Life With Twins

I don't typically write posts about my personal life.  Mostly because I don't think most will find it very exciting.  But as many of you know, in June of this year, Mark and I brought home our firstborn identical twin daughters - Caroline and Hannah. 

The girls were born at full term - 38 weeks.  This picture of me was at about 30 weeks.  Yes, I got even bigger.  The pregnancy was pretty tough - from brutal morning sickness, to intense heartburn - I think I had every pregnancy symptom in the book.  Because the girls were identical (the egg split in half), I was considered high-risk and had to go for ultrasounds every other week (and every week for the last 2 months).  I remember at our 37th week ultrasound, I stormed back to the car because I was so mad they wouldn't induce me.  My loving Mom walked beside me in silence - and still to this day she comments on how I 'walked 8 blocks back to the car when I was full-term'.  I love her.

Waiting for my turn to give birth.

When they finally came, Mark was able to take 6 weeks off work, which was so phenomenal for me.  The first 3 weeks were spent with lots visitors, re-heated meals from friends, and trying to catch some sleep in between all the feedings.

Everyone had told me how important it is to get your baby on a schedule, and I knew if I was going to have any life at all, I needed to be pretty regimental.  We were incredibly diligent with nap, feed, and wake times, and the hard work payed off - by 8 weeks they were sleeping consistently through the night.



Soon enough, I was back in the garage, working on furniture.  During the early weeks, I would put them in a bassinet together for a nap while I worked away the garage.  Eventually they got too big for it, and they went inside and we put the baby monitors on.  I had to force myself to be more relaxed about having a messy house and start planning for cleaning days, laundry days, and painting days.  My pump became my best friend (yes, I breastfeed), so when people came over to help, they could take a feeding while I worked on other things.


When Mark went back to work, things got busier, but still manageable.  We have a pretty solid routine down, with morning, afternoon and evening naps, bedtime at 8, morning time at 9 (okay I know, I have angel babies) and 5 feedings per baby per day.  When they are awake I don't attempt to do anything - but as soon as they are put down for a nap, I turn in to a whirlwind of accomplishment.  In the mornings I clean up, do the dishes, prepare whatever might be for dinner, take a shower, and usually by the time that's all done, they wake up.  During the afternoon nap is usually the time I pick up my paintbrush.  Mark brings one  piece into the house at a time, so I can work right in the house.  I photograph it, and he brings it to the garage and brings in another.  I try to do 1 or 2 pieces every week.

Our girls bring so much joy to our lives.  Yes, they are a ton of work.  There are times I wish we only had one baby to tend to.  Going out is almost impossible by myself with them.  Everything is covered in baby goober.  Getting an errand done is an ordeal.  People crowd me in public places.  But when they giggle just when I take off their diaper, or when I see them sleeping soundly holding each others hands, all of that fades away and remember how blessed I am.  God is good.