3 Under 2: Week 2

Does Grayson need a sleep sack or a swaddle blanket? Should I give him a pacifier? Did the twins use pacifiers? Do I change his diaper at every feeding, or just when it's dirty? Exactly HOW do you breast feed one baby? Will he let me know when he is hungry or do I wake him to feed?

These are very common questions for a first time mom... and strangely I am asking the same questions lately. Explain to me how I had TWO infants, not much over a year ago, and am struggling to remember these little details.

BTW- newborns wear Newborn size diapers. Not size 1. Just saying.

Well, I can easily explain this. Twins = memory failure. I mean, all of the MOMS I know, told me that I would not remember the first year or so with twins, but I never really believed them. Don't get me wrong, I remember the important stuff... their sweet faces/ cute noises they made when they nursed, first laughs and smiles... the greatest sleep deprivation in the world could not remove those memories. Thank God. Yet, somehow I can't remember when the belly button falls off and ask my husband about my reaction to the "black poo" Grayson had the first days of life. Nope. Don't remember that stuff with the twins!!!

Well, aside from my occasional crazies, the transition from 2 to 3 is going quite smoothly. The twins are loving baby and it's constant kisses and hugs around here. I guess the forced baby doll obsession has paid off:) They are super gentle and Everlynn actually got a burp out of him yesterday. Now, if we can just teach her that the patting is only for his back and not his face.

Grayson is co-sleeping with us using the Snuggle Nest http://babydelight.com/index.html and I can't say enough about this item. Well, except I wish the LED attachment wasn't broken when I opened it, but still the best $50 I have spent in a while.
I have always been nervous about having a baby in bed with us, as I sleep like a rock, when I get the chance. This offers so much security for the baby, yet I can still put my arm around him and practically lay face to face, so he can smell me.

The nights are so peaceful and EASY... relatively of course. I know he is still in his sleepy phase, but I am getting more rest than I have had in months. You know how the end of pregnancy is... sleepless. It's  nice to focus on one baby at night and the nursing is a breeze with him being in bed with us.

I have to say, it never felt natural leaving the twins in their cribs/nursery when they were tiny. Often, I would sleep  in their nursery on a twin mattress, just to be in the same room. We tried co-sleeping with them, but they would not have it. I still don't know why. We used to joke about there being a ghost in our bedroom, as they would scream anytime we tried to bring them in there to sleep. Maybe they were just used to their own space, as that's what they had the first few weeks of life in the NICU. I find myself feeling very guilty about all of this lately. I can say they had plenty of bonding time during the day. It was rare myself and/or Kyle/Jamie ever took them out of a baby carrier the first few months. I guess they have turned out just fine anyway... I am often reassured by others that they are extremely affectionate little ladies:)

The twins are in another phase of sleep issues. They are refusing bedtime again and waking throughout the night. Kyle has taken over in this area. I get anxiety thinking about the moment I have to deal with 3 very young children and sleep issues. I get anxiety a lot lately, thinking about anything like this, as I know these phases will be coming and going for the next few years. I really don't know how I will ever leave the house with all 3, for the next few months, but I know I will try... and try... and try again.
For now, I am focusing on one moment, one day, and one "night night" at a time... deep breaths and the constant reminder to self, that they won't always need me the way they do right now.