/mom items. Go! ergo, tripp trapp, convertible carseat, sleep sacks, aden and anais blankets
  (8) Do you have a baby blog? Link us up!
  (9) What other questions would you like to see at upcoming check-ins?
  
  

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• lola808

  September 2011

    (1) What week are you in/how old is your LO? 17 months (2) How are you feeling? Any new milestones or news in the last week to share? Very happy to have gotten my hair done! (3) Next appointment date? Any big ultrasounds/other exciting stuff coming up? (4) What's been your greatest BR challenge this past week? Had our first bout of a high fever, which lasted two days. It was very sad to have a whimpery baby, but also pretty awesome to be snuggling on the couch all day, rather than running around trying to keep up with him. (5) Tips from mamas of two or more... how do you manage the day-to-day with two or more littles?
  (6) How often do you and DH have date night? Do you wait until your LO is asleep and then go out? We try for once a month, but it doesn't always happen. We usually leave around dinner time and let the grandparents do what they need to do to make it through evening. They usually end up rocking him to sleep or cuddling more than we do, but it's infrequent and we're happy to let grandparents indulge him every now and then.
  (7) Top 5 baby/kid/mom items. Go! I have 6: Ergo, Euro bath, easy-to-clean-non-smelly insulated lunch bag, plastic trough bibs, pacis, and Miracle Blanket (8) Do you have a baby blog? Link us up!
    (9) What other questions would you like to see at upcoming check-ins?
  

  

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• stargirl76

  September 2011

  (1) What week are you in/how old is your LO? 7wks, 1day
  (2) How are you feeling? Any new milestones or news in the last week to share? Still tired, haha. Although, A has been smiling a LOT more now. Especially when we talk to him. And he's been getting really chatty. Oh, and also a little sad. See #4.
  (3) Next appointment date?  Any big ultrasounds/other exciting stuff coming up? just his 2month appointment in a couple weeks. I'm scared about all those vaccinations. I've heard they make them feel not so good
  (4) What's been your greatest BR challenge this past week? His 6 week growth spurt. He was born a week early, so at the end of week 5/beginning of week 6 we were like "hey, this isn't so bad." Cue last week Friday. THEN the real spurt began. I think we're towards the tail end now, so thank goodness. Also, my momma finally left to go home I thought we wouldn't like having her here for the original 4 weeks, but it was amazing to have her and see her with A. So she extended it by another 3 weeks. I think it also really helped us to bond as mothers. She just left for the airport, so now I sit at home by myself bawling my eyes out, wondering how the hell I'm going to do this.
  (5) Tips from mamas of two or more... how do you manage the day-to-day with two or more littles? I'd love to see answers to this. I can't even begin to imagine being pregnant with one already here. Let alone having 2! Super women, for sure.
  (6) How often do you and DH have date night? Do you wait until your LO is asleep and then go out? While my mom was here, we were able to go out once every couple weeks (which was AWESOME!). She'd also encourage us to nap as much as possible while she watched him. I even got my nails done. Now she's gone, so I don't think we'll have a date night until we go home for the holidays
  (7) Top 5 baby/kid/mom items. Go! Hmm... Miracle Blanket, Ergo, Graco swing, hands free pumping bra... Miracle Blanket? Haha. That thing is amazing.
  (8) Do you have a baby blog? Link us up!
  (9) What other questions would you like to see at upcoming check-ins? What nursing bras/tanks do you recommend?
  
  

  cai(o)&cullen+ahk
  

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• SanHawaii08 member

  September 2011

  (1) What week are you in/how old is your LO? 10 months!
  (2) How are you feeling? Any new milestones or news in the last week to share? Okay.  MH is away for work this week, and I need to make a big decision about what my next role will be (at work).  Kinda stressed.  E is cruising everywhere, super fun.
  (3) Next appointment date?  Any big ultrasounds/other exciting stuff coming up? 1 year
  (4) What's been your greatest BR challenge this past week? The same challenge it's been for the last month - nap #2.  E will happily play in his crib for an entire hour!  And then is super cranky before bedtime, goes to sleep early, and wakes up even earlier, gets overtired, sleeps less and less, etc - just a bad, bad cycle.  So we force him to take a nap in the afternoon by rocking or nursing him to sleep.  When i nursed him to sleep on Sunday, after he fell asleep, he started clamping down harder and harder on my nipple.  After he had been asleep 18 min, i couldn't take the pain anymore, and unlatched him - and he woke up.  I cried I was so frustrated
  (5) Tips from mamas of two or more... how do you manage the day-to-day with two or more littles? I need tips!  Definitely getting baby fever.  Doesn't help that so many Nov 2010 moms are on their way to 2u2!
  (6) How often do you and DH have date night? Do you wait until your LO is asleep and then go out? HAH.  erm...we went out to dinner for my birthday (in March).  so that would be - once in 10 months?  We keep saying we need to do it again, but we haven't.  but we need to!  I think generally, we would wait until he's asleep to leave, b/c he goes to bed so early (6pm) so it's easiest if i just nurse him and put him down before we leave.
  (7) Top 5 baby/kid/mom items. Go! I think my list has changed over the last few months.  At first, it was moby, yoga ball, swaddle (swaddle me, then a+a blanket, then woombie), eta: oops, reading below reminded me I never finished this.  burp cloths!!  omg, can't believe i forgot to include those.  E was a huge spitter, until we figured out his food issues.  he could easily soak 2-3 of the gerber prefolds per feeding.  other things that have been super, super useful at some point - activity mat, jumparoo, ergo.  also love the tiny diner mat, bumkins bibs, and munchkin spoons now that we're on solids.  sheez - that's a lot more than 5 items.
  (8) Do you have a baby blog? Link us up!  baby<ourlastname> dot posterous dot com, pw is "panda"
  

