3 months and growing

Monday, December 15, 2008, marks 3 months since the births of Ryan and Alyna. It's been quite an adventure caring for two newborn babies at once. Many of the experiences we've had have taught us that there's no real rules for doing it right. Each child may just be different.

For instance:

Ryan eats more than Alyna and has grown faster, but Alyna sleeps longer even though we have the same bedtime routine for both. Alyna spits up a lot more even though she eats less and is burped more frequently.






Ryan likes to be cuddled close and wrapped up tight, but don't put him on his stomach for very long because he can't see what's going on. Alyna likes to play on her tummy, but don't wrap her arms up in a blanket or towel unless you want to hear her vocalize her discomfort very loudly.




Ryan and Alyna bring so much joy into our house. It's amazing how our perspective on so many things has changed in such a short time. Crazy drivers are scary, not just annoying. Bedtime at 9 pm and sleeping until 7 sounds great. Getting to eat dinner at the table together is a treat. Watching a TV show all the way through is a real luxury (even with skipping commercials). Going to a Christmas party in the evening sounds like a hassle.

My Mom once told my little brother, "Parenting is never about convenience." It's true. But convenience is overrated compared to the great blessings I feel when my children smile at me just because I'm their mom.

(Note: I just couldn't get them to make their cute faces for the same picture...)

The sleep trend continues

I'm so proud of the munchkins...

Last night, Ryan finished around 9:15, and I was asleep around 10:15... and he didn't eat until 3:15 am. That's 5 hours of sleep for Mommy. What a good feeling that is after all these months.

In the past 5 days, Ryan has gone 6 hour blocks every night except once night that was only 5 1/2 hours. I feed Alyna first at the 8 pm feeding and then wake her to feed after he does, so she has been sleeping 7 hours straight.

I think Ryan's close to sleeping even longer because he's started eating less when he wakes up after the 6 hours. That's been the trend so far. When he starts to eat for only 10 minutes before falling asleep, a week later he's sleeping longer and then eating more again.

One of these days I'll try waking them up to eat again around 11 pm and see if they'll go until morning. But I'm so happy with this trend of 6 hours, that I don't want to risk breaking it. Ryan always does better when we stick with our routine.

Precious sleep

Last night, Ryan went for 6 hours and then 4 hours without eating. Alyna went 7 hours and then 3 1/2. Using the pacifier has helped us to help Ryan sleep longer.

We've also gotten into a nighttime routine that seems to be working for us. The times change some depending on when they've eaten during the day, but they seem to know that it's bedtime now when we put them in the cribs around 7:30 each night.

Here's how last night went...

5 -6 - twins eat
6-7 - Mommy and Daddy eat, watched a 2 week old episode of Heroes while holding the twins and playing with them (they like Peek-a-boo now)
6:50 -bath time
7:15 - change twins into sleep clothes and put in cribs to watch mobiles (they are in separate cribs now because Ryan kept bonking Alyna on the head and waking her up when he'd cry)
7:30 - 8:15 - catnap before evening feeding
8:15 - feed and change Alyna
8:40 - feed and change Ryan
9:05 - Mommy is done... time to get ready for bed
10:15 - Mommy goes to sleep
1:40 - Ryan cries, Mommy goes in and sticks pacifier in his mouth
2:50 - Ryan cries, Mommy goes in and feeds him... that's 6 hours since he last ate
3:15 - Mommy wakes Alyna up for a change and feed... that's 7 hours since she ate
5:30 - Ryan cries... Daddy goes and sticks a pacifier in his mouth
6:00 - Ryan and Alyna are crying... Daddy goes and changes each one and brings them to the swings that are in our bedroom
6:45 - Alyna is fussy... Mommy feeds her
7:05 - Mommy gets Ryan out of the swing to eat
7:15 - Daddy gets ready to go to work, and Mommy takes the babies into the bedroom to be changed, then out to the living room while she eats breakfast

The funny part was that Ryan thought it was playtime at 3 am because he'd slept so long. He was all smiles and laughing at the mobile for about 15 minutes after Alyna had finished and gone back to sleep.

The long sleep wasn't totally unexpected. Ryan has slept for a 5 hour block 3 out of the previous 5 nights. That usually includes one or more times of us putting the pacifier in his mouth to sooth him back to sleep, but it seems to work. We always try that first now. If he cries again within 15 minutes, we know he really wants to eat or be changed.

I am hoping the trend will continue, and am dreading the thought that teething may start soon. He's been unusually fussy, drooling a lot, had elevated temperature (in the 99's), and been chewing his fingers the last couple days. But he's just now 3 months old.

I feel so much better when I've had at least one block of sleep over 3 hours. It's a nice feeling.

Let it snow...

Today is our first snow of the year. I'm not sure how much is supposed to stick, but it sure is helping me feel like it's actually Christmas time. It's hard to get into the spirit when you go shopping without a jacket on.

I opted to not go to Ladies Bible Class this morning partly for the weather, but mostly because Ryan had mucus coming out of his right eye all day yesterday and we had to get eye drops for it. It looks better today, but I still didn't want to take him into the cold weather since we don't really know what caused it.

Of course, being southern New Mexico, it's supposed to be in the 60's again by Thursday.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow... Merry Christmas!

Music fills the air

My babies love music... is it really a surprise?

I've been singing to them since before they were born, and I continue to sing to them every day. We even had the IPod going in the hospital, and it still plays lullabies at night in their bedroom.

Most days we have about 20 minutes at some point during the day where they are both awake and happy, and I sing songs and do hand motions. They actually have pretty good attention spans.

I had been helping out in the cradle roll class at church while I was pregnant so I could learn a bunch new songs. So I sing to them about the days of creation, and after each day I sing them songs about things made on that day.

Day 1 - songs about God making light...
Day 2 - songs about clouds floating and rain falling, "Wise Man Built His House Upon a Rock"
Day 3 - songs about trees and flowers
Day 4 - about God making the big round sun, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star God has placed you where you are...
Day 5 - songs about fish swimming, and birds flying
Day 6 - songs about frogs and other animals, and songs about God making "me" and "I am special", songs about our eyes, ears and other parts

Then we sing the ABC's, and whatever other songs I feel like singing. I'm hoping this will help them feel comfortable in the cradle roll class once they can sit up.

I also use the song "O Be Careful Little Eyes" to give them their baths. During the eyes, I wash their face and top of their head. For Ears, I wash behind their ears and the back of their head. Mouth, I wash their mouth, chin, and neck. Hands, I wash their arms and stomach. Feet, I wash their legs. Then I turn them over and wash their backs as quickly as possible and then pull them out.

They also love things that play music, like their swings and their crib mobiles. They stay entertained for 5-15 minutes by these, which gives Mommy time to attend to their sibling.

We also have Mr. Blueberry. Ryan never liked having his diaper changed until one day I reached over and grabbed a blue teddy bear we'd received as a present. Mr. Blueberry, as we've named him, has a wind up that plays "Lullaby and Goodnight" while his head moves side to side. Ryan loves it when Mr. Blueberry sings to him, and Ryan talks back to the bear too. Alyna would prefer Mommy to sing to her.

I'm glad they love music, because it's a special blessing from God for His creation.