Thursday, July 18, 2013
A beer a day keeps the doctor away....
At my six week post baby check up visit, my doctor told me I need to drink more. Words I thought I would never hear from a doctor! Apparently drinking a beer a day increases your milk supply - the darker the better. I am also eating oatmeal everyday and taking motherslove more milk plus, a disgusting herbal mix with fenugreek. Available on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000IT49NW/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1375822044&sr=8-6&pi=SL75
Stroller Review: Graco Double Quattro Tour Duo Stroller
I bought the Graco Double Quattro Tour Duo Stroller at the moms of multiples sale used, with two Graco Snugride car seats, for $150. It retails new for $229ish without the car seats. So it was an awesome deal. It's not my favorite though.
Pros:
Pros:
- Compatible with Graco car seats. Especially important since the twins were preemie and too small to go into other strollers.
- Easy enough to maneuver. I had no problems pushing the stroller around the block even after my c-section.
- Simple to load and unload the car seats.
- Folds down and folds up without any issues.
- Adequate storage under the stroller.
- Cup holders for mommy drinks.
- Bad shade provided for baby in front (furthest away). It's difficult to load the car seats in with the sun shade provided for the front seat. On top of that, even if you get the car seat in, the shade provides little to no shade for the baby riding in front. I've tried a few alternate solutions to alleviate this problem. The first, was clipping an umbrella to the car seat handles with the car seat strap and hair clips. This worked okay as long as there wasn't any wind. I also use blankets but these get hot in the sunmer. I finally broke down and bought a Brica car seat cover for each baby. I like these because the netting around the seat keeps out bugs and well meaning neighbors that will reach into to touch your babies with potentially dirty hands. It also has a sun visor you can pull over. However, it's a bit bulky and can be annoying to use if you need to put a pacifier back into a crying baby's mouth every two minutes because you'll need to unzip it before you can get inside. I also bought a RayShade canopy extender that can go over the small shade provided with the stroller. I actually really like this.
- So heavy. I mean so heavy. The stroller weighs 40 lbs before you put in the car seats and babies. Try lifting that in and out of your trunk.
- So big. Would not fit in the trunk of my Ford Focus.
Overall, since I bought this used and paid so little, the stroller is fine. But if you are going to spend around $230 for a brand new one, you might want to try something else.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
6 weeks and past the "due date"
Six weeks old yesterday, which was also the twins' due date. They are still sleeping a lot, but getting more alert and staying awake for longer stretches (often in the middle of the night). The last few days they have been in a feeding frenzy. They are only lasting two hours between feedings. Forget about making it fours at night - doesn't happen. I think it's a growth spurt. But they are both doing so well still and continuing to be adorable. :)
Sunday, July 7, 2013
New friends!
Had a busy weekend with visitors and our first major out of town trip.
On Friday Darren's friends from Syracuse, Chris and Emily, brought their five month old daughter, Violet, over for a visit. It's funny to see the size comparison. Makes the girls look so tiny! Violet is 12 lbs so about the size of Brooklyn and Bailey combined. Violet was also super alert, smiling and interactive - makes me excited for times to come (though I love the newborn stage too!)
We also went down to New London for Darren's aunt and uncle's Fourth of July party. I spent most of the six hour visit in a bedroom feeding the babies (they literally fed for ever. Bailey took an hour and 20 minutes for the 6 pm feeding. Her prior personal best was 50 minutes with a typical nursing session being 25 to 30 minutes. Brooklyn also took her time.) but it was still nice to get out of the house. Bailey had a minor break down and cried for an hour straight. I think she was a little over stimulated. Poor baby girl! I had to ride in the back seat of the Focus wedged between the two car seats to keep her calm on the way home. This mostly consisted of putting her pacifier back in when it fell out. After all the excitement yesterday they were pretty sleepy today.
We did get an official cousin picture with Oscar. He just turned two on June 8. He can already say both the girls' names. Not that I am surprised since he can count to thirty and knows all his letters already!
5 weeks
Five weeks (and one day). They were not in a photo taking mood so this is the best I could get. 
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
What you will never learn in childbirth classes
I did not write this, but my cousin Alice sent me this forward in an email (it's also been on Facebook I believe) and I wanted to repost it. Wish I knew the author to give them credit.
Here it is - What you will never learn in childbirth classes:
"We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations."
But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.
I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.
I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her.
That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.
I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moments hesitation.
I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.
I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.
However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.
That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.
I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.
My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.
I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child.
I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.
I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike.
I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time.
I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.
My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.
Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Moms. May you always have in your arms the one who is in your heart."
~Author unknown
Here it is - What you will never learn in childbirth classes:
"We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations."
But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.
I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.
I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her.
That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.
I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moments hesitation.
I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.
I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.
However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.
That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.
I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.
My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.
I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child.
I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.
I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike.
I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time.
I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.
My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.
Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Moms. May you always have in your arms the one who is in your heart."
~Author unknown
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Professional photos from Bouncing Light Photography
We had professional photos taken by our wedding photographer, Leigh, the owner of Bouncing Light Photography. Photos turned out so well! Leigh is awesome, anyone in need of professional photos in Cleveland should use her.
In this one, the girls are laying on a blanket my grandma made. All the Beckwith children, grandchildren and great grandchildren get a custom-made afghan from her. Brooklyn is in the dark purple hat, Bailey in the light pink.
View full photo gallery here:
Leigh's blog post on our session:
Here are a few of my favorites.
In this one, the girls are laying on a blanket my grandma made. All the Beckwith children, grandchildren and great grandchildren get a custom-made afghan from her. Brooklyn is in the dark purple hat, Bailey in the light pink.
Family photo! Bailey in my left arm, Brooklyn in my right arm.
And I love this photo. There is something so heart melting seeing a man with his kids, especially when it's an attractive man that happens to be your husband and he is holding your first and second born.
Monday, July 1, 2013
One month photos
Girls are officially one month old! I consider this different from four weeks old so that I can use the opportunity to take more photos. 
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