  

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• MauiBride2008 member

  September 2011

  (1) What week are you in/how old is your LO?  5 months, 2 weeks
  (2) How are you feeling? Any new milestones or news in the last week to share?  Slowly getting back into our groove now that we are in our new house.  It's been nice.  R is getting much better on how he handles his days, he is being a much better boy now probably because he is taking 3 solid naps in the day (that's because he still sleeps in his swing during the day - BUT he does sleep in his crib at night and he does fall asleep right away in his crib for nighttime.  Can't figure out how to train him to nap during the day in his crib.  If he does sleep in his crib, he will only sleep 45 minutes and that's IT)
  (3) Next appointment date?  Any big ultrasounds/other exciting stuff coming up?  Not until his 6 month checkup = dreaded shots again   Which is only a few days until we leave for CO for the weekend = first airplane ride which I'm kinda dreading.
  (4) What's been your greatest BR challenge this past week?  Being home by myself all week and half of last week since MH is traveling for work.  It's lonely, tiring and scary being here in a new house all by myself.  The days are fine, it's just at night I still freak out.  We have a new build so we still don't even have window coverings up in every room (except for R's) so I feel like someone is just watching me all the time.  I'm a scaredy cat at night
  (6) How often do you and DH have date night? Do you wait until your LO is asleep and then go out?  We had 1 date night since R was born and that was for our anniversary.  We left R with my SIL and it went very well (so she said)   We left around 5 or 6 in hopes we would be home in time for his bedtime so it wasn't too hard on her getting him down for the night.  It worked out perfectly and we had a great time which was very needed...especially for my sanity since my whole days anymore are R all the time.
  (7) Top 5 baby/kid/mom items. Go!

  • ditto Sophie
  • burp cloths for sure!  We had only two then my aunt had mailed me a box of about 12 burp cloths that she had sewn some fun ribbon on.  At the time I was like "ok" and just whatever about it and it turns out I use them ALL the time and the most because R is a good vomiter 
  • the exersaucer!  It's going to be a sad day when thing has to be retired.
  • the little frog thing that makes noise that straps on your carseat so LO can play.  It's the only thing that will keep R occupied while driving or while running errands.
    

  That's all I have since everything else we have is pretty basic and R never liked to be swadled.

  
  

  (8) Do you have a baby blog? Link us up!   Our blog
  

  (9) What other questions would you like to see at upcoming check-ins?  Lisa's couldn't be more perfect!  I'm in dire need of having the same question answered!
  

  
  
  
  | Olowalu, Maui ~ August 6, 2008 |
  | Family of 4 ~ April 2, 2011 |
  | Family of 5 - October 24, 2012 |

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• lelekay member

  September 2011

  (1) What week are you in/how old is your LO? 13.5 months
  (2) How are you feeling? Any new milestones or news in the last week to share? Okay, but a little overwhelmed.  I guess I assumed that working this year would be easier now that he is STTN an we have more of a regular routine.  But it's harder!  I guess I just miss him more now since he now has more a personality and he understands that I'm leaving.
  (3) Next appointment date?  Any big ultrasounds/other exciting stuff coming up? Not for a while.
  (4) What's been your greatest BR challenge this past week? Tiredness!  He still is struggling to nap at daycare, and therefore comes home exhausted every day.  He struggle through dinner and bath and don't get much quality time in the evening at all.  I miss my happy Ba-boo!
  (5) Tips from mamas of two or more... how do you manage the day-to-day with two or more littles? I, too, have baby fever big time!  I'm not ready to TTC just yet, but I think about newborns all the time.  I think in spring we start trying.
  (6) How often do you and DH have date night? Do you wait until your LO is asleep and then go out? Um....never?  Seriously, we go out for a quick dinner every few months when one of our parents are visiting.  We still have to put him to bed, since they don't know the routine at all (plus H would freak), then we might get to go out for 1.5 hours for a quick bite.  But, like I said, that's maybe every 2-3 months, if even.
  (7) Top 5 baby/kid/mom items. Go! Both from then and now:Miracle blanketsNuby straw cupsPlastic/vinyl/wipeable bibs with a pocket to catch things ErgoCrest Spinbrush for Kids (8) Do you have a baby blog? Link us up!  Nope.  TB and FB are enough for me to keep up with!

  
  

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• MauiBride2008 member

  September 2011

  lelekay:

  
  (5) Tips from mamas of two or more... how do you manage the day-to-day with two or more littles? I, too, have baby fever big time!  I'm not ready to TTC just yet, but I think about newborns all the time.  I think in spring we start trying.
  
  

  I secretly am having baby fever too   Although we are not ready yet (R is 5 months for goodness sakes), but I get sad thinking that he isn't a newborn anymore and this 5 months has gone by super quick!  A year from now we want to try for one more and call it good, I don't think I could keep up with more than that.  I'm already sleep deprived with this little guy
  

  
  
  
  | Olowalu, Maui ~ August 6, 2008 |
  | Family of 4 ~ April 2, 2011 |
  | Family of 5 - October 24, 2012 |

